Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a global community platform that connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and company representatives through live video calls. Launched in 2015, the app was born from the idea that many daily tasks only require a few minutes of "borrowed sight." When a user requests assistance, a notification is sent to a group of volunteers; the first to answer is connected via a one-way video and two-way audio link. The volunteer sees what is in front of the user's camera and provides verbal guidance, such as checking expiration dates or matching clothes. In 2023, the platform introduced Be My AI, a pioneering AI assistant integrated into the app. Users can send images to Be My AI, which provides conversational, AI-generated visual descriptions and answers questions about the image in 36 languages. This feature is powered by OpenAI's GPT-4. Additionally, the Specialized Help (now Service Directory) allows users to connect with support staff from partner companies like Microsoft and Google to troubleshoot products. The app remains 100% free for users and has won numerous awards, including the Apple Design Award for Social Impact.