Language Technologies, Inc.’s (LTI’s) patented software, ReadSmart®, improves legibility (the speed and ease of reading), readability (the attractiveness and meaningfulness of text), and economy (efficient use of available space). ReadSmart technology is a marriage of proven research in today’s cognitive sciences with cutting-edge software: It can be applied automatically to any text in any font without modifying the wording, spelling, punctuation, or overall text appearance.

In reading, the brain must quickly recognize both individual words and how the words are chunked into meaningful phrases. ReadSmart technology is based on the science of how the brain actually processes written words and phrases simultaneously. LTI created ReadSmart to automate and apply algorithms that facilitate both recognition processes.

ReadSmart’s algorithms draw on two major cognitive science approaches to the study of what the brain does during reading –
“Large data” statistical modeling, and Theoretical structural linguistics.

The algorithm subtly:

• Differentiates the visual salience of every letter, based on how statistically important it is in recognizing each word.
 

• Triggers recognition of meaningful chunks by introducing
a small amount of extra space between phrases.   

The algorithm allows Readsmart to integrate two complementary kinds of processes to control the size of every space and character, which makes each more informative for the reader.  This applicationof modern cognitive science adds value to every space and characteron the page.

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The result is unobtrusive and nearly indistinguishable from standard texts. The algorithms operate with standard display, editing, typesetting, and publishing programs.

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ReadSmart has been tested and proven to improve reading in a variety of printed media: trade books, textbooks, children’s online readers, newspapers, and direct-mail solicitations. Testing has occurred in  wide spectrum of reading populations, from grade school students to college students, including English language learners (ESL) in other countries, including China and Japan. 

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This technique has been used manually in laboratory settings for decades to improve reading comprehension. ReadSmart automates this tedious and time-consuming technique, making it practical to apply to it to large volumes of documents.

We have documented 10-40% improvements in reading comprehension, speed, and enjoyment from ReadSmart across a wide range of reading materials and reading populations (children, adults, native English readers, English language learners, struggling readers, etc.). ReadSmart benefits content creators (authors or publishers) through improvements in a document’s legibility and readability.

Our proprietary technology also offers new techniques for typesetting and computer page design. It allows text to be compressed or expanded by up to 10%, to flexibly tailor it to desired layout constraints, such as length, style, or specific designs. These changes can be made while still improving text comprehension.

ReadSmart technology can be applied to many languages. It also can be coded directly onto fonts, so that online computation to modify text can proceed reliably and automatically, with no separate computation.

LTI holds seven patents related to Readsmart technology and fixed format displays.

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Screenshots of Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland created by Language Technologies, Inc.
using ReadSmart technology.