CyIME

Project Overview

CyLETIX's CyIME is a Kotlin / Jetpack Compose Android input method built on top of Rime (中州韵). It brings the entire Rime schema ecosystem to Android and extends it with handwriting recognition, completely offline Whisper-based voice dictation, and a subtitle mode that does full-screen OCR to replace on-screen English with Chinese in real time. Runs fully locally, no cloud.

Item	Value
Platform	Android 6.0+
Language	Kotlin
Core engine	Rime (中州韵)
Input methods	26-key, 9-key T9, Shuangpin, Wubi, handwriting, offline voice
Unique modes	subtitle OCR mode
License	Apache 2.0

Rime's schema ecosystem on Android, plus handwriting, offline voice, and live subtitle OCR — all local.

Key Features

• Rime schema compatibility: drop in default.custom.yaml and any schema from desktop Rime — 200+ off-the-shelf schemas work
• Multiple input methods: 26-key Pinyin, 9-key T9, Shuangpin, Wubi, handwriting, offline voice dictation
• Offline voice dictation: quantized Whisper tiny / base, runs fully on-device
• Subtitle mode: full-screen OCR reads on-screen English and swaps it to Chinese in real time (needs Accessibility permission)
• Floating candidate bar: draggable position, size, and opacity
• Dark mode: follows system
• Schema switching: swipe Space or long-press Space to cycle
• Custom lexicons: import YAML word lists, same format as desktop Rime

Interface and Operation

• Settings home: input method manager, schema manager, appearance, subtitle toggle
• Schema list: 200+ prebuilt schemas from the desktop Rime ecosystem
• Handwriting pad: full-screen write area, stroke recognition
• Subtitle toggle: one tap on/off, Accessibility service authorization on first launch

Target Audience

• Rime desktop users moving to Android
• Chinese typists wanting a rich input palette
• Privacy advocates avoiding cloud voice
• Users wanting live subtitles for foreign apps
• Heavy Wubi or Shuangpin typists

Quick Start

1. Download CyIME-release.apk from Releases
2. After install, enable CyIME in system Settings → Language & Input
3. Default 26-key Pinyin is built-in; enable Wubi, handwriting, and voice in Settings
4. Subtitle mode: Settings → Subtitle Mode → On → authorize Accessibility when prompted → Allow
5. To use your own Rime schemas: copy default.custom.yaml and schema folders to Android/data/com.cyletix.cyime/files/rime/ on your phone

Core Advantages

• Full Rime schema compatibility: desktop schemas and word lists drop straight in
• Offline Whisper voice: no cloud, no API, no account
• Live subtitle OCR: replace on-screen English with Chinese subtitles in real time
• Modern stack: Kotlin + Jetpack Compose

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	Android 6.0 or newer
Architectures	armeabi-v7a, arm64-v8a, x86, x86_64
Accessibility service	required for subtitle mode
Storage	≥ 500 MB free

Notes

• Subtitle mode is sensitive: Accessibility is a high-risk permission; other apps also request it — authorize carefully
• Whisper needs RAM: at least 2 GB; low-end Android phones should stick with the tiny model
• Rime path is inside the sandbox: don't copy into the wrong directory
• Chinese OEMs kill background apps: MIUI, ColorOS, etc. need CyIME whitelisted