Hide the labels. Test yourself.
Photograph a diagram, and Lexie identifies the important labels — anatomy terms, map locations, circuit components, cell structures. During review, the labels are hidden. You type each answer from memory before the label is revealed.
How image occlusion works
Photograph a diagram
Take a photo of any labelled diagram — a textbook illustration, a hand-drawn sketch, a slide from class. Lexie identifies the key labels and their positions automatically.
Labels are hidden. You type the answer.
Each label becomes a blank you have to fill from memory. No options to choose from, no tapping to peek. You look at the structure and type what it is. The label is only revealed after you've committed to an answer. This is active recall applied to visual content — the same cognitive demand as a "label this diagram" exam question.
Review until you can name every structure
Labels you couldn't recall or got wrong are tracked. You keep reviewing until you can identify every structure without hesitation. The diagram becomes an exam, not a reference.
Built for visual subjects
Anatomy
The subject image occlusion was made for. Photograph a skeletal diagram, a cross-section of the heart, a diagram of the nephron. Every labelled structure becomes a typed recall challenge. Medical students have used this method through Anki for years — Lexie removes the manual setup and adds real recall instead of passive reveal.
Biology
Cell diagrams, organ systems, ecological cycles, phylogenetic trees. Any diagram where knowing the parts and their relationships matters.
Geography
Maps with labelled countries, capitals, rivers, mountain ranges. Type the name of each hidden location before it's revealed.
Chemistry
Apparatus diagrams, molecular structures, lab setups. If your exam includes a "label this diagram" question, this is exactly how you prepare.
Why image occlusion works
Some knowledge is spatial
Not everything can be reduced to a text flashcard. Knowing that the mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle is one thing. Being able to identify it on a diagram is another. Exams test both. Most study apps only prepare you for the first.
Recall, not recognition
Most image occlusion tools let you tap to reveal the answer. That tests recognition — you see the label and think "oh right, I knew that." Lexie requires you to type the answer before it's revealed. That's retrieval from memory, which is significantly more effective for long-term retention. If you can type it, you know it. If you can't, you've found your gap.
The Anki method, upgraded
Image occlusion is one of the most effective study techniques for visual subjects. Anki supports it through add-ons, but setup is manual and review is tap-to-reveal. Lexie automates the setup from a single photo and requires typed recall during review. Same principle, stronger retrieval, no setup time.
Frequently asked questions
Your exam won't let you tap to reveal the answer. Neither does Lexie.
Photograph any labelled diagram and type each answer from memory. 3 free study sets. No account required.