A viewing aid includes a camera, a viewing surface within a field of view of the camera, a memory, a display, and software programmed to track a tracking element within the field of view. Viewing material is placed on the viewing surface. The camera, viewing surface, and material all remain substantially stationary. The camera captures and stores an initial image of the material in the memory. The software then tracks the location of a tracking element within the field of view then maps the location to a portion of the initial image in memory using an X-Y coordinate system, and/or identifies character elements of the material adjacent the tracking element then maps the character elements to corresponding character elements of the initial image in memory. An enhanced image is then displayed on the display corresponding to the mapped portion of the initial image.

A image reading apparatus includes a first placement unit, a second placement unit, a first reading unit, a second reading unit, a rotating mechanism, and a switch-over mechanism that switches over the first placement unit and the second placement unit between a horizontal state and an inclined state. The rotating mechanism rotates the first reading unit and the second reading unit, so that, in the horizontal state, the first image reading unit and the second image reading unit read a medium placed on the first placement unit and a medium placed on the second placement unit respectively, and, in the inclined state, the first image reading unit and the second image reading unit read a medium placed on the second placement unit and a medium placed on the first placement unit respectively.

An operability of a user in an image processing apparatus such as a camera scanner is improved. For this purpose, the image processing apparatus has: a pickup image obtaining unit for obtaining a pickup image on a stage through an imaging unit; a distance image obtaining unit for obtaining a distance image on the stage through a solid measuring unit; a detecting unit for detecting the putting of an object on the stage based on the obtained pickup image; a projecting unit for projecting an operation display regarding the reading of the object onto the stage through a projector when the putting of the object is detected; a recognizing unit for recognizing a gesture of the user on the stage based on the obtained distance image; and a reading unit for obtaining a read image of the object in accordance with the gesture to the projected operation display.

Disclosed is a magnification device for use by blind and/or low vision individuals. The device includes an X-Y table upon which an item to be magnified can be placed. A stationary camera arm and a pivotal monitor arm are oriented over the X-Y table. The monitor arm includes a video monitor pivotally mounted at its distal end. The camera arm also includes two laterally disposed lighting arms. A series of controls are provided along a lower edge of the monitor via a mounting bracket.