Hump Day: Bionic Reading in communities

[Ryan Ashbrook]

19 hours ago, Jordan Miller said:

Ahh so maybe if the bionic reading font was smaller it might help increase the speed? 

Yes, and also more subtlety between the parts that are bold and the parts that aren't. This is the example I saw, which does actually work for me.

 

[Dll]

@Jordan Miller - can I ask, did you use the bionic reading app to make your post, or was it a DIY job?

[Jordan Miller]

On 6/10/2022 at 9:03 AM, Dll said:

@Jordan Miller - can I ask, did you use the bionic reading app to make your post, or was it a DIY job?

I used a generator 😇 

https://api.bionic-reading.com/convert/

There's an API on another site so in theory if someone loves it, perhaps it could work within a community. Low-key curious about how people would use it. 

[Dll]

45 minutes ago, Jordan Miller said:

I used a generator 😇 

https://api.bionic-reading.com/convert/

There's an API on another site so in theory if someone loves it, perhaps it could work within a community. Low-key curious about how people would use it. 

I was just wondering as I've found the bionic text to be really good previously, but it didn't seem as effective in your post for some reason.

It's an interesting prospect for a community but I wonder if those who want to use it will just install the browser extensions, app etc?

[Jordan Miller]

1 hour ago, Dll said:

I was just wondering as I've found the bionic text to be really good previously, but it didn't seem as effective in your post for some reason.

It's an interesting prospect for a community but I wonder if those who want to use it will just install the browser extensions, app etc?

Maybe my version - the font was too large? Not sure 😅 

I did see there's a browser extension. However, I couldn't find one for smart phones - so maybe having it in the community platform vs relying on an extension would still be our best bet. 

[Dll]

18 hours ago, Jordan Miller said:

Maybe my version - the font was too large? Not sure 😅 

I did see there's a browser extension. However, I couldn't find one for smart phones - so maybe having it in the community platform vs relying on an extension would still be our best bet. 

I think there are a few paid for apps on iOS which plug into it, not sure about Android. But, I suppose if there were to be a plugin or something available for invision community, I'd be open to trying it. 

[Jordan Miller]

3 hours ago, Dll said:

I think there are a few paid for apps on iOS which plug into it, not sure about Android. But, I suppose if there were to be a plugin or something available for invision community, I'd be open to trying it. 

Appreciate the insight. 👍 

I'd be open to it, too. My own community uses dark mode, so I wonder if reading Bionic text inverted changes things 🤔 

[Interferon]

It was hard to read on the wide computer screen. I looked at some examples using a narrow vertical screen and I could read it faster. I think when your eyes are just moving vertically you can take it all in faster, but when I am going side to side I lose my place.

[opentype]

Such claims need to be tested scientifically. There is no way to test this for yourself and actually come to useful conclusion. Any effect of such a change, positive or negative, will be subtle and there is no way to assess the difference yourself. You will be “primed” to perceive the supposedly improved text as better and possibly come to that conclusion just because of this priming. That’s why science uses double-blind tests, where you don’t know what is actually being tested. 
And reading speed isn’t reading comprehension. Even if the method would actually make you faster, it doesn’t mean you actually understand the text just as well as when you would read a normal text. 
There are also confounding variables, like the font weight. The website shows a very light text and then the “bionic” text with some letters being bold(er). Maybe the problem with the light text is that it is just too light and the reading improvement comes from the bolder letters – not their “bionic” distribution. Such things must be taken into account and tested for.  

And from my experience with reading research, the entire premise is highly questionable. The focus points we use while reading depend on many things:

• personal reading experience
• personal understanding of the specific sentence you are reading
• the text layout (typeface, length of line …)
• the reading conditions (reading distance, lighting …)

This “bionic” approach tries to force focus points on all readers of a text, independent of their reading experience and how good they understand the text. I don’t see how that can work. If the focus points don’t match what one personally needs, there can’t be a positive effect and it is actually more likely to see a negative effect caused by forcing focus points in the wrong locations. 

But I guess the makers of that product don’t really care as long as they can sell their API access. If they would care, they would have started with proper scientific testing, not with sensational claims distributed through general media outlets. 

Edited June 15, 2022 by opentype

[Davyc]

Speed reading, as @opentype stated doesn't mean comprehension of what is being read.  I would prefer to read slowly and fully understand what is being presented, rather than flash through it and miss important factors.

One of the big issues of today is that everything must be faster, and in reality speed isn't always the be all and end all of everything.  Everyone is different and everyone reads and comprehends at different speeds.  Personally, I just think it makes the text look ugly and malformed.

If this were introduced to the IPS system then I would hope that it would be optional.

[jesuralem]

Maybe it is because english is not my native language but i honestly want to puke reading this. I read way slowly simply because i keep trying to understand why some parts are bold and other not, and if this is supposed to have a meaning or not.

 

 

[Chris Anderson]

@Jordan MillerHere's an article about the Bionic Font you might find interesting:

Does Bionic Reading actually work? Test for yourself! (readwise.io)

 

[Jordan Miller]

1 hour ago, Chris Anderson said:

@Jordan MillerHere's an article about the Bionic Font you might find interesting:

Does Bionic Reading actually work? Test for yourself! (readwise.io)

 

Appreciate you sharing this! 

[kotaco]

I think things like this should be left to browser extensions for the vast minority who seek it out. 

 

https://talkingtalk.co.za/bionic-reading-i-wish-it-was-that-simple/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bionic-reading-i-wish-it-was-that-simple&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bionic-reading-i-wish-it-was-that-simple

Edited June 22, 2022 by kotaco

[Chris Olson]

It might be my elevated age, but I found it harder to read and would never use such an option. I would also agree with the comments that speed ≠ comprehension and is therefore of dubious benefit.