BeMyEyes <\/a>for the first time.\u00a0 It is a straight forward utility app which connects a sighted volunteer with a blind user.\u00a0 Through use of the back camera of an iPhone and the microphone, the sighted volunteer can give spoken guidance in solving a given task.<\/p>\nFrom initial startup, I was talking to someone in under 4 minutes.\u00a0 Simply select whether you want to be a sighted assistant or a blind user and then sign up for the service and you are off and running.\u00a0 Once you click the button to speak with the next person in the queue, the clock is ticking.\u00a0 After about two minutes I had someone on the line who helped me calibrate my touch screen thermostat.<\/p>\n
The hardest part about using BeMyEyes app\u00a0is\u00a0 aiming the camera with one hand while manipulating objects with the other.\u00a0 With practice, I’m sure work-arounds can be found.\u00a0\u00a0 Of course,\u00a0 getting everything in focus and the lighting just right can also be tricky.\u00a0 There was a bit of initial fumbling, but eventually, we were in business.<\/p>\n
BeMyEyes already has around ten thousand volunteers and the number is growing. This means the wait time will stay low and no single volunteer will be bombarded with requests.\u00a0 Best of all, BeMyEyes is free, and we hope it stays that way.<\/p>\n
The simplicity of this tool is made possible through the over-abundance of processing power available in mobile devices. Tossing around 2-way audio and a video feed would have been difficult just a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n
It’s worth noting that I conducted my experiments using WIFI, and this could quickly devour your data plan, so be mindful of how you choose to connect when using this app.<\/p>\n
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