Be My Eyes app connects users to help the blind
Utilizes video chat to connect users, aid in everyday tasks
Be My Eyes, a new iPhone app from Danish creators Thelle Kristensen and Hans Jørgen Wiberg, may be the most selfless app you can download to your device — yes, even more than graciously sharing your every meal and daily activity with your followers on Instagram.
Sarcasm aside, though, Be My Eyes is a fantastic idea. The app is designed to make life easier for the blind by connecting them with sighted users. Once connected via video chat, users can aid a blind person in any task, be it mundane or mighty, such as checking the date on a carton of milk, picking the right item from a cupboard, or choosing an item of clothing to wear to an important meeting — everyday tasks for those with full vision, but a small hurdle to the blind person.
Via video chat, the app allows the sighted user to describe an item or offer help based on the blind user’s needs, with the app designed to minimize the time it takes between encountering a problem, opening the app, and connecting with a user to offer assistance. To ensure that there’s no misuse of the system, the app contains a rating system, and new users will only be connected with experienced users at first.
Available for the iPhone 4S and later — and with an Android app planned — it’s a fantastic way to take a minute or two out of your day to help a fellow human in need. At the time of writing, almost 1,400 blind people have signed up for the service, while an overwhelming 16,000 sighted users have signed up to lend assistance. If you’ve already reneged on your New Year’s resolution, Be My Eyes will help you to get back on the karma horse.
Download the app here: Be My Eyes
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