Could your Smartphone be your eyes?

It’s pretty much a fact that modern technology plays a huge role in almost every aspect of our lives these days. For the blind and visually impaired community however, this technology has the potential to be truly life changing.

Progressively more and more, people with visual impairments are using smart phones to access the internet for a number of services - to talk to friends, make travel plans, read mail etc. However a new app that actually claims to ‘be your eyes’, could make a real difference in helping people to see some of the things they struggle with.

You may have heard of or used an app called ‘TapTapSee’ - which allows visually impaired people to take photos of things they need reading or describing, like signs and menus and send it to call centre where it is viewed by a sighted person, who texts back a description of the object in the photo.

However good this app is, TapTapSee is a paid service, which can make it expensive. Some people also find it hard to position the camera on their phones to take a picture of the object, wasting photos, for which they’re still charged.

This is where new app called Be My Eyes comes in, ironing out some of these issues. Be My Eyes brings visually impaired users and sighted volunteers together for a conversation it is totally free. The app uses video not photos, making it easier for visually impaired users to pan around the object they want reading or describing. Volunteers can also support people to take a clear video of the object, helping to reduce error. 

How does it work? A sighted volunteer helper signs up to the service. They then receive a notification for help and a live video connection is established with the visually impaired individual. From the live video the volunteer can help the blind person by answering the question they need answered. Simple!

Be My Eyes is a free download from the Apple App Store, so if  you would like to learn more about it and other new technology for your phone, tablet or desktop computer contact us on 0114 272 275

“It's my hope that by helping each other as an online community, Be My Eyes will make a big difference in the everyday lives of blind people all over the world” 

– Hans Jørgen Wiberg, Founder of Be My Eyes