Abstract: A braille cell and associated braille pin support and pin actuation assemblies are disclosed. The braille cell can include a frame, braille pins movable up and down between raised and lowered positions, and a pin actuation assembly to individually move the pins. The braille cell can include support arms, each of which having a base end connected to the frame and a pin end connected to and following a motion of a respective pin between its raised and lowered positions. The pin actuation assembly can include pin actuation units, each having a motor with a rotatable motor shaft and multiple cams mounted on the shaft, each for selectively actuating a respective pin. Each pin actuation unit can also include an angular position sensing system for monitoring, for example magnetically, a passage of the shaft through a reference angular position, and deriving information about a current angular position of the shaft.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for dynamically calibrating a virtual Braille keyboard implemented on a touch screen is provided. The virtual Braille keyboard includes a plurality of virtual keys each associated with a corresponding finger of a user and with a variable key location on the touch screen. The method includes detecting typing events, each involving one or more of the fingers of the user contacting the touch screen at corresponding touch locations and defining one or more active fingers for the typing event. The method also includes updating, in real-time, the variable key location of the virtual key associated with each active finger in view of the corresponding touch location detected during a current one of the typing events. A computer-implemented method for reinitializing a calibration of a virtual Braille keyboard for a single one of the two hands of a user is also provided.

Abstract: A single-unit portable Braille device is provided that can include a housing and a touch-sensitive surface provided on the housing and configured to implement a virtual Braille keyboard including a plurality of virtual keys each associated with a key location on the touch-sensitive surface. The virtual Braille keyboard is configured for entry of input Braille data from a user contacting the touch-sensitive surface at one or more of the key locations. The portable Braille device also includes a refreshable Braille display provided on the housing and configured for outputting output Braille data for tactile reading by the user, and a processing unit in the housing and configured to receive the input Braille data from the touch-sensitive surface and to transmit the output Braille data to the refreshable Braille display. In some implementations, the portable Braille device includes a visual display located under the touch-sensitive surface.

Abstract: A handheld electronic magnifier for providing a magnified representation of an object is provided. The magnifier includes a casing having a camera face and an opposed display face, a camera inside the casing for acquiring an image of the object, and a display extending along the display face for displaying the magnified representation of the object based on the image acquired by the camera. The handheld electronic magnifier also includes a handle and a two-axis hinge assembly rotatably connecting the casing and the handle about orthogonal first and second hinge axes extending respectively along a length of the casing and a width of the handle. The two-axis hinge assembly includes a longitudinal and a transverse hinge member rigidly fixed to each other and extending along the first and second hinge axes, respectively. The longitudinal and transverse hinge members are rotatably connected to the casing and the handle, respectively.

Abstract: A live panning system and method for providing a live representation of a portion of a working area are provided. The system includes an image sensor acquiring an image of the entire working area and a processing unit. The image sensor includes an array of pixels, each providing pixel data of the image, and reads out the pixel data of a number of output pixels from the array to generate a sensor video stream, the output pixels corresponding to a cropping window within the image. The image sensor also includes a windowing module configured to move, in real-time, the cropping window within the image. The processing unit monitors viewing instructions from a user selecting a region of interest within the image corresponding to the portion of the working area, and dynamically communicates the viewing instructions to the windowing module such that the cropping window always encompasses the region of interest.

Abstract: A docking assembly for docking a handheld device thereto is provided. The docking assembly includes a cradle for receiving the handheld device, and a handle adjacent to the cradle and reciprocally movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the cradle between an open and a position. The handle has a handle interface facing a corresponding device interface of the handheld device when the handheld device is placed in the cradle. The handle interface has a pair of alignment projections and a handle data connector connectable to a device data connector of the handheld device, the alignment projections being engageable with complimentary alignment cavities of the handheld device. The docking assembly further includes a displacement mechanism configured such that, as the handle moves toward the closed position, the alignment projections progressively engage the alignment cavities and guide the handle and device data connectors toward each other for connection therebetween.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing a text-based representation of a region of interest of an image to first is provided that includes a step of identifying text zones within the image, each text zone including textual content and having a respective rank assigned thereto based on an arrangement of the text zones within the image. The method also includes determining a processing sequence for performing optical character recognition (OCR) on the text zones. The processing sequence is based, firstly, on an arrangement of the text zones with respect to the region of interest and, secondly, on the ranks assigned to the text zones. The method further includes performing an OCR process on the text zones according to the processing sequence to progressively obtain a machine-encoded representation of the region of interest, and concurrently present the machine-encoded representation to the user, via an output device, as the text-based representation.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing a text-based representation of a portion of a working area to a user are provided. The method includes acquiring an image of the entire working area and performing a fast OCR process on at least a region of interest of the image corresponding to the portion of the working area, thereby rapidly obtaining an initial machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area and immediately presenting it to the user as the text-based representation. Parallelly to the fast OCR process, a high-precision OCR process is performed on at least the region of interest of the image, thereby obtaining a high-precision machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area. Upon completing the high-precision OCR process, the high-precision machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area is presented to the user as the text-based representation, in replacement of the initial machine-encoded representation.

Abstract: A handheld magnification device for displaying a magnified representation of an object in a see-through manner is provided. The handheld magnification device includes a casing and a first and a second camera both adapted to acquire an image of the object, and having respectively a first working range proximate the handheld magnification device and a second working range different from and extending beyond the first working range. The handheld magnification device also includes a distance-sensitive sensor for measuring a distance parameter representative of a distance between the object and the handheld magnification device, as well as a processing unit for automatically selecting, based on the distance parameter and the first and second working ranges, one of the first and second cameras as a selected camera. The handheld magnification device further includes a display for displaying the magnified representation of the object based on the image acquired by the selected camera.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing a text-based representation of a portion of a working area to a user are provided. The method includes acquiring an image of the entire working area and performing a fast OCR process on at least a region of interest of the image corresponding to the portion of the working area, thereby rapidly obtaining an initial machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area and immediately presenting it to the user as the text-based representation. Parallelly to the fast OCR process, a high-precision OCR process is performed on at least the region of interest of the image, thereby obtaining a high-precision machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area. Upon completing the high-precision OCR process, the high-precision machine-encoded representation of the portion of the working area is presented to the user as the text-based representation, in replacement of the initial machine-encoded representation.

Abstract: A live panning system and method for providing a live representation of a portion of a working area are provided. The system includes an image sensor acquiring an image of the entire working area and a processing unit. The image sensor includes an array of pixels, each providing pixel data of the image, and reads out the pixel data of a number of output pixels from the array to generate a sensor video stream, the output pixels corresponding to a cropping window within the image. The image sensor also includes a windowing module configured to move, in real-time, the cropping window within the image. The processing unit monitors viewing instructions from a user selecting a region of interest within the image corresponding to the portion of the working area, and dynamically communicates the viewing instructions to the windowing module such that the cropping window always encompasses the region of interest.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing a text-based representation of a region of interest of an image to first is provided that includes a step of identifying text zones within the image, each text zone including textual content and having a respective rank assigned thereto based on an arrangement of the text zones within the image. The method also includes determining a processing sequence for performing optical character recognition (OCR) on the text zones. The processing sequence is based, firstly, on an arrangement of the text zones with respect to the region of interest and, secondly, on the ranks assigned to the text zones. The method further includes performing an OCR process on the text zones according to the processing sequence to progressively obtain a machine-encoded representation of the region of interest, and concurrently present the machine-encoded representation to the user, via an output device, as the text-based representation.

Abstract: A docking assembly for docking a handheld device thereto is provided. The docking assembly includes a cradle for receiving the handheld device, and a handle adjacent to the cradle and reciprocally movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the cradle between an open and a position. The handle has a handle interface facing a corresponding device interface of the handheld device when the handheld device is placed in the cradle. The handle interface has a pair of alignment projections and a handle data connector connectable to a device data connector of the handheld device, the alignment projections being engageable with complimentary alignment cavities of the handheld device. The docking assembly further includes a displacement mechanism configured such that, as the handle moves toward the closed position, the alignment projections progressively engage the alignment cavities and guide the handle and device data connectors toward each other for connection therebetween.

Abstract: A handheld magnification device for displaying a magnified representation of an object in a see-through manner is provided. The handheld magnification device includes a casing and a first and a second camera both adapted to acquire an image of the object, and having respectively a first working range proximate the handheld magnification device and a second working range different from and extending beyond the first working range. The handheld magnification device also includes a distance-sensitive sensor for measuring a distance parameter representative of a distance between the object and the handheld magnification device, as well as a processing unit for automatically selecting, based on the distance parameter and the first and second working ranges, one of the first and second cameras as a selected camera. The handheld magnification device further includes a display for displaying the magnified representation of the object based on the image acquired by the selected camera.

Abstract: A magnification system which allows viewing a magnified representation of an object is provided. The magnification system includes two main components: a handheld device and a base station. The handheld device is provided with a camera module, a processing unit and, optionally, a display unit. The base station has a frame structure and, optionally, a monitor. The frame structure includes a cradle for receiving the handheld device. The handheld device can function as a stand-alone device and can be carried around for use outside of the home or office or, generally, away from the base station, or it can be mounted on the base station where images of documents or other objects disposed on a workspace of the frame structure can be acquired by the camera module of the handheld device and shown on the monitor through the processing unit.