Technology to help: "Be My Eyes"
When a phone with Internet access is not fun at all. About a useful application based on mutual assistance and trust.
Find something to eat in the fridge, check the expiration date of the product, buy the right thing - all this will not be difficult, but only when ... your eyes see! When you have poor eyesight or no vision at all, even small household chores can become a big problem. It turns out that it can be solved through the application on the phone.
In 2015, a non-profit organization from Denmark launched a technology designed to make life easier for people with visual impairments. The basis for the program Be My Eyes (translated from English - "Be my eyes"), which allows you to "see" the world through a smartphone camera, was a combination of a regular video call and an international team of volunteers.
How it works
Previously, the application was available only to iPhone and iPad users , but since October last year it has become available for devices running Android . To get started, you need to install the Be My Eyes app on your phone.
Once this is done, the app will ask you to register a new account. You will then need to choose the main language in which you want to help or get help from volunteers.
For blind people, after selecting the language, the main screen of the application will appear on the smartphone, where the user can ask for help by clicking on the Call First Available Volunteer button, ie call the first available volunteer. Note that the call button - almost the entire screen of the phone, so that the blind with poor eyesight was easier to make a call.
When a blind person presses a button, a call notification is sent to several volunteers at once. The first volunteer to respond will be connected via video call. The volunteer can simply see the problem with the blind person’s smartphone camera, provide assistance and answer questions.
If you are a volunteer and speak more than one language or need to change your language, you can always change or add additional languages in Settings. We will add that the service provides random people from different countries. The country setting cannot be set, so volunteers will have to speak and listen in English.
It should be noted that today 140,702 blind users and more than 2.5 million volunteers are registered in the system. However, the application has not yet become popular in Ukraine. Perhaps the problem is poor knowledge of English. But who knows, maybe if there are more of us, the developers will be able to filter users by language skills.
Meanwhile, the app saves blind people around the world. It has become indispensable, above all, for those who live and work without the help of sighted relatives or special assistants. So, on the one hand, Be My Eyes allows the blind to cope with big and small tasks, and on the other - brings joy to sighted people who help others in such a simple and natural way, say volunteers.
By the way, the developers of Be My Eyes warn - users are not allowed to show sexual scenes and images of a shocking nature. But, according to volunteers, unpleasant incidents are extremely rare. Most often, the blind are asked to describe the terrain and obstacles encountered on the road.
Be My Eyes is based on the concept of humanity and mutual assistance. The app is a great chance for people to make our world a better place by spending just a few minutes a day, say the creators.
Access to Be My Eyes is absolutely free, everyone can offer their help to the needy.
A wave of emotions
To convince you to join the application and become someone’s eyes for a while, we have collected feedback from those who already use Be My Eyes:
“I have the opportunity to help others, and they are always so grateful! This is a great way to serve others! ”
“I like this app and what it does for people’s lives! I’ve been here for several months and answered three calls. I will never forget the second call. I was in a bad mood because of family problems. On the way to work, I got a call from a woman asking me to help me choose an outfit. Despite the fact that it was a simple and quick task, my heart was filled with joy! She reminded me that there is a lot of good in the world besides the bad! I look forward to more calls in the future! ”
"I helped the girl choose the right earrings for the dress. The second time for another person - to choose a shampoo. Both calls took less than 5 minutes. Great app !!! ”
"I helped the woman find the cheese she needed in the store. But a passer-by overheard our conversation and helped her. This is a really cool app "
" Great concept! The man just wanted to make sure he was wearing the right pants and jacket before leaving the house. Bravo! I recommend! ”
"This is a fantastic application that connects blind or partially sighted users with sighted people. It will take you some time, but the feeling of helping others is incomparable. This week, I helped a woman sort things for washing by simply naming a color. ”
“ I downloaded the app yesterday, and today was the first call. I helped the man choose rice for dinner by reading what was written on the box. I was delighted and can’t wait to be called again. "
"It’s such a great way to unite people. Thank you for allowing me to be helpful. ”
“ I had a great experience with a girl who needed help with a computer. She needed to know what files she had selected on the screen. It took some time. I advise all volunteers - use patience, kindness and humor. It was a really great experience! ”
"A young woman called me and asked if her make-up was in order. She was at a conference, and I "accompanied" her to the elevator and down the lobby, where there were others who could help her.
"Today was my first call. The girl needed help with the choice of nail polish. I hope to help many more. If you like helping people, download this program »
"It’s a big help for me, I have no eyesight. I have my guide dog, she does her job well. But I thank all the volunteers who help me go shopping and cook. ”
After reading these reviews, we were inspired. We hope you can make this world a little better now. By the way, a good incentive to improve your English, right?
Find something to eat in the fridge, check the expiration date of the product, buy the right thing - all this will not be difficult, but only when ... your eyes see! When you have poor eyesight or no vision at all, even small household chores can become a big problem. It turns out that it can be solved through the application on the phone.
In 2015, a non-profit organization from Denmark launched a technology designed to make life easier for people with visual impairments. The basis for the program Be My Eyes (translated from English - "Be my eyes"), which allows you to "see" the world through a smartphone camera, was a combination of a regular video call and an international team of volunteers.
How it works
Previously, the application was available only to iPhone and iPad users , but since October last year it has become available for devices running Android . To get started, you need to install the Be My Eyes app on your phone.
Once this is done, the app will ask you to register a new account. You will then need to choose the main language in which you want to help or get help from volunteers.
For blind people, after selecting the language, the main screen of the application will appear on the smartphone, where the user can ask for help by clicking on the Call First Available Volunteer button, ie call the first available volunteer. Note that the call button - almost the entire screen of the phone, so that the blind with poor eyesight was easier to make a call.
When a blind person presses a button, a call notification is sent to several volunteers at once. The first volunteer to respond will be connected via video call. The volunteer can simply see the problem with the blind person’s smartphone camera, provide assistance and answer questions.
If you are a volunteer and speak more than one language or need to change your language, you can always change or add additional languages in Settings. We will add that the service provides random people from different countries. The country setting cannot be set, so volunteers will have to speak and listen in English. It should be noted that today 140,702 blind users and more than 2.5 million volunteers are registered in the system. However, the application has not yet become popular in Ukraine. Perhaps the problem is poor knowledge of English. But who knows, maybe if there are more of us, the developers will be able to filter users by language skills.
Meanwhile, the app saves blind people around the world. It has become indispensable, above all, for those who live and work without the help of sighted relatives or special assistants. So, on the one hand, Be My Eyes allows the blind to cope with big and small tasks, and on the other - brings joy to sighted people who help others in such a simple and natural way, say volunteers.
By the way, the developers of Be My Eyes warn - users are not allowed to show sexual scenes and images of a shocking nature. But, according to volunteers, unpleasant incidents are extremely rare. Most often, the blind are asked to describe the terrain and obstacles encountered on the road.
Be My Eyes is based on the concept of humanity and mutual assistance. The app is a great chance for people to make our world a better place by spending just a few minutes a day, say the creators.
Access to Be My Eyes is absolutely free, everyone can offer their help to the needy.
A wave of emotions
To convince you to join the application and become someone’s eyes for a while, we have collected feedback from those who already use Be My Eyes:
“I have the opportunity to help others, and they are always so grateful! This is a great way to serve others! ”
“I like this app and what it does for people’s lives! I’ve been here for several months and answered three calls. I will never forget the second call. I was in a bad mood because of family problems. On the way to work, I got a call from a woman asking me to help me choose an outfit. Despite the fact that it was a simple and quick task, my heart was filled with joy! She reminded me that there is a lot of good in the world besides the bad! I look forward to more calls in the future! ”
"I helped the girl choose the right earrings for the dress. The second time for another person - to choose a shampoo. Both calls took less than 5 minutes. Great app !!! ”
"I helped the woman find the cheese she needed in the store. But a passer-by overheard our conversation and helped her. This is a really cool app " " Great concept! The man just wanted to make sure he was wearing the right pants and jacket before leaving the house. Bravo! I recommend! ”
"This is a fantastic application that connects blind or partially sighted users with sighted people. It will take you some time, but the feeling of helping others is incomparable. This week, I helped a woman sort things for washing by simply naming a color. ”
“ I downloaded the app yesterday, and today was the first call. I helped the man choose rice for dinner by reading what was written on the box. I was delighted and can’t wait to be called again. "
"It’s such a great way to unite people. Thank you for allowing me to be helpful. ”
“ I had a great experience with a girl who needed help with a computer. She needed to know what files she had selected on the screen. It took some time. I advise all volunteers - use patience, kindness and humor. It was a really great experience! ”
"A young woman called me and asked if her make-up was in order. She was at a conference, and I "accompanied" her to the elevator and down the lobby, where there were others who could help her.
"Today was my first call. The girl needed help with the choice of nail polish. I hope to help many more. If you like helping people, download this program »
"It’s a big help for me, I have no eyesight. I have my guide dog, she does her job well. But I thank all the volunteers who help me go shopping and cook. ”
After reading these reviews, we were inspired. We hope you can make this world a little better now. By the way, a good incentive to improve your English, right?