Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

'Be My Eyes' App Crowdsources Help For the Blind

Posted by Soulskill on from the is-this-a-rabid-wolverine-chewing-on-my-leg? dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A new not-for-profit app, Be My Eyes, aims to help the visually-impaired by connecting them with volunteer users who can support them in their daily lives via live video calls. Once downloaded, Be My Eyes asks the user to identify as blind or sighted, to see if you require help or are offering it. When a blind person requests assistance the app scans the system for an available volunteer. The blind user connects with the volunteer over a video call and points to the item they would like described. Be My Eyes was created by Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a visually-impaired entrepreneur, at a startup event. Wiberg teamed up with Robocat, the Danish software studio behind Haze and Thermo, to make his vision a reality.

2 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Noble Idea by parallel_prankster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This sounds like a great idea. I am tempted to be a volunteer. Not sure how it keeps the idiots out who may abuse this. (Yes, there are such people out there!) The FAQ only mentions "People who misuse the system will be excluded from the network." - but it could be too late by then? Perhaps they could 2 volunteers per requester and one of them could be "a moderator"? and silently observe the process to ensure safety of the blind requestor.

    1. Re:Noble Idea by sribe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes... I'm very cynical about human nature; I think it's unfortunately very likely some impaired person will be taken advantage of by some scumbag.

      More likely, the non-impaired volunteers are going to be asked to describe an awful lot of penises...