Be My Eyes is a unique mobile application that was launched in 2015 to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for blind and low-vision individuals worldwide. The app facilitates assistance through live video calls, connecting blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers or official representatives from partnering companies.
The app is available on both iOS and Android platforms and has won multiple awards, such as the Google Play Award for Best Accessibility Award and the Apple Design Award for Social Impact in 2021. Be My Eyes offers a range of features, including its micro-volunteering platform, multi-language support, user-friendly interface, and corporate solutions. The app is free of charge, thanks to its unique business model, where it charges companies for offering their support through the service.
The app has proven to be highly beneficial for all parties involved, creating a more inclusive and accessible world.
TLDR
Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies worldwide through live video calls. It has won numerous awards for its role in enhancing accessibility and inclusivity, such as the Google Play Award for Best Accessibility Award and the Apple Design Award for Social Impact in 2021. With a user-friendly interface, multi-language support, and corporate solutions, Be My Eyes is a valuable tool for anyone with visual impairments.
Its unique business model charges companies to offer support, enabling the app to remain free for users.
Company Overview
Be My Eyes is a revolutionary mobile app that was launched in January 2015 to make the world more accessible for blind and low-vision people. The app offers a unique platform that connects blind and visually impaired individuals with sighted volunteers and companies from all over the world through a live video call. Currently, over 4,000,000 volunteers have signed up to assist blind and low-vision users, making it the largest online community for such people.
The story of Be My Eyes started with Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish furniture craftsman, who is visually impaired himself. Through his work at ‘The Danish Association of the Blind,’ he recognized that blind or low-vision people often needed a little assistance to solve everyday tasks. He created Be My Eyes to use the technology of video calls to visually assist blind or low-vision individuals using a network of volunteers.
The app offers assistance in over 180 languages and is one of the largest micro-volunteering platforms in the world. Every day, volunteers join Be My Eyes to lend their sight to blind and low-vision individuals to tackle challenges and solve problems together.
The Be My Eyes app is available on both iOS and Android platforms, and the Android version was finally released on October 5th, 2017. In 2018, Be My Eyes won the Google Play Award for ‘Best Accessibility Award’ and was chosen as Google Play Best Apps of 2017 in three categories; “Most Innovative,” “Best Daily Helper,” and “Best Hidden Gem.” Be My Eyes also won the Apple Design Award for Social Impact in 2021.
In February 2018, Be My Eyes launched the Specialized Help feature with Microsoft as its first partner company. The feature enables blind and low-vision users to connect with official company representatives for accessible and efficient customer support. In addition to Specialized Help, Be My Eyes also offers a variety of corporate solutions including Be My Eyes for Work, Corporate Volunteering, Be My Eyes Experiences, and Be My Eyes Careers.
Be My Eyes is a testament to the power of technology in improving the lives of individuals with visual impairments. Their goal is to promote inclusivity and accessibility worldwide and make the world a better place for everyone.
Features
Live Video Call Assistance
Connect with Sighted Volunteers and Companies
With the Be My Eyes mobile app, blind and low-vision people can request assistance from sighted volunteers and companies from around the world through a live video call. This innovative feature connects people seamlessly, enhancing accessibility for individuals with visual impairments. There are currently 4,000,000 volunteers signed up to assist blind and low-vision users, making Be My Eyes the biggest online community for this group of people.
Micro-Volunteering Platform
Be My Eyes not only facilitates assistance for blind and low-vision citizens, but it also provides an opportunity for volunteers to contribute to the community as micro-volunteers. Volunteers can lend their sight to help blind and low-vision people tackle challenges and solve problems together. This creates a positive impact on everyone involved, and it is one of the largest micro-volunteering platforms in the world.
Multi-Language Support
The Be My Eyes app supports over 180 languages, enhancing accessibility for individuals who speak languages other than English. This significant feature ensures that all members of the community, regardless of their native language, can request assistance.
Specialized Help
Efficient and Accessible Customer Support
Specialized Help is a feature that enables blind and low-vision users to connect with official company representatives for accessible and efficient customer support. Individuals may face accessibility barriers when contacting customer support with vision-related issues, but Be My Eyes has taken significant steps to overcome this obstacle. An example of a partner company that uses Specialized Help is Microsoft, indicating the vast potential of this feature for countless businesses.
Corporate Solutions
Be My Eyes offers a wide range of corporate solutions in addition to Specialized Help. Be My Eyes for Work, Corporate Volunteering, Be My Eyes Experiences, and Be My Eyes Careers are all features that enhance accessibility and inclusivity in the workplace. These solutions streamline communication between employees as well as between employers and employees with visual impairments, ensuring that everyone can work productively.
Wide Range of Accessibility Solutions
Be My Eyes takes pride in offering a vast range of solutions for those who are visually impaired so that they can tackle everyday challenges. Users can get help with everything from reading the expiration date on milk to finding an item in a crowded grocery store. This feature is a testament to the team's commitment to creating solutions that enhance accessibility.
User-Friendly Interface
Easy-to-Use App Design
The Be My Eyes mobile app has an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, creating an inclusive environment for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. The user-friendly design ensures that anyone can leverage the capabilities of the app, even if they are not tech-savvy. This feature is critical to the success of the app, as it makes it accessible to a broad audience, especially those who are not used to technology.
Quick Connection Speed
The app has a fast connection speed, which is vital when a blind or low-vision user needs immediate assistance. The app ensures that calls are connected promptly, minimizing the time needed to get help with a task. This feature is vital for those who require timely assistance with everyday challenges.
Available on Multiple Platforms
Be My Eyes is available on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android devices, ensuring access to anyone, regardless of their device preference. The app's multi-device support facilitates the seamless integration of requests for assistance, creating a reliable and convenient system for both blind or low-vision users and volunteers.
Accessibility Awards
Google Play Awards 2018 - Best Accessibility Award
The Be My Eyes mobile app was awarded the Best Accessibility Award at the Google Play Awards in 2018. This award recognized the app's outstanding contribution to enhancing accessibility for people with visual impairments, creating a more inclusive environment for all. The recognition from such a prestigious institution is a significant accomplishment, demonstrating the impact of the tool on its users.
Apple Design Award for Social Impact in 2021
Be My Eyes received the Apple Design Award for Social Impact in 2021, recognizing the tool's dedication to enhancing accessibility and inclusivity. The award acknowledges Be My Eyes' critical role in empowering blind or low-vision individuals and making the world more accessible, further promoting the tool's use and expansion.
Innovative, Hidden Gem and Best Daily Helper at Google Play Best Apps of 2017
The Be My Eyes mobile app was recognized as the Most Innovative, Best Hidden Gem, and Best Daily Helper app in the Google Play Best Apps of 2017 awards. These awards recognized the company's standout performance across all categories, highlighting the innovative nature of its features and the significant contributions the tool has made to make a more accessible world.
Pricing
Be My Eyes is a free app available for download on both iOS and Android devices. Yes, you read that right - it's completely free!
How can they offer such an incredible service free of charge, you ask? The company operates on a unique business model - instead of charging users for access to the platform, it charges businesses to offer their support through the service. This means that those in need of assistance can utilize the app to connect with a live volunteer, all without any cost incurred.
This model has proven to be successful, as Be My Eyes boasts a community of over 2 million volunteers from around the world, ready and eager to assist those in need. Additionally, the platform has partnered with over 200 companies who offer support, ranging from technical assistance with smartphones to advice on makeup application.
It's truly remarkable what Be My Eyes has accomplished thus far, and their dedication to making a positive impact is truly inspiring. The fact that they offer this valuable service completely free of charge is a testament to their commitment to making the world a more accessible place for everyone.
FAQ
What is Be My Eyes?
Be My Eyes is a mobile app that utilizes live video calls to connect blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies worldwide. The app aims to promote inclusivity and accessibility by providing visual assistance to those in need.
How does Be My Eyes work?
Blind and low-vision users can request assistance for everyday tasks, from navigating unfamiliar spaces to reading labels on products, through the app's live video call feature. The app will match the user with a sighted volunteer or company representative who can assist in real-time through the video call. The volunteer or representative can describe and guide the user through the task at hand.
Who can use Be My Eyes?
Be My Eyes is available for free on both iOS and Android platforms and has no restrictions on who can download and use the app. It is specifically designed for blind and low-vision individuals who may require visual assistance in their daily lives. Anyone can volunteer to be a sighted helper on the app, regardless of their location or expertise.
Is Be My Eyes accessible in different languages?
Yes, Be My Eyes offers assistance in over 180 languages through its global network of volunteers and can connect users with volunteers who speak the same language as them. This feature allows the app to serve a diverse range of individuals worldwide and promote inclusivity and accessibility in multiple communities.
What are the corporate solutions offered by Be My Eyes?
Be My Eyes has a range of corporate solutions for companies of all sizes, such as Be My Eyes for Work, Corporate Volunteering, Be My Eyes Experiences, and Be My Eyes Careers. Be My Eyes for Work connects companies with blind and low-vision individuals who have skills and experiences relevant to their business. Corporate volunteering allows employees to give back to their communities by volunteering their time to assist blind and low-vision individuals.
Be My Eyes Experiences creates unique virtual experiences for blind and low-vision individuals, and Be My Eyes Careers is a job board that connects these individuals with employers who value inclusivity and accessibility.
