Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text. In some aspects, the techniques and systems described herein include generating a timing file that includes elapsed time information for expected portions of text that provides an elapsed time period from a reference time in an audio recording to each portion of text in recognized portions of text.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems for rendering pages or documents with both graphical and textual content.

Abstract: Controlling a reading machine while reading a document to a user by receiving an image of a document, accessing a knowledge base that provides data that identifies sections in the document and processing user commands to select a section of the document. The reading machine applies text-to-speech to a text file that corresponds to the selected section of the document, to read the selected section of the document aloud to the user.

Abstract: A device to convey information to a user regarding clothing. The device receives data that specifies a clothing mode to use for processing an image, accesses a knowledge base to provide data to configure the computer program product for the clothing mode, the data including data specific to the clothing mode and receives an image or images of an article of clothing. The device processes the image or images to identify patterns in the image corresponding to items of clothing based on information obtained from the knowledge base.

Abstract: A reading machine that operates in various modes includes image correction processing is described. The reading device pre-processes an image for optical character recognition by receiving the image and determining whether text in the image is too large or small for optical character recognition processing by determining that text height falls outside of a range in which optical character recognition software will recognize text in a digitized image. If necessary the image is resized according to whether the text is too large or too small.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for providing a plurality of characters at least some of the characters having multiple associated moods for use in document narration.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text. In some aspects, the techniques and systems described herein include generating a timing file that includes elapsed time information for expected portions of text that provides an elapsed time period from a reference time in an audio recording to each portion of text in recognized portions of text.

Abstract: A reading machine that operates in various modes includes image correction processing is described. The reading device pre-processes an image for optical character recognition by receiving the image and determining whether text in the image is too large or small for optical character recognition processing by determining that text height falls outside of a range in which optical character recognition software will recognize text in a digitized image. If necessary the image is resized according to whether the text is too large or too small.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. In some aspects, systems and methods described herein can include receiving a user-based selection of a first portion of words in a document where the document has a pre-associated first voice model and overwriting the association of the first voice model, by the one or more computers, with a second voice model for the first portion of words.

Abstract: A reading device includes a computing device and an image input device coupled to the computing device for capturing low resolution images and high resolution images. The reading machine also includes a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium. The medium is in communication with the computing device and includes instructions to operate in a plurality of modes to optimize performance for specific uses of the reading device and process low and high resolution images during operation of at least one of the plurality of modes.

Abstract: A handheld device includes an image input device capable of acquiring images, circuitry to send a representation of the image to a remote computing system that performs at least one processing function related to processing the image and circuitry to receive from the remote computing system data based on processing the image by the remote system.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a scanned image in which a portion of the image is overlaid with OCR generated text corresponding to the text of the original scanned document.

Abstract: Navigation techniques including map based and object recognition based and especially adapted for use in a portable reading machine are described.

Abstract: A portable reading device includes a computing device and a computer readable medium storing a computer program product to receive an image and select a section of the image to process. The product processes the section of the image with a first process and when the first process is finished processing the section of the image, process a result of the first process with a second process. While the second process is processing, repeats the first process on another section of the image.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for generating an audible output in which different portions of a text are narrated using voice models associated with different characters.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different languages where the portions of the text narrated using the different voices associated with different languages are selected by a user.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text. In some aspects, the techniques and systems described herein include generating a timing file that includes elapsed time information for expected portions of text that provides an elapsed time period from a reference time in an audio recording to each portion of text in recognized portions of text.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices where the portions of the text narrated using the different voices are selected by a user.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for modifying a voice model associated with a selected character based on data received from a user.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices where the portions of the text narrated using the different voices are selected by a user. Also disclosed are techniques and systems for associating characters with portions of a sequence of words selected by a user. Different characters having different voice models can be associated with different portions of a sequence of words.