[Updated] iPhone Hint – Help a Blind Person See : There's an App For That

When I started this newsletter, I swore I wouldn’t get into the app recommendation business. That niche has been saturated ever since the Apple App Store broke 65,000 apps in July 2009 (it hit 1.4 million in January 2015!) But occasionally an app comes along that doesn’t need to be evaluated, it just needs to be evangelized. (Yes, there is a past participle!)

Have you ever wondered how a blind person gets around in an unfamiliar location? Or how they determine if a carton of milk is beyond its use-by date? The answer is simple, they ask someone nearby for help. But what if no one’s handy. Or they’ve asked their next door neighbor so many times, they’re embarrassed to do so again.

Now, what if there was a way to give a blind person access to hundreds or even thousands of sighted people at a moment’s notice to ask life’s little questions. Thanks to the video camera in every iPhone 4S and above, it’s now possible for the blind to see…with our help.

The Be My Eyes iPhone app is the brainchild of Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish craftsperson who is visually impaired himself. The non-profit project he started in 2012 has a simple mission: to bring sight to the blind through your eyes and mine.

The app couldn’t be easier to use. To sign-up, you merely provide your name and email address and indicate if you’re sighted or blind. The next time a blind person needs your help, you’ll be contacted by video chat so you can see what they see. If you’re busy, no worries, just ignore the call and the next person in line will receive the request. There’s a setting where you can select your language, so if you’re proficient in another, let the folks at Be My Eyes know so that they can connect you with those who need your help.

If you’ve often thought about paying it forward, this is probably one of the the biggest no-brainers you’ll ever come across. Imagine what your life would be like without your ability to see and then open your eyes to the potential. You can begin by passing this email along to anyone and everyone that you think would want to participate in this social experiment.

To learn more about the Be My Eyes project, you can go to their site. On the Press Page, you’ll find a promotional video as well as a Ted TalkX Copenhagen presented by Hans Jørgen Wiberg.