Have you ever heard of "Bionic Reading"? This new reading method is supposed to improve the speed and comprehension of reading text online by using fixation points (bold letters). Here is an article that introduces you to this new trend and shows you how to use it on websites! Feel free to tell us if bionic reading improves your reading comfort in comments!
Nowadays, we are more and more likely to read text online. However, not every website or web page uses the same typography or fonts. Some texts can be more difficult to read and therefore take longer to read as well.
If you want to optimise the time you spend reading texts on the web, this article is for you! Indeed, we are going to tell you about a new trendy method that can improve your online reading speed and text comprehension. We are going to introduce you to "Bionic Reading" or "Bionic Reading"!
What is Bionic Reading?
The question behind Bionic Reading is "Can we read more efficiently (quickly) while preserving and increasing our understanding of the text?"
This is probably the question that the Swiss developer Renato Casuut asked himself when he founded Bionic Reading. The objective of this tool is to propose a new method to read and understand a text more easily "by guiding the eyes through artificial fixation points".
The principle of this method is to highlight parts of a word to let the brain complete the rest of the text. For example, the first few letters of a word are highlighted to focus the reader's attention and allow the brain to finish the word.
Here is an example of a text using Bionic Reading and one that does not:
The bionic reading looks like this. You can see that the first letters of each word are in bold. The difference between the two versions is obvious. In the Bionic Reading version, your brain can read faster than your eyes because it reduces the number of letters your eyes look at. This allows you to read faster and still understand the text.
Why use this reading method?
The promise of Bionic Reading is more than interesting. Reading faster and improving comprehension of a text speaks to almost everyone. This reading method has many advantages. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
- Time optimisation
- Optimising understanding
- Improved reading comfort
- Improved accessibility of the text (people with dyslexia or attention deficit disorder with/without hyperactivity would have better reading comprehension)
Read also: Good web accessibility practices for a website
The benefits of this reading method are not yet scientifically proven, but if you see a positive difference in your reading, you can use this practical tool.
How to use bionic reading?
Bionic Reading is becoming more and more popular and is being developed on different platforms. It is possible to use this method of reading on different websites. We will show you how to do this.
Chrome Bionic Reading Extension
First of all, it is important to know that the company has developed a chrome extension to convert the text of any website into a page for bionic reading.
You can download the official chrome extension "Bionic Reading". By clicking on the extension on a web page, a new page opens with your modified text. You can change various settings to improve reading (font size, spacing, etc.).
There are also other extensions in the same style. Jiffy Reader is also good in the same style because it converts the text directly on the page in question without opening a new page. You can also change the settings.
Bionic Reading Text Converter
Bionic Reading also offers an online text converter where you simply insert the URL of a web page or drop in a file to have an automatic conversion. A page opens up that is similar to the one in the chrome extension.
Bionic Reading API
In addition, the start-up has also set up a freemium API to add this method to your applications or services. For more information, you can consult the documentation.
Now it's up to you! You can test this new reading method and see if it suits you. Don't hesitate to tell us on LinkedIn if Bionic Reading helps you to read more efficiently, otherwise you can find our SEO optimised and accessible websitedevelopment offers.
