If you were given the chance to use technology and your gift of sight to help someone who is visually impaired and not get paid for anything, would you take it? That is what the makers of this app called Be My Eyes is hoping for. The app pairs someone who needs a sighted volunteer to complete an activity that they themselves cannot do because of visual impairment. And all you have to do is just answer your phone through the app whenever someone needs you to be their eyes for a few minutes.
The app was actually launched on iOS a few years ago and is only now making its way to Android. That’s good news for blind and visually impaired people because this means it will open this up to a whole new world of Android users who are willing to become the eyes of those who need someone to check the label of a product that they plan to consume or to make sure that the clothes they put on are matching or aren’t inside our or something.
How it works is pretty simple. When the blind or visually impaired person asks for help, the volunteers get a notification and if they accept the request for help, then an audio-video connection will be set up between the two. Using the rear-facing camera of the former, the latter can then help with whatever task is needed. In their iOS experience, most calls are answered within 60 seconds, but the app also encourages the blind to be a bit patient when they’re making a request.
If you want to be part of this Be My Eyes volunteer network, you can download the app for free from the Google Play Store.
