Magic? No, Image Recognition!
First “Smart” Document Camera creates interactive learning opportunities
As technology becomes increasingly important in education, administrators and educators are needing cost effective solutions which support their time and resources. One of the fastest growing product categories in classrooms is the document camera. A popular subject with educational bloggers since its usefulness seems to expand with every class it’s used in, some first said the document camera is simply a digital version of the overhead projector, but in fact it can be much more than that. Not all document cameras are created equal.
This article will focus on the image recognition capability of the Diggiditto™ Document Camera, the first in the industry to include this feature. All operations for the Diggiditto are done through your PC, which connects to it through the included USB cable.
Image Recognition enables you to capture any image of any subject/curriculum material and linking it with document files, URLs, sound, images, flash files, or movies. Once the image and linked files have been created in the camera’s “Make” mode, every time the same image is placed under the camera, the software automatically displays the linked files, ready to be applied in the “Teach” mode. To link a captured image to another existing document, image, flash, or sound file, simply click the “Link Files” button and then select the “File” tab. The “URL” tab is for displaying web pages, and the info can be typed or copied and pasted in. The final tab is “Record”, which allows you to record up to a 3 minute audio file through the built-in microphone on the camera.
Image Recognition empowers you to present content involving images, sounds, videos, and even other documents – all without the extensive preparations of setting up additional pieces of equipment.
Some practical ways to apply Image Recognition are:
• Assisting students building the connection between a state and its capital: The captured image could be the outline of a state and the linked files could include document files on facts of the state and the capital, image files of the capital city in different seasons, or a video introducing the capital and the state.
• Empowering students to relive history: The captured image could be an event and the time frame written on a flash card. The linked files could be historical pictures of the event, the video of an interview with the involved parties, and a URL for a virtual tour of a related museum display.
• Supporting students to reinforce vocabulary knowledge: The captured image could be an actual subject or the vocabulary word written on a flash card; the linked files could be the vocal explanation and definition, a video showing how the subject is being used, and a URL for a related interactive word search puzzle. This application could be widely applied especially in ESL or Special Ed classes.
• Reinforcing math concepts: The captured image could be a dimension formula; and the linked files could be a few practice questions, a video of real life applications of the formula, and a URL for an interactive math quiz.
• Opening students’ eyes to the science of weather: A term in weather science on a flash card could be the captured image, and the linked files could be voice recording of the definition of the term, image collections of related photos, plus a video of the weather effect in real-life situations.
• Preparing students with real-life skills: The captured image could be a sign they would see daily at various locations, such as the stop sign or the restroom sign, and the linked files could be a short video with onsite explanation of the meaning and the usage of the sign plus a movie that involves the sign usage in real life situations.
When it comes to the applications of the Image Recognition feature of the Diggiditto, the sky is the limit. For more information, see the video included in the launch article. Click to read the next article in the series.
