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This Chrome add-on lets you copy and erase text inside any image on the web
Engadget.com ^ | April 23, 2014 | Matt Brian

Posted on 04/23/2014 7:36:52 AM PDT by Scoutmaster

What would you say if we told you that it's possible to copy, translate, edit and even erase the text inside any image you find on the internet? Well, you can, and it's a lot easier than you might think. All it requires is a new browser extension, called Project Naptha, made by developer Kevin Kwok. It uses a number of optical character recognition (OCR) algorithms, including libraries developed by Microsoft and Google, which quickly build a model of text regions, words and letters from nearly any image.

Once installed, you simply hover your cursor over available image text and select it. Using its built-in tools, you can do a number of things: Firstly, you can copy your selection. This is great if you've been emailed a scanned document or a screenshot of an error message. For instance, instead of jotting things down and manually typing it back into to Google, you can simply copy and paste the output directly into your search bar. If an image includes text you don't understand, Naptha also supports numerous translation services, allowing you to decode a previously unintelligible language (at least to you) on the fly. However, perhaps the extension's most impressive feature is its ability to edit and remove text. Using a technique similar to Photoshop's "Content-Aware Fill" feature called "inpainting," Naptha captures each of the independent colours from regions around the text and intelligently fills the space where it used to be. It's not perfect, but it certainly beats having to open a dedicated image editor.

Kwok says he's consistently working on expanding the project, which will include bringing it to other browsers like Mozilla Firefox. Right now, not all images allow you to edit words within them, although the developer has said he hopes to include support for vertical text in the future. Project Naptha is available now for free via the official website or Google's Chrome Web Store.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: chrome; chromeedit; chromeimage; firefox; image; text; translate
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I hate that the plugin is only available for Chrome and is being developed for Firefox.

These .gifs are from the Project Naptha website, which I recommend. However, I've tested the plugin for copy-and-paste, translation, text replacement, and text erasure and am stunned at how well it works.


1 posted on 04/23/2014 7:36:52 AM PDT by Scoutmaster
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To: Scoutmaster

Cool!


2 posted on 04/23/2014 7:39:56 AM PDT by humblegunner
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To: Scoutmaster

I just tried it, it works, it lets you copy the text from a pic but not erase it.


3 posted on 04/23/2014 7:44:28 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Bundy ranch "Domestic terrorists" - Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan "work place violence".)
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To: humblegunner

Not cool. The left can now edit history to their liking. Since most young people don’t learn anything because, as my nephew says, I just Google it, the left can now take any article, quote or historical reference on line and edit to something that suits their needs. It’s 1984, there will now be no irrefutable truths. Things will be whatever the editors want it to be.


4 posted on 04/23/2014 7:47:28 AM PDT by redangus
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To: Scoutmaster

bookmark


5 posted on 04/23/2014 7:48:34 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: redangus

The editing does not affect the original image.


6 posted on 04/23/2014 7:49:38 AM PDT by humblegunner
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

Oh wow, it does work. It doesn’t really erase all the text, but more like dissolves it. You can still see it, but it sort of fills in with surrounding pixels at random. Could this possibly be used to find Obamas birth certificate and College records?


7 posted on 04/23/2014 7:50:27 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Bundy ranch "Domestic terrorists" - Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan "work place violence".)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda
Yes, it removes the text. The option is under "Translate." It appears to create another layer that is a mask shaped like the text, which is autofilled by picking colors similar to those around the text.

If you zap text and then zoom on the image, you'll see it leaves behind the mask at the original 100% size.

8 posted on 04/23/2014 7:56:53 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (I'd rather be at Philmont)
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To: humblegunner

Correct. Can you provide a better description than mine in #8?


9 posted on 04/23/2014 7:58:12 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (I'd rather be at Philmont)
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To: Scoutmaster
I havent downloaded it as yet But i can certainly see it as having immeasurable value for my stuff...

Thanks!




10 posted on 04/23/2014 8:04:29 AM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
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To: redangus

Relax. I seriously doubt a Chrome plugin grants you write access to arbitrary HTTP servers.


11 posted on 04/23/2014 8:12:03 AM PDT by RansomOttawa (tm)
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To: humblegunner

Not yet


12 posted on 04/23/2014 8:25:43 AM PDT by redangus
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To: Scoutmaster

bttt


13 posted on 04/23/2014 8:29:42 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: Scoutmaster

Downloaded onto Chrome but can’t seem to get it to work.

The “modify text” message doesn’t come up when I right click but everything else does - copy, open in new tab, language, translate, etc.

I can highlight the text just fine but cannot change it.

????


14 posted on 04/23/2014 9:05:14 AM PDT by Bon of Babble (The dogs bark; the caravan moves on!)
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To: Scoutmaster

This would be great for correcting memes on Facebook. I see many of those that are funny, but I don’t share them because I don’t want to look like an illiterate.


15 posted on 04/23/2014 10:05:28 AM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: Scoutmaster

Interesting but you can’t erase text, save the pic and then host it and post it without the text showing up again. Saving the pic includes the text within it.


16 posted on 04/23/2014 10:08:22 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Truth sounds like hate...to those who hate truth.)
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To: Scoutmaster

Ok. Now, how do I get rid of it?


17 posted on 04/23/2014 10:13:54 AM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: Bon of Babble

The interface has changed. After selecting the text and right-clicking, go to the “Translate” submenu. There you will find Erase Text and Reprint Text as options.


18 posted on 04/23/2014 11:12:30 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (I'd rather be at Philmont)
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To: Bon of Babble

The interface has changed. After selecting the text and right-clicking, go to the “Translate” submenu. There you will find Erase Text and Reprint Text as options.


19 posted on 04/23/2014 11:12:30 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (I'd rather be at Philmont)
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To: Bon of Babble

The interface has changed. After selecting the text and right-clicking, go to the “Translate” submenu. There you will find Erase Text and Reprint Text as options.


20 posted on 04/23/2014 11:12:30 AM PDT by Scoutmaster (I'd rather be at Philmont)
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