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Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

bionic-reading.com

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Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#61
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I agree. I guess this technology isn't for everyone. This is a real bummer. They did not have to patent and trademark this method, which in principle is such a basic mechanism. Just had to productize their service really well so they'd take the lead in monetizing.

I am alone and I put all my money, time and work into BR. Visible is only a small part. But I think everyone decides for themselves what is best. But thank you for the critical feedback.

Thank you for responding. Despite my criticism I'd like to say that the method is really working for me. So as an invention it is great.

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#62

The rules implemented are very simple (taken from the patent application [1], the exact numbers are configurable). If there are 4 letters, 40% of all letters are bold. There is this claim as the first text on the website: We are happy if as many people as possible can use the advantage of Bionic Reading. For this reason, Bionic Reading should be able to be integrated into existing apps and services. The benefit for t…

I wonder how bolding more on uniqueness would work? Instead of just first characters. For instance now THeir and THere will be bolded the same, on a quick glance that can be confusing. (Using caps as HN can't do bold) Would it increase pattern recognition in the brain if it instead was THeIr and THeRe, or some other variant where the bolding highlights the unique parts of a word compared to other common words? Well I…

Haha...nice The basic problem with reading is that your eye needs a fixed point...that's why they should be "blocks". This one doesn't have to be at the very beginning though ;) But cool comment Hehe

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#63
post #34
post #22

This does indeed seem to work for me, but the repeated emphasis on the patents and trademarks makes me suspicious. It looks like a company who cares much more about patent royalties than about their invention - whom I would never be willing to give my money to. Having seen the principle, I could write a browser extension in an hour. I suppose I'll have to wait 25 years (or whatever the French patent expiry length is)…

Yes, I agree. I guess this technology isn't for everyone. This is a real bummer. They did not have to patent and trademark this method, which in principle is such a basic mechanism. Just had to productize their service really well so they'd take the lead in monetizing.

I disagree 100%.

This is amazingly innovative.

We have seen letter switching examples and how the brain will try to fill in the gaps.

This is superbly unique and justifiably a patent and trademark.

The demo works.

The rules may be simple. But as the old boat repairman story says, sometimes you need to know where to hit the hammer.

Please, please don't use this for evil.

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#65
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am alone and I put all my money, time and work into BR. Visible is only a small part. But I think everyone decides for themselves what is best. But thank you for the critical feedback.

Thank you for responding. Despite my criticism I'd like to say that the method is really working for me. So as an invention it is great.

I thank you for your criticism. This is the only way to move forward and I take it very seriously. Therefore I thank you!

Best regards from the Alps Renato

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how bolding more on uniqueness would work? Instead of just first characters. For instance now THeir and THere will be bolded the same, on a quick glance that can be confusing. (Using caps as HN can't do bold) Would it increase pattern recognition in the brain if it instead was THeIr and THeRe, or some other variant where the bolding highlights the unique parts of a word compared to other common words? Well I…

Haha...nice The basic problem with reading is that your eye needs a fixed point...that's why they should be "blocks". This one doesn't have to be at the very beginning though ;) But cool comment Hehe

True. You made me remember a different concept, where words would flash at the same point, but centered around some fixed highlighted character per word. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ky8DP55YEO0

Edit: but thank you for sharing your concept here, very interesting, and I like the discussions it created.

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#67

The rules implemented are very simple (taken from the patent application [1], the exact numbers are configurable). If there are 4 letters, 40% of all letters are bold. There is this claim as the first text on the website: We are happy if as many people as possible can use the advantage of Bionic Reading. For this reason, Bionic Reading should be able to be integrated into existing apps and services. The benefit for t…

I decided to take out a patent a long time ago. Unfortunately I had to make bad experiences, which is why I now want to offer BR as API. With the rules it depends on whether it is short, medium or long words. But in principle it is simple. As simple as we humans read. Eye - brain - representation products (words)

> Unfortunately I had to make bad experiences

That has to be the most unfortunate choice of wording !

More seriously though, does BR work in your native Swiss German ?

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#68

Are there any actual studies on the gained speed being done by Independent scientists? I could not finde anything on their (quite beautifully done) marketing/landing page. I see patent registrations, but no mention of any studies underpinning the claims being made. To me this smells like all the other pseudo-scientific BS marketing and product people are trying to spoon-feed me every day. Also as said in a sibling co…

We have just completed the preliminary study but I cannot publish any results yet. And you are right, of course. It does not help everyone. That's the way it is. But there is a lot of feedback thanking us and hoping that it will be available to as many services as possible.

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#69
post #50

Why are you patenting ~"Highlight the first half of a printed word", Renato? Do you think that is patent material?

Hi mdp2021 I understand your skepticism. The point is that the reader needs a fixed point to absorb the text. That's why this definition is placed. As shared in other comments, I unfortunately had to make very bad experiences. And the responsibility I perceive among others Marco (feedback website), I do not want to jeopardize. But I understand your objections.

Best regards from the Alps Renato

Re: Show HN: Bionic Reading – Formats text to make it faster to read

#70

I have started to watch more videos at > real-time speeds. Depends on the quality of the video but can get at least x1.25 and upto x1.75 without my brain frying. Instead of reading what if this was text->speech at a multiple?

I just wish most software were smarter about the speed ups. Naively playing everything X times faster can be weird. Either the pauses are too short, the words spoken too fast, or something. But it should dynamically stretch and squish more, I feel, to make it sound like a person actually speaking faster.
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