A New App Allows People to “Be the Eyes” of an Individual with Visual Impairment.

You can now make a difference in the day of a person with visual impairment by answering a quick question on an app. Be My Eyes is a new app designed by Hans Jørgen Wiberg. Wiberg is a visually impaired man who realized through his work at the “Danish Association of the Blind” that individuals with visual impairments need help with everyday tasks such as reading labels and finding things on a shelf. The app connects individuals with hearing impairment with volunteer helpers around the world via video chat. The interaction starts when a person with visual impairment requests assistance on the app. The volunteer helper then receives a notification for help and the live video chat begins. The volunteer is then able to answer questions such as “When does this milk expire?” or “Where on the shelf is the medication?” This is the first app on the market that connects sighted helpers with individuals with visual impairments via a direct phone call. The app is free to download and is already extremely popular. This is the wonderful benefit of technology! 

Learn more about the app here.