Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder explore Leo, a powerful handwritten text recognition platform designed specifically for researchers. Nicole interviews the creator, Jon Cooper, a PhD candidate at Stanford who developed the tool with a machine learning expert to address the difficulty of transcribing complex Elizabethan manuscripts. Listeners learn how Leo differs from general AI models by prioritizing faithful, accurate transcriptions of handwritten text rather than guessing words. The platform offers specialized features for genealogists, including the ability to recognize tabular data, crop and rotate document images, and refine transcriptions using multiple model inputs. Diana shares her own experience testing the tool on a two-page 1830s deed, finding it to be a user-friendly and accurate resource.
The episode also highlights Leo’s “Transformations” feature, which helps users move beyond basic transcription. Listeners discover how this tool summarizes content, identifies key people and places, and translates non-English sources. While the platform is advanced, the hosts discuss important limitations, such as challenges with tiny marginalia, double-page spreads, and predicting rare proper names. Ultimately, this episode demonstrates how Leo serves as a force multiplier for genealogists, helping them turn raw digital images into searchable, summarized, and interpreted research assets.
This summary was generated by Google Gemini.
Links
Meet Leo: The Handwritten Text Recognition Platform Built for Researchers – Family Locket -https://familylocket.com/meet-leo-the-handwritten-text-recognition-platform-built-for-researchers/
Learn more about Leo and to set up your free account, go to https://www.tryleo.ai/
Leo Demonstration with Nicole and Jon Cooper on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mR8KOH97Rf0
Sponsor – Newspapers.com
For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code “FamilyLocket” at checkout.
Research Like a Pro Resources
Airtable Universe – Nicole’s Airtable Templates – https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer
Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference – by Nicole Dyer – https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/
Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com – https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d
Research Like a Pro with AI Workbook – Second Edition (eBook) – https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-ai-workbook-second-edition-ebook/
14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook – digital – https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound – https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series – monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence – https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/
Research Like a Pro eCourse – independent study course – https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/
RLP Study Group – upcoming group and email notification list – https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/
Research Like a Pro Institute Courses – https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/
Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources
Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin – https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx
Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse – independent study course – https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/
RLP with DNA Study Group – upcoming group and email notification list – https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/
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