Asym: Browser extension for easy reading on the web
Asym is an extension for Safari, Chrome and Firefox that aims to support online reading of the less trained by changing the spacing of the text.
Many studies support that the reading on the web is a more difficult and tiring than the traditional reading on paper, especially for people not accustomed to the practice (a lot more than you might think). Asym, extension browser made by American Asymmetrica, was created in order to facilitate reading online especially for readers less frequent and less fit. As with any other business, also writing requires training and exercise.
Asym subverts the common beliefs typographical want most printed texts symmetrical and proportional between their elements: thanks to an algorithm developed by the company, the extension is concerned to analyze the text and to add spaces between words imperceptible at first seen by the human eye, but whose presence helps the reader not trained to perform eye movement similar to those used by a more experienced player.
” Good readers have to eye movements longer fixations shorter (pauses while reading), and make fewer regressions (eye movements backwards) than less smart readers: it is a model that makes reading more efficient and more effective – Asym comments on the official website – Asym works by providing to all reader’s visual cues within the text and modifying subtly encouraging the same patterns of eye movement that good readers have learned to do naturally. These visual cues help readers to pause piece’s sentences for units of meaning, such as the brain would naturally during the breaks of understanding between the phrases ”
Asym also offers an SDK for those wishing to integrate its patented technology into their applications; for mere mortals, it is available as an extension to the main browser, Chrome, Safari and Firefox. To download the extension for your browser you can log on to this direct link.
