DENVER — New technology makes all of our lives easier at home and at work but it’s also helping those with disabilities.
A new app called “Be My Eyes” is helping the blind handle everyday life while providing companionship. The program links the blind or visually impaired with those who have sight via a live camera feed that can be accessed with a cell phone or tablet.
The visually impaired person can ask questions about their environment. Peter Tucic, who lost his vision at age 3, uses the app and says it helps the blind lead more independent lives. “I can go to the store and purchase the same product that anybody who is fully sighted (can).”
In a demonstration, Tucic showed how a volunteer helped him choose between soft drinks, by simply viewing them through Peter’s cell phone camera.
He says the little things in life become much easier. “Any small objects that we take for granted, (that cereal is) Cinnamon Toast Crunch and those are Kelloggs, I never knew that.”
Users can speak to volunteers in their own town or in a city on the other side of the world, providing information and a human connection as well.
Learn more about the “Be My Eyes” app and the volunteer program.