Toronto’s Crawford Technologies has established a strategic partnership with Voiceye Inc. to bring its new technology to the accessible document marketplace worldwide. Voiceye’s groundbreaking technology allows people with visual or cognitive impairment to read text from printed pages using a smartphone. Voiceye is based on a patented, ultra-high-density barcode (smaller than a QR code) that can hold information from up to two pages on a printed document. Using a free smartphone app, Voiceye barcodes are scanned and allow visually-impaired users to read a printed document in large print/high-contrast viewing, Braille, audio and translate languages. “Voiceye is possibly the biggest breakthrough in accessible documents since Braille was invented by Louis Braille in 1821,” said Ernie Crawford, CEO of Crawford Technologies. “It essentially allows printers to create ‘talking paper.’ We’re proud to be a part of this revolution and predict this new technology will improve and impact the lives of people all over the world.”
Crawford Technologies newly created solution – Voiceye Maker for Operations Express – allows high-volume document producers to remake their documents into fully accessible pages. It can be used to make documents accessible, significantly reducing the costs of creating documents in braille, large print, etext and audio from scratch. “This is a major breakthrough for compliance with accessibility legislation, as well as a way to increase the value of printed documents in a world that is becoming increasingly computer and mobile dominated,” added Crawford.
Voiceye barcodes can be used to extend an organization’s reach to the visually impaired at very little additional cost and administration, said Crawford. Voiceye can be used for prescription labeling, hospital discharge documents, healthcare explanation of benefits, bank statements, credit card bills, trade confirmations, telephone, internet and utility bills – as well as book, newsletter and brochure publishing. The technology is heavily used in South Korea (where it was developed) for a wide variety of applications.
