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Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

bemyeyes.org

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Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#21

Post by mwcampbell »

Nice idea, but I think it would be better if it were commercial, with the blind user paying, the sighted helper getting paid, and the app developers getting a cut. The payment could be by the minute. I think the general public will be more inclined to treat blind people as equals if we demolish the notion that blind people require charity.

Addendum: Lest anyone think I'm talking out of my ass, here's a blog post from a blind programmer who previously had the idea of doing something like this as a business. Unfortunately, it looks like he abandoned that project, since the home page now redirects to something else.

https://thewordnerd.info/2014/04/01/perceptron-the-first-rea...

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#22

Post by yawz »

khebbie wrote: post #19
yawz wrote: post #9

Could someone who has used the app tell us about the real-life experience please?

Well I have used the app as both blind and sighted. A blind person simply presses a button which sends requests to a helper. If the helper does not have time, the api sends a request to another helper. When a helper takes the call, he/she gets a video and audio stream from the blind persons phone. The blind person gets an audio stream from the sighted person. A conversion about the problem to be solved can now take p…

Yes, thank you. I was also wondering what kind of problems this app is solving. I'm not visually impaired so I'm probably not good at imagining real-world scenarios where this app can be useful. It sounds like a great idea and very promising.

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#25

Post by masukomi »

johlindenbaum wrote: post #15
rlpb wrote: post #7

Are there any legal consequences if a blind person is helped crossing the street and gets hit by a car?

It wouldn't be any different than the passenger in your car telling you, like "clear right". Any resulting accident is still the driver's fault afaik.

there isn't network delay when your passenger tells you its "clear right"

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#26

Post by antihero »

khebbie wrote: post #17
ikt wrote: post #16

My only question is how do you handle trolls, idiots, abuse etc? What happens if for example 4chan decides to 'raid' your app and direct blind people into unfortunate situations. I must admit it's a very low act but that's my only real thought about this. If abuse wasn't a possibility I think the app is 100% amazing.

We do have abuse handling

How does it work? I think trust is a huge factor with this sort of thing, so you have to be transparent about how you'd prevent, say, random asshats potentially putting people in real danger.

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#27

Post by wiradikusuma »

Looks like a novel idea! I'm wondering what's the purpose of giving "points" to the helpers? I can't find anywhere in the website mentioning the points' purpose.

It's a non-profit/charity, and (I think) people understand they won't get anything in return (other than good feeling), what's with the points? (pure curiosity)

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#28

Post by khebbie »

wiradikusuma wrote: post #27

Looks like a novel idea! I'm wondering what's the purpose of giving "points" to the helpers? I can't find anywhere in the website mentioning the points' purpose. It's a non-profit/charity, and (I think) people understand they won't get anything in return (other than good feeling), what's with the points? (pure curiosity)

The points is just a fun gamification thing. Trying to make people share and use the app.

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#29

Post by khebbie »

antihero wrote: post #26
khebbie wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do have abuse handling

How does it work? I think trust is a huge factor with this sort of thing, so you have to be transparent about how you'd prevent, say, random asshats potentially putting people in real danger.

We are indeed very transparent: hub.com/bemyeyes/bemyeyes-server

Re: Be My Eyes – Lend your eyes to the blind

#30

Post by nolk100 »

mwcampbell wrote: post #21

Nice idea, but I think it would be better if it were commercial, with the blind user paying, the sighted helper getting paid, and the app developers getting a cut. The payment could be by the minute. I think the general public will be more inclined to treat blind people as equals if we demolish the notion that blind people require charity. Addendum: Lest anyone think I'm talking out of my ass, here's a blog post from…

I'd feel pretty cheeky helping a blind person if I was doing it just to get paid for it.

Similarly, I wouldn't help an old lady cross the street then ask for a pound.

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