Reading machine for blind and visually impaired people: €385 + €12/month

Olga talking reading machine: reads documents aloud for blind and visually impaired people

A reading machine is a device that photographs a document — letter, bill, book or label — and reads it aloud using optical character recognition (OCR). These devices usually cost between €2,000 and €3,000. We have integrated a complete, latest-generation reading machine directly into the Olga talking phone, making it accessible to everyone.

Traditional reading machine

€2,000 to €3,000

Dedicated reading machines are effective, but they remain expensive, bulky devices limited to a single use.

  • One purpose only: reading documents
  • Stays at home on a desk or table (often weighs more than 1 kg)
  • High price, rarely affordable for everyone
Reading machine built into Olga

€385 + €12/month

The same text-to-speech reading function, built into a talking phone that fits in your pocket.

  • Reads letters, bills, books and handwritten text
  • Portable: use it in shops, at the doctor’s or while travelling
  • Colour and banknote detector, barcode and label reader included
  • It is also a complete phone controlled entirely by voice
  • Regular updates included in the subscription
Discover Olga

Reading a letter aloud

Identifying a product from its barcode

Smart Pack option — available at an additional cost

The scanner powered by artificial intelligence: it describes photographs, scenes and complex documents.
Discover the Smart Pack

It fits in your pocket

Unlike desktop reading machines, Olga goes everywhere with you: read a label in a shop, a menu in a restaurant or a document at the doctor’s or the bank.

For comfortable reading at home, we also offer a custom-made wooden stand: place the document underneath, position Olga on the stand and start reading by voice. Ideal for people who find it difficult to frame the document correctly.

Much more than a document reader

The same device identifies the colours of your clothes, recognises banknotes, reads barcodes and scans QR code labels that you can place on boxes and jars.

More than 10 years of experience in visual impairment

Since 2016, Olga has continued to evolve thanks to feedback from blind and visually impaired users. Our team is based in the Paris region.

“I thought my mother would only use it as a phone, but accessing the voice commands is so simple that she now uses it for many other things, such as listening to the radio, reading her mail and sending text messages to my children. Many thanks for this product, which has changed my mother’s life.”

— Samia, daughter of a user —

Frequently asked questions about the reading machine

How much does the Olga reading machine cost?
The Olga device costs €385, plus a subscription of €12/month covering the service and all updates. The reading machine is included, along with all the phone’s other functions. By comparison, a dedicated reading machine usually costs between €2,000 and €3,000.
Does it work without a SIM card?
Yes. If you only want to use Olga as a reading machine at home, a Wi-Fi connection is enough and no mobile plan is required. The SIM card is only needed for phone functions such as calls, SMS and MMS, and for using Olga away from home.
Can it read handwriting?
Yes. The Olga reading machine uses the latest OCR technologies and can read most handwritten text, as well as printed documents such as letters, bills, newspapers, books, instructions and packaging.
Do I need to know how to use a smartphone?
No. Olga is controlled entirely by voice and has just one button: the screen. Press it, say “Scanner” and the device will suggest taking the picture. It is very easy to use, even for people who have never owned a mobile phone.
Is financial support available for this purchase?
Depending on where you live and your personal circumstances, public, local or charitable funding may be available for assistive technology. Some insurers, charities and social services may also offer financial support. Please call us on +33 9 72 55 30 42 and we can provide a personalised quotation.
How is it different from a traditional reading machine such as ClearReader?
Dedicated reading machines are produced in small quantities, are designed only for reading and are sold for between €2,000 and €3,000. Olga takes the opposite approach: we use mass-produced smartphone hardware — whose cameras and processors now outperform those found in many dedicated machines — and add our fully voice-controlled software designed for visually impaired people. The result is comparable reading quality for everyday use, in a device that fits in your pocket and also works as a complete phone, calendar, radio and audiobook player.
Why is the price so affordable?
It is not magic; it is a design choice. Smartphones combine extraordinary technologies — cameras, character recognition and speech synthesis — produced in hundreds of millions of units, which keeps their cost low. Instead of manufacturing yet another specialised device sold at a “medical equipment” price, we have made this existing technology genuinely accessible to blind and visually impaired people through fully voice-controlled software developed in France since 2016. Thanks to remote updates, your device continues to evolve and improve without needing to be replaced.
Is there a version with artificial intelligence?
Yes. In addition to the standard reading machine included in the basic €12/month subscription, we offer the optional Smart Pack: an artificial intelligence-powered scanner that can describe a photograph, a complex document or a scene, and answer questions about what it sees. This option requires an additional subscription — see the Smart Pack and its price.