Having a blind child, it’s a cause close to my heart to see the Be My Eyes project in place. Not just existing, but growing with the support of companies like Google and Microsoft.
Many people don’t think about the simple things in life that aren’t accessible to the vision impaired or blind users, something as simple as turning on or changing the settings on your aircon can be difficult or impossible without assistive technologies.
A technology that is readily available these days is a smartphone and adding Be My Eyes to the mix, vision impaired or blind users have quick and easy access to someone with sight to help them navigate some of these daily tasks that would otherwise pose barriers.
Be My Eyes enables people who are blind or have low vision to live more independently with the support of nearly 3 million sighted volunteers.
These volunteers are a lifeline for many people around the world, providing a pair of eyes over a quick video call to help with everyday tasks—like helping someone figure out when their chicken is finished cooking, play video games and learn how to use a new washer for the first time.
But it doesn’t need to stop there, Be My Eyes are calling for more technology companies to join with the platform and building a community of support for people who need a bit of help to build or maintain their independence.
