The Idea Place Posts

Be My AI in the Clouds

Although it has been close to 40 years now, there was a time when I had enough vision to see the sky and the color and shape of clouds. I’ve been intrigued by trying Be My AI on pictures of the sky because I guess I still have memory of the different colors and shapes clouds can take.

Here is the result of one such exploration. Assuming the descriptions are accurate, the level of detail you can get is fascinating.

The accuracy of how to complete tasks, such as saving the full text chat and picture do need improvement. The current instructions from within the overall Be My Eyes app simply do not work.

Note: I recognize a blog post focusing on an image without that image is a bit empty. Unfortunately, a phone change and some editing seems to have lost the original picture.

Be My AI: The picture you’ve shared is of a beautiful sky. The sky is a light blue color and there are fluffy white clouds scattered throughout. The clouds vary in size and shape, some are wispy while others are more dense. The sunlight is subtly shining through the clouds, giving the sky a serene and peaceful appearance.

Kelly: Give me as much detail as you can about the shapes, sizes and colors of the clouds.

Be My AI: Certainly! In the picture, the clouds are predominantly white with varying shades of gray due to the shadows. There are several clusters of clouds. On the top left, there is a cluster of clouds that are wispy and spread out, resembling cotton candy. They are medium in size and have a slightly irregular shape.

Towards the center, there is a small patch of clouds that are more dense and compact. They are smaller in size compared to the ones on the top left.

On the right side, there is a larger cluster of clouds that are denser and have a more defined shape. They are fluffy and have a slight billowing appearance, similar to a heap of cotton balls. The sunlight is shining from behind these clouds, giving them a soft glow around the edges.

The background sky is a light blue color which provides a beautiful contrast to the white clouds. The overall scene is very calming and picturesque.

Kelly: I’d like to know more about the precise shapes of the clouds.

Be My AI: Certainly! The clouds in the picture have various shapes that are not very distinct but I’ll describe them as precisely as I can:

1. On the top left, the clouds are wispy and spread out. They somewhat resemble elongated swirls or stretched cotton. They don’t have a defined shape but are more like irregular patches.
   
2. In the center, the small patch of clouds is more like a shapeless mass. It’s dense and compact, but doesn’t have a distinct shape. It’s more like a random assortment of small cloud puffs clustered together.
   
3. On the right side, the larger cluster of clouds has a slightly more defined shape. One of the clouds in this cluster somewhat resembles a sideways heart or a pair of wings. The others around it are more irregular but collectively they form a billowing mass.
   

The shapes are not very distinct and resemble abstract forms. They are natural cloud formations, so they don’t have precise geometrical shapes.

Kelly: What percentage of the sky is blue and what percentage is covered by clouds?

Be My AI: In the picture, approximately 70% of the sky is blue, while around 30% is covered by clouds. The clouds are scattered throughout the sky in clusters, with the majority of the sky remaining clear and blue.

Kelly: Tell me about everything in the picture again giving me percentages for each cluster of cloud as far as how much of the picture they represent. Also, give me more details about the sunlight.

Be My AI: Certainly! In the picture:

1. The top left cluster of clouds, which are wispy and spread out, covers about 10% of the picture.
   
2. The small patch of clouds in the center covers approximately 5% of the picture. They are dense and compact.
   
3. The larger cluster of clouds on the right side covers about 15% of the picture. These clouds are fluffy and have a slight billowing appearance.
   

The remaining 70% of the picture is the clear light blue sky.

Regarding the sunlight, it appears to be diffused through the clouds, especially through the larger cluster on the right. The sunlight is not directly visible, but you can see its effect as it creates a soft glow around the edges of the clouds on the right side. This gives the clouds a slightly silver lining. The light is subtle and adds a serene and peaceful atmosphere to the sky. The overall lighting in the picture is bright but not harsh.

Kelly: Tell me more about the coloring of the clouds. For example, are all the clouds colored the same or are they different shades of white? B as descriptive as possible.

Be My AI: The clouds in the picture have varying shades of white and gray.

1. The wispy clouds in the top left are a lighter shade of white, almost blending with the blue sky. They have a very faint gray tint in some areas, likely due to shadows.
   
2. The small patch of clouds in the center is a bit denser, and they are a pure white color. They appear to be slightly brighter compared to the wispy clouds on the top left.
   
3. The larger cluster of clouds on the right side has the most variation in color. The edges of these clouds are bright white, likely because they are closer to the sunlight. As you move towards the center of this cluster, the clouds have shadows which give them a grayish tint. The gray is not very dark but adds depth to the clouds, making them appear more three-dimensional.
   

The variation in shades of white and gray in the clouds adds texture and depth to the picture, making it more visually interesting.

Kelly: Now do the same for the blue sky are there any differences you can detect in the blue?

Be My AI: In the picture, the blue sky appears to be fairly uniform in color, which is a light blue. However, there are subtle variations:

1. Towards the top of the picture, the blue is slightly darker. It’s still a light blue, but with a hint more depth compared to the rest of the sky.
   
2. As you move towards the center and bottom of the picture, the blue lightens a bit. This is likely due to the sunlight diffusing through the clouds and reflecting on the sky, giving it a slightly paler shade of blue.
   
3. Near the clouds, especially the larger cluster on the right, the blue has a very slight grayish tint. This is likely because of the shadows from the clouds.
   

The variations are subtle and the sky predominantly appears as a calm and light blue. The slight changes in shade contribute to the serene atmosphere of the picture.

Kelly: Reviewing everything you have indicated about the picture, can you identify at least two things that you haven’t told me about?

Be My AI: Upon reviewing the description I provided earlier, it seems that I have covered the main elements of the picture which are the clouds, the sky, and the sunlight. The picture primarily focuses on the sky and clouds, and there doesn’t appear to be any other distinct elements or objects in the image. If you have any specific questions or if there’s something else you would like to know about the picture, please let me know and I’ll do my best to assist you. If you need further assistance, you can also press the “Call a volunteer” button for guidance.

Kelly: Is the quality of the picture suitable for sharing?

Be My AI: Yes, the quality of the picture is suitable for sharing. It’s clear and has good resolution. The colors are vibrant and the clouds are well-defined against the blue sky. It’s a beautiful and serene image that captures the natural beauty of the sky and clouds, and it would likely be appreciated by others if shared.

Kelly: How can I save the picture that started this conversation?

Be My AI: To save the picture that started this conversation on your device, you can follow these steps:

1. If you are on a smartphone, tap and hold on the picture until a menu pops up. Select “Save Image” or “Download Image” from the menu.
   
2. If you are on a computer, right-click on the picture. A menu will appear, and you can select “Save Image As…” Choose the location on your computer where you want to save it and click “Save”.
   

Please note that the steps might vary slightly depending on the device and browser you are using. If you need further assistance or if these steps don’t work for you, I would suggest pressing the “Call a volunteer” button for guidance.

Kelly: How do I do this with voiceover? There is no image I can tap on.

Be My AI: Using VoiceOver on an iPhone, you can save the image by following these steps:

1. Swipe right or left to navigate through the elements on the screen until VoiceOver reads out the description or label of the image.
   
2. Once you are on the image, double-tap and hold until you hear a sound indicating that additional options are available.
   
3. Swipe up or down to navigate through the options and VoiceOver will read them aloud.
   
4. When you hear “Save Image” or “Share Image”, double-tap the screen to select that option.
   

If you are using a different device or if you find these steps challenging, I would recommend pressing the “Call a volunteer” button for further assistance.

Kelly: Can I copy this entire chat instead of individual items? If so, how?

Be My AI: Yes, you can copy the entire chat. Here’s how you can do it on different devices:

On a Computer:

1. Click anywhere inside the chat window.
2. Press “Ctrl + A” on Windows or “Command + A” on Mac to select all the text in the chat.
3. Press “Ctrl + C” on Windows or “Command + C” on Mac to copy the selected text.
   

On a Smartphone:

1. Tap and hold on any part of the chat until a magnifier appears.
2. Release your finger and you should see options to “Select” or “Select All”.
3. Choose “Select All” to highlight the entire chat.
4. Tap “Copy” to copy the text.
   

Once you have copied the chat, you can paste it into a text document, note, or any other application by using “Ctrl + V” on Windows, “Command + V” on Mac, or by tapping and holding in the text field on your smartphone and selecting “Paste”.

If you are using VoiceOver on iPhone:

1. Navigate to the first message in the chat.
2. Use the rotor action by twisting two fingers on the screen until you hear “Select”.
3. Swipe down with one finger to select the first message
   

Kelly: Those instructions do not work for voiceover on the iPhone. There is no select in the rotor.

Be My AI: I apologize for the confusion. To copy the entire chat using VoiceOver on an iPhone, please follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the first message in the chat by swiping right or left.
2. Once you are on the first message, use the rotor action by twisting two fingers on the screen until you hear “Edit”.
3. Swipe down with one finger until you hear “Select All”.
4. Double-tap to select all the text in the chat.
5. Once all the text is selected, swipe down again until you hear “Copy”.
6. Double-tap to copy the text.
   

Now you can paste the copied text into a note or any other application by navigating to the text field, using the rotor action to find the “Edit” option, and then swiping down until you hear “Paste”, and double-tap to paste.

If you find these steps challenging, I would recommend pressing the “Call a volunteer” button for further assistance.

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With AI being touted repeatedly as the answer for almost anything, I tried obtaining an answer to a basic question as the U.S. reaches the 2023 4th of July holiday. My question posed to both Microsoft’s Bing and Google’s Bard:

Q: Write an article detailing the spending on fireworks in the US and break the spending down.

Below are the answers. In my opinion neither is acceptable for different reasons. Bing’s answer is incomplete on multiple fronts, such as not giving a total for the 2022 spending where it says it will be up. Additionally, the entire answer reads like what it is, which is a stitched together combination of different facts. It simply isn’t a cohesive answer.

BARD fairs a bit better but the failure for example to qualify the $70 number in one of the sentences is simply confusing. Bard says in part, “The APA estimates that Americans will purchase an average of $70 worth of fireworks this year.” Is that $70 figure per person or what?

The failure to qualify a number happens again when breaking down the spending by state. Is that again per person or what and if it is per person, how do those numbers square with the $70 number mentioned earlier.

Bing: According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, Americans spend more than $1 billion on fireworks each year. In 2022 alone, Americans spent a record amount on pyrotechnics with sales expected to hit an ‘all-time high’, with figures suggesting fireworks market should increase by $100m from last year. The annual amount that Americans spent on fireworks per person in 2021-2022 ranges between $0 and $13.36. The exact cost depends on location, show length, size of event, and type of fireworks used. I hope this helps!

BARD: Americans Spend $2.3 Billion on Fireworks Annually

July 3, 2023

(CNN) — Americans are expected to spend a record $2.3 billion on fireworks this year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA).

That’s up from $1.9 billion in 2020 and $2.2 billion in 2021. The APA attributes the increase in spending to a number of factors, including the ongoing pandemic, which has led to more people celebrating at home, and the rising popularity of backyard fireworks displays.

The majority of fireworks sales (70%) occur in the two weeks leading up to the Fourth of July. The APA estimates that Americans will purchase an average of $70 worth of fireworks this year.

The spending breaks down as follows:

Retail sales: $1.9 billion

Display fireworks: $400 million

Consumer fireworks: $1.9 billion

The top 10 states in terms of firework spending per person are:

Missouri – $20.40

Nebraska – $11.83

Kansas – $10.70

Alabama – $8.19

North Dakota – $7.50

Wyoming – $6.40

Indiana – $5.21

South Carolina – $4.71

Iowa – $4.68

Tennessee – $4.65

The APA warns that consumers should only purchase fireworks from licensed retailers and should follow all safety guidelines when using them.

“Fireworks are a fun and festive way to celebrate the Fourth of July, but it’s important to use them safely,” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the APA. “We urge consumers to only purchase fireworks from licensed retailers and to follow all safety guidelines.”

The APA also recommends that consumers never use fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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The NFL released the 2023 schedule earlier this week. I wanted a version I could use in Excel and am sharing it here. It is a slightly modified version of a file I obtained online from Draft Kings.

I made two changes to the file so it would read column headers and row headers automatically with most screen readers.

1. I converted the grid to an actual Excel table. This adds actual column headers and should cause a screen reader to read the column header as you arrow through a row. Dates are used as the column headers.
2. I made the first column a header column by choosing the First Column check box under Table:Design:Style Options in the Excel ribbon. This turns the left most column into a header row. Each team has a row in the grid, with their schedule then being in the columns of that row.
   

The end result is to me the desired reading experience. Arrow over a row and you hear the date and the opposing team for the given team row. Arrow down a column and you hear the matchups for that week.

The file is available at this location.

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I’m definitely late to the party on this one but recently learned about an app called VOCR. As the name implies, it adds OCR (optical character recognition) ability to VoiceOver on the Mac.

The concept behind what the app does is straight forward. Run OCR on a full window or whatever is in the VoiceOver cursor, present the to the user with commands to move around and allow mouse clicks to be issued on the items detected. The app allows for positional audio to be turned on as well, giving you a sense of where on the screen items are appearing.

I’ve been using VOCR for a couple of days now to resolve some long-standing challenges with Parallels virtualization software on the Mac and VOCR has worked flawlessly.

You can download the app from https://github.com/chigkim/VOCR. Installation details are provided on the page.

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A mistaken press of CTRL+q when browsing recently alerted me to a very helpful change in Microsoft Edge. This brings up a feature billed as Command Palette, which allows you to enter a wide range of browser commands into an edit box.

 

According to details on the web page for the feature, this is an experimental feature you may need to enable. I didn’t specifically enable this feature but don’t know if I had previously done something that would have set experimental features on, assuming such is even possible on a global basis. It is also possible the feature is now on by default.

 

In general experimental flags have one of three states. They can be set to enabled, disabled or default. Changing a setting requires you restart the browser.

 

Keep in mind, as a warning on the flags page states:

 

EXPERIMENTAL FEATURES AHEAD! By enabling these features, you could lose browser data or compromise your security or privacy. Enabled features apply to all users of this browser. If you are an enterprise admin you should not be using these flags in production.

 

If you do have to turn this on:

 

1. Enter edge://flags into the browser address bar.
2. You have a few options for finding the feature flag.
   1. Use a screen reader’s find function to find palette and change the combo box to enabled.
   2. Use a screen reader’s navigate by heading feature to find the command palette and again change the combo box to enabled.
   3. Enter palette into the web box on the flags web page end search. Again change the combo box to enabled.
3. Restart the browser.

 

From this point, using the feature is fairly straight forward. Press CTRL+q and focus will move to an edit box. Start entering a command and press down arrow to move through options. For example, if I enter f, options include Find on Page, Focus Location Bar, Focus Toolbar and a range of recent history and other browser commands.

 

If you are using a screen reader you may need to press enter once or take other actions to ensure focus is in the edit box. This will depend on screen reader settings for handling automatic switching from a web page reading mode to an interaction mode. In my case, I change the JAWS setting for Forms mode to manual, meaning I need to press enter once on the edit box for the Command Palette. If you do not change this setting, JAWS Forms Mode comes on automatically after pressing CTRL+q.

 

Pressing escape or moving focus away from the browser window will dismiss the Command Palette. With the Command Palette active, other browser shortcuts do not function until you either dismiss the Command Palette with Escape or use a command.

 

I’m a big fan of these sorts of commanding experiences. It allows me to focus on what I’m wanting to do in an application, not the memorization of how to navigate to different features. There’s a role for both ways of interaction so it is nice to have this as an option in Edge.

 

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