Back at Build 2016 last year Microsoft introduced the prototype version of Seeing AI, an app which assists the vision-impaired. Well, the company has been working on the app over the past year, and it’s now available for all to download on iOS devices.
The app essentially narrates the world for the visually impaired and is based on the company’s Artificial Intelligence efforts. As detailed on the iTunes Store listing, Microsoft says that the app “harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world and describe nearby people, text, and objects by narrating the world around you.” Other features of the app can be seen below.
Optimized for use with VoiceOver, the app enables you to recognize.
- Short Text – Speaks text as soon as it appears in front of the camera.
- Documents – Provides audio guidance to capture a printed page, and recognizes the text, along with its original formatting.
- Products – Scans barcodes, using audio beeps to guide you; hear the name, and package information when available.
- People – Saves people’s faces so you can recognize them, and get an estimate of their age, gender, and emotions.
- Scenes (early preview) – Hear an overall description of the scene captured.
- Images in other apps – Just tap “Share” and “Recognize with Seeing AI” to describe images from Mail, Photos, Twitter, and more.
Again, for the moment this application is only available for iOS devices. You can download it via the link below, and visit the Seeing AI website to see the app in action and learn more about how it works.
