OrCam Unveils Groundbreaking ‘OrCam Hear’ – Enhances Hearing in Noisy Environments by Isolating Selected Speakers

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today at CES 2024, OrCam Technologies introduce the OrCam Hear device, emphasizing the company’s commitment to provide innovative AI-driven assistive technology for individuals with hearing impairment. OrCam Hear is pioneering the revolution of hearing technologies.

Powered by cutting-edge AI technology and proprietary voice enhancement deep learning models, OrCam Hear excels in isolating the voices of distinct speakers using their voice signatures.It seamlessly amplifies the targeted speakers, while effectively removing other voices and ambient noise for an unparalleled audio experience. Thus, OrCam Hear enables people to overcome the difficulty to understand speech in noisy situations, known as the “cocktail party problem”, a well-recognized challenge for traditional hearing aids. This overwhelming cacophony can lead to avoidance of social situations, which significantly impacts overall quality of life. The OrCam Hear helps people who are hard of hearing to discern and focus on specific voices in various social situations.

At the Pepcom Digital Experience event at the Mirage beginning at 7 pm today, members of the media will have the opportunity to experience OrCam Hear along with other exciting new devices and meet CEO Elad Serfaty.

How it Works

The OrCam Hear’s EarBuds and a Mobile phone dongle are controlled by a dedicated app available for iPhone. After sampling the selected voices for a few seconds, using AI, the app creates a unique speaker profile that encapsulates the voice signature for each of the speakers. This allows users to selectively isolate specific voices even in noisy environments. The OrCam Hear user can select the members of the conversation by turning each speaker “on”/”off” accordingly, with a single tap, enabling effective muting all other voices and ambient noise.

“The use of deep networks plus the latest network architectures large language models are harnessed to make a game changing experience for hearing aids and hearables in general. The problem of “speech in noise” or commonly called the “cocktail party problem” in academic literature has been a very difficult problem to tackle at a product level. Moving from an academic demonstration to a seamless product took years to perfect” said Prof. Amnon Shashua, OrCam’s cofounder.

**OrCam Hear is currently in a technology preview phase and is expected to be shipped later in the year. More details about its release will be shared in the near future.

OrCam Introduces Advanced AI Companion for OrCam MyEye, Elevating Independence of Low Vision Users

OrCam’s augmented AI now enhances its MyEye device, offering unprecedented support for users with visual impairments. This leap forward in assistive technology is marked by a broadening of the device’s capabilities, from immediate text reading, facial recognition, and product identification to dynamic interactions similar to natural conversations. Whether by voice, gesture, or tap on the device, users can now seamlessly inquire about their surroundings.

OrCam’s AI companion is sharply tuned to the individual user, allowing for precise, on-demand responses that cater to the wearer’s unique inquiries. It tailors its feedback to individual preferences and interests, thus personalizing the user experience and supporting greater user autonomy. For example, by tapping the device, the user will get a general summary of a scene or document, and if requested by the user a detailed information of specific matters in real-time – be it items on a menu or detailed medicine leaflet.

OrCam MyEye’s artificial intelligence extends its reach beyond immediate environmental interaction to access extensive information. By engaging with the web, the AI companion offers users a detailed understanding of a wide range of topics and current events. This provides them with verbal access to visual / text information from both offline and online sources.

This positions OrCam MyEye as an assistive companion that not only simplifies tasks such as reading and identifying objects and people, but also serves as a gateway to the extensive repository of data, information, and services available.

With this enhancement, OrCam demonstrates its commitment to transforming MyEye from a device that simply interprets visual input into a comprehensive assistant that actively converses, learns, and assists users in interacting with their surroundings on a daily basis.

OrCam’s Co-Founder, Prof. Amnon Shashua, explained:
“OrCam’s MyEye, equipped with the new AI companion including the latest Large Language Models (LLMs), now serves as a beacon of innovation in assistive technology. In order to provide users with visual impairments with a high level of autonomy, the OrCam MyEye uses sophisticated algorithms and LLMs models to better understand and respond to natural language queries. This makes interactions more intuitive and effective for users as they navigate their informational and physical surroundings. This new AI companion highlights the progress being made in AI to create a more inclusive and empowered experience for those who rely on technological assistance in their daily lives.”

In 2019, OrCam MyEye received the prestigious “Best Inventions” award from Time Magazine. Learn more about OrCam MyEye here: https://www.orcam.com/en-us/orcam-myeye.

OrCam Read 3 Unveils ‘Just Ask’ Feature: A Game-Changing AI Magnifier for Empowering the Visually Impaired with Free Speech Interaction

OrCam Read 3 is an all-in-one solution, with an Interactive AI Assistant, designed to support people with vision loss or reading fatigue and throughout vision changes. It functions as a handheld reading companion, as a magnifier, or a stationary reader, based on the users’ needs and comfort.

OrCam unveiled the new “Just Ask” smart magnifier feature for its popular OrCam Read 3 device. The “Just Ask” feature on the OrCam Read 3 is an innovative leap in assistive reading technology that is tailored specifically to the needs of individuals with visual impairments or reading challenges. The device captures an image of the text or handwriting the user is interested in – this could range from a book page to a handwritten letter. Once the image is captured, the OrCam Read 3 processes it with its AI capabilities.

The “Just Ask” feature offers a wide range of interactive options. Firstly, it summarizes any captured text, which is particularly useful when users need a quick understanding of longer articles or documents without reading every word. The user can ask follow-up questions related to the text and beyond. In addition, it can read the full text aloud, which is beneficial for users who need complete information from legal documents, comprehensive reports or reading books for pleasure.

“Just Ask” is distinguished in its ability to provide contextual information. Users can make queries related to the text, extending beyond the captured words— for instance, if a user is reading about a historical figure, they might request a biography. OrCam Read 3 responds by leveraging internet resources to furnish the user with the requested information, thus serving not just as a reader, but as an interactive tool that delivers an enriched knowledge experience.

This capacity to interact with text and provide responses makes it more than just a magnifier or a simple document reader; it effectively turns into a powerful reference tool that can enhance the users’ understanding and connection with the content they are engaging with. For those with visual impairments, it represents a significant enhancement in their ability to independently access a wider range of information and enjoy a deeper reading experience.

In addition to its advanced AI capabilities, the OrCam Read 3 also includes standard magnifier features, allowing users to zoom in on text and other visual elements to enhance readability and accessibility. This versatile combination of magnification and AI-powered text recognition and interpretation makes the OrCam Read 3 a comprehensive and user-friendly tool for individuals with visual impairments or reading fatigue. 

When used as a handheld reading companion, OrCam Read 3 retains all the benefits of the original OrCam Read, redesigned with easy-to-navigate yellow buttons and new voice options. Instantly read printed or digital text from any surface, at home or on the go.

“Advancements in AI are not merely a matter of technological evolution; they represent a significant shift in how we interact with our world. With the right application, AI can extend human capabilities, open new prospects for innovation, and create a landscape where technology and humanity progress in harmony.” – Prof. Amnon Shashua OrCam Co-Founder.

OrCam Learn – Bridging Gaps | For Learning Differences and ELL Students

OrCam Learn represents an innovative solution specifically tailored to assist students coping with learning and reading challenges, such as dyslexia and ADHD. By leveraging AI technology, OrCam Learn delivers personalized support, enhances reading accessibility, and improves fluency, accuracy, and comprehension.

Through a host of interactive and personalized AI features, OrCam Learn can read text out loud from any surface, as well as listen to – and provide feedback on the child’s reading and comprehension, summarize and translate the text, and explain words by using a dictionary upon request.

In conclusion, OrCam Learn is designed to equip students with learning and reading differences and ELL students, with the tools and support their need to learn comfortably in various settings. This pioneering technology marks a significant advancement in enhancing the educational experience for individuals with specific learning needs.

OrCam Learn is already being adopted by thousands of individuals, as well as by schools all over the United States. To learn more please visit: https://www.orcam.com/en-us/orcam-learn.

About OrCam : OrCam Technologies is a global leader in personal AI assistive technology platforms. It was jointly founded in 2010 by Israeli innovators Prof. Amnon Shashua and Mr. Ziv Aviram, who are also the Co-founders of Mobileye, a leading collision avoidance system and autonomous driving innovator now part of Intel. OrCam is dedicated to providing increased independence to people who are blind or visually impaired, have reading and learning challenges, or are experiencing hearing loss. The company’s mission is to enrich people’s daily experiences with personal assistive handheld and wearable AI devices that promote confidence and independence. This reflects OrCam’s commitment to harnessing AI-driven technology to address a wide range of accessibility needs.

For more information: www.orcam.com and YouTube and follow OrCam on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
To locate a dealer near you, or to schedule a firsthand demonstration please email [email protected].

Press evaluation samples are available for loan. Media contact: Leigh Brandt, Lightspeed PR/M, [email protected]

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