Free assistive reading app could support over 800 million people with dyslexia globally

An assistive technology solutions provider has launched a new reading app that creates an inclusive opportunity for the millions of adults and children who have dyslexia at CES 2023.

FACIL’iti’s new app, MYdys, is a “first of its kind” free dyslexia app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to enable users to customise captured textual content from a variety of mediums and adapt it to suit their needs.

It has also been named a CES 2023 Innovation Award Honoree in the Software & Mobile Apps category.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 800 million people worldwide, including over six million individuals in the UK, have dyslexia, which challenges an individual’s ability to read easily.

People with dyslexia are often challenged by everyday tasks ranging from reading the contents of a restaurant menu, a bank statement, legal document, or the text of a teacher’s lesson, says FACIL’iti.

MYdys accompanies people with dyslexia in their daily lives, allowing them to snap a picture of a text on any medium (book, magazine, signage, computer screen, websites, etc.), anywhere and on the go, and customise its display to meet their needs.

MYdys’ personalised features include: adjustable font size; spacing of words and lines; highlighting and colour-coding of letters and numbers most commonly inverted (i.e. “9” and “6”, or “d” and “b”); change of background/font colour for contrast (based on WCAG 3 Standards); and predefined colour themes and voice synthesis of text.

The app also has translations of more than 21 languages (with capabilities for 50 additional languages in development) and compatibility with complex alphabets such as Latin, Russian, and Hebrew (with capabilities for logograms such as Japanese and Chinese in development).

Once customisations are initially set-up by a user, they are saved in their device for any future uses. This “one-click” configuration allows for rapid, real-time use, providing a simple user experience to access a complex and robust suite of adjustments and have the ability to save the customised image to their smartphone for later use.

From reading signs at an airport, filling out a voting ballot, or enjoying a newspaper, MYdys was designed to empower those with dyslexia to live their lives like everyone else, in an inclusive and accessible world.

Frédéric Sudraud, FACIL’iti CEO, said: “From the success and widespread global adoption of our web solution, it has been clear to us that there is a need for greater accessibility and inclusivity when it comes to online browsing, but we wanted to help those with offline day-to-day challenges as well.

“With MYdys, we are making a tangible difference and improving everyday experiences for those with dyslexia, providing them with more autonomy in accessing general information in all of their activities, whether they be professional, educational, or leisure.”

FACIL’iti is already established in the digital accessibility world with its web solution, providing customisable, accessible, and inclusive browsing experiences for those with visual, motor, or cognitive impairments.

FACIL’iti’s assistive technology, developed with experts and users, offers more than 1,200 tailor-made adaptations to support users who experience difficulties browsing.

MYdys is available for free download from the Apple App Store and will be available from the Google Play Store starting in February 2023.

All users will have access to 30 scans per month on the free version. A paid Discovery Offer will include 600 scans per month, and a Premium Offer will include 10,000 scans per month.

Recently, an app designed to help products to be more accessible for people with cognitive impairments, NaviLens, was launched to allow users to scan products with a unique code using the camera of their device to obtain important information about the packaging and product, such as ingredients and instructions.