“It's my hope that by helping each other as an online community, Be My Eyes will make a big difference in the everyday lives of blind people all over the world.”
– Hans Jørgen Wiberg, Founder of Be My Eyes
Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies from around the world through a live video call.
The app's main goal is to make the world more accessible for people with visual impairments.
By providing a platform for remote assistance, Be My Eyes empowers blind and low-vision individuals to tackle everyday tasks and challenges with confidence and independence.
Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies from around the world through a live video call.
The app was created by Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish furniture craftsman who has visually impaired himself. He recognized that many blind and low-vision people need assistance with everyday tasks, and saw the potential for video calls to provide this assistance through a network of volunteers.
Since launching in January 2015, the app has grown significantly.
Over 5.9 million volunteers have signed up to assist blind and low-vision users, and the app is now available in over 180 languages.
It is the largest online community for blind and low-vision people and one of the biggest micro-volunteering platforms in the world. Every day, volunteers sign onto the app to lend their sight to assist blind and low-vision individuals in tackling challenges and solving problems together.
In addition to providing assistance with everyday tasks, the app also offers specialized help through partnerships with companies such as Microsoft.
This feature enables blind and low-vision users to connect with official company representatives for accessible and efficient customer support. Be My Eyes also offers other corporate solutions, such as Be My Eyes for Work, Corporate Volunteering, Be My Eyes Experiences, and Be My Eyes Careers.
The Be My Eyes app was originally released for iOS in January 2015, and an Android version was released in October 2017.
The app has been recognized with several awards, including Google Play Best Apps of 2017 in the categories "Most Innovative," "Best Daily Helper," and "Best Hidden Gem," as well as the Google Play Award 2018 for "Best Accessibility Award."
The story of Be My Eyes began in Denmark in 2012 when Hans Jørgen presented his idea at a startup event. He was connected with a team that was eager to bring his vision to life, and after three years of development, the app was released.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with over 10,000 users signing up within the first 24 hours of its release. Demand for an Android version was high, and the team worked hard to make it a reality.
Today, Be My Eyes continues to grow and evolve, providing valuable assistance to blind and low-vision individuals around the world.