By Muhammad Umar
Bionic reading also known as Spritzing is a speed-reading technique that involves presenting text in a rapid and focused manner, displaying only one word at a time in a fixed position, which helps readers increase their reading speed and reduce eye movement.
Spritzing gained popularity in the early 2010s with the emergence of digital platforms and e-readers. It is used through specialized software or apps that display text in a way that guides the reader’s eye. The technique uses a point of focus and a specific word alignment to optimize reading speed.
It can also be used on various digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, as well as on web browsers, to enhance reading efficiency particularly when consuming large amounts of text in a short period. It aims to reduce subvocalization (silent reading with internal speech), which can slow down reading speed. Spritzing might not be suitable for all types of reading, such as literature, poetry, or texts that require reflection.
This can be very helpful for going through the News Articles, Ebooks etc.
Bionic reading is helpful for:
- Faster reading: it significantly increases reading speed by eliminating unnecessary eye movements and subvocalization.
- Time-efficiency: It allows users to cover more material in less time, which can be useful for skimming or reviewing content.
- Accessibility: It can assist individuals with reading difficulties or visual impairments to access and process text more easily.
Drawbacks of bionic reading are that:
- Rapid presentation of text might sacrifice deep understanding and engagement with the material also that;
- Reading at high speeds might hinder the emotional impact that comes from taking time to absorb the nuances of a story or narrative.
How?
By using extension on browser, or by installing a free app on ios, Linux or android can help the reader to convert any text to bionic text.
