Michel Stamp Recognition App

Michel has just rolled out a new "app" (really, just a website) that will, theoretically, allow you to upload an existing photo or take one with your phone camera, upload it, and have Michel return a catalog number and basic ID info.






The initial version of the app is free, and offers some very basic info (country, year, catalog number, basic notes). It currently works with stamps of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, with other area to come in the new year. According to their e-mail, they also plan to introduce direct integration with their online catalog (so you click the result and it takes you to the online catalog entry) and their collection management software.

I've been playing around with it, and it's definitely a work in progress. The IDs aren't always accurate (not a shock here, that's always the challenge), and it seems to have a problem with larger images. To get it to work, I had to shrink my existing photos to a much smaller size.

But anyway, it's free at the moment, so give it a try here.

Thanks for the link, good stuff...
They will need a recognition rate north of 98% for users to trust it. Do you know how they plan on determining perforation, watermarks, or paper types?
Don

No idea. The e-mail was very basic regarding future plans. Though that may be in the long-term plans, I suspect it would have to be very long-term. They're going to have enough problems just getting basic recognition to work with a high level of accuracy.

It's just nice to see one of the few companies with the financial resources to advance the hobby in the technology arena actually doing something about it. Michel now has a relational database driven online catalog, online e-book versions of their catalogs, an online collection management system, and an online recognition system. On the offline front, they have a fantastic collection management and cataloging software, and have started offering catalogs on USB sticks and custom-built catalogs with only those sections the user wants. Some of these offerings (the online ones) have a long, long way to go to get where they really need to be, but it's a start. That's more than Scott and SG are doing.

And I know I sound like a Michel homer, but I've long said that if Michel was in English instead of (or in addition to) German, they could dominate the philatelic world. Their catalog system is so much more intuitive than Scott, etc., and they aren't afraid to innovate.

Nooo, I agree that they appear to be making a good try at staying technically relevant, far better than their competitors. I appreciate their efforts and that you are keeping us informed!
Thank you,
Don

Edit: I was just wondering how they plan on tackling the watermark/paper type since that would be an astounding innovation. I assume at best they will only be able to offer 'choices' for these attributes and let the user 'drill down' and make their own final determination.

To digress slightly, Yvert is offering a 20% discount on its complete online catalogue -

https://www.yvert.com/A-185331-abon...122017-PHILA