Internet Security Blog - Hackology

Copy Text or Objects from the Surroundings to Your Computer

The title is not a clickbait but actual reality, Now you can Copy Text and Images from your surroundings to your Computer.

Most writers love to write their ideas on paper rather than directly typing on the Computer. When they are brainstorming or processing their thoughts, they note everything on paper and then type it on their Computer to publish it to masses, which is duplication of work.

Google Lens comes with a solution to let you copy the handwritten text from paper and paste it on your Computer. However, you can also copy text from surroundings, books, posters etc.

To copy-paste text, you must log in with the same account on your phone and Computer (PC/Laptop) and you must use the latest version of chrome on Computer. Although, iOS users can use Google App to do the same.

How to Copy Text from paper with Google Lens to your Computer

  • Open Google Lens on Android or Google App on iOS
  • Take a picture which contains the text you want to copy
  • Select the text by tapping it
  • Tap Copy to Computer (you must be logged in chrome browser on the device)
  • Select the device where you want to paste 
  • You will receive the notification copied to your clipboard on the device
  • Paste it anywhere you want on the computer

Copy Real Objects and Paste them in your Computer

You can also take pictures of things and paste them on your Computer. Cyril Diagne has shared an open-source project on GitHub, which is a prototype to copy things from the surroundings using a camera into Computer. The project is named as AR cut and paste as it is based on augmented reality(AR) and machine learning.

Currently, images can only be pasted on Adobe Photoshop and it is expected that in the future it will support other software such as PowerPoint, Word etc.

There are two ways to try AR cut and paste.

Option 1 – Deploy code yourself

If you are a developer and you know mobile application and python (machine learning), you can deploy the app on your mobile and system. The code includes a mobile app based on react technology and a local server based on python for PC/laptop, which will act as an interface between the mobile app and Adobe Photoshop.

You can access the code from AR Cut Paste GitHub repository.

Option 2 – Request Access to AR Copy and Paste

The author of the project has built an app in response to the high demand for the feature, but still, it is not available to the public. Although you can join the waiting list to get early access to the AR copy and paste app.

You can Join the waiting list by answering some simple questions about how you will use AR Copy Paste App.

Conclusion

Google lens and AR cut and paste will help writers, designers and artists to increase productivity. You need well-handwritten text for Google lens to understand it and let you paste it on your Computer. While there are a lot of improvements that need to be incorporated in the AR cut and paste. However, all these projects are steps in the right direction and they showcase the true potential of AR because many have started calling AR & ML just another name for the traditional ‘if-else statements’.

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