Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Ideas please? (self.Blind)
submitted by Merkinfumble
I work with a blind lady and help her use her phone to navigate the world. She struggles a lot and does get overwhelmed so I have to keep our sessions short to stop her getting overtired. My question is, can you please help with recommending apps that would make her life easier? She currently uses an iPhone with voice over which seems to suit her better than her computer. She was using Guide Connect but that really wasn't helpful. She listens to audiobooks and hears the radio etc, but we are trialling various seeing apps to help her identify labels. Is there anything else that I can show her? Also, is there anyone else here from Central Otago, NZ. It would be really good to see if we can meet some others with the same issue. The Blind Society do help but she needs a little more support than that. Thanks in advance.
SLJ7 4 points 1y ago
The app store actually has an entire "apps with VoiceOver" section, though I don't know how often it's updated.
Seeing AI, Envision, Supersense, VoiceDream Scanner — all apps that scan labels or text.
Microsoft Soundscape is an interesting way to navigate, but she needs good headphones (preferably open-ear) to use it since it has stereo audio. It also might not be available there; Microsoft is reeeally dragging their feet on bringing it to other countries.
Blindsquare is a (somewhat expensive) GPS app that does not rely on stereo audio and is available everywhere.
Neither of these give you turn-by-turn. I suggest regular Google Maps for this.
There are a ton of apps for nearly anything, so let us know if you're looking for anything else. Also, check out AppleVis as a good repository of accessible apps.
Seeing AI, Envision, Supersense, VoiceDream Scanner — all apps that scan labels or text.
Microsoft Soundscape is an interesting way to navigate, but she needs good headphones (preferably open-ear) to use it since it has stereo audio. It also might not be available there; Microsoft is reeeally dragging their feet on bringing it to other countries.
Blindsquare is a (somewhat expensive) GPS app that does not rely on stereo audio and is available everywhere.
Neither of these give you turn-by-turn. I suggest regular Google Maps for this.
There are a ton of apps for nearly anything, so let us know if you're looking for anything else. Also, check out AppleVis as a good repository of accessible apps.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thank you! She is also deaf in one ear so the stereo won't work for her, but I'll definitely check the others out. I'm trying to use Seeing AI, it seems to work well, but you need some form of sight at times to put the camera in the correct place, but it's good otherwise.
SLJ7 1 points 1y ago
You don't really need sight, you just need to practice. The app was not designed to require a sighted person. The barcode scanner guides you, and so does the document scanner.
B_Bussen 4 points 1y ago
I'm just learning how to use an ipod. A couple suggestions, if she is comfortable, you might get her a blue tooth keyboard for typing. Also get the app seeingai, does a lot of neat stuff and is free. Good luck.
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 1y ago
That’s the suggestion I usually give to people myself. A bluetooth keyboard.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
She really struggled with typing on the computer so I'm trying to keep the skills needed confined to her phone, which she is the most competent with.
B_Bussen 1 points 1y ago
I sent you a long reply, but not sure if you got it as I don't do well inside of redit. If you didn't get my other reply, let me know. If you send me a jprivate note to butchb@fairpoint.net, I can send you some mp3 files a friend sent me to help me olearn this stuff.
B_Bussen 1 points 1y ago
You can do a lot with seri. You can tell seri eo open a certain app. You can also command seri to search the app store. You can't tell seri to close an app, but double tapping the home button brings up the open apps page where you can close each app. I'm very new at this as well. If you send me a private note to $1, I can send you some mp3 files a friend sent me which might help.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
She does use Siri a lot, which is really helpful with navigating her phone but any tips are appreciated. I've send you a message, thank you.
bradley22 3 points 1y ago
Perhaps the app be my eyes might help? It’s an app where volunteers can see through your phones camera and help you identify things. It’s free, but if she’s not a fan of talking, it’s not for her.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Yes! She has used this a few times, and I love the app! I'd forgotten about that one.
bradley22 1 points 1y ago
:)
payown 2 points 1y ago
something to be aware of that we have found to be helpful for customers who struggle with using a touch screen are both the speed dots that you can put on the screen:
https://www.atguys.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=289
Having the physical dots users can orientate themselves to helps limit some of the stress in some instances.
and or the Blindshell Classic 2 if a new phone is possible:
https://atguys.com/blindshell
hoping these help.
https://www.atguys.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=289
Having the physical dots users can orientate themselves to helps limit some of the stress in some instances.
and or the Blindshell Classic 2 if a new phone is possible:
https://atguys.com/blindshell
hoping these help.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
These are great! Thank you, I'll check them out.
payown 1 points 1y ago
your very welcome, glad to help!
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 1y ago
I think the most important thing is what does she want to do or accomplish with her iphone. I second the applevis.com website. I can’t give any more details unless we know more. There is quite a lot of apps out there but what does she wish her phone to do, what is she trying to accomplish?
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Her phone is her lifeline. She is completely blind and deaf in one ear, and the other ear has part hearing. Some independence would be valuable to her, she has a wonderful husband who does everything she cannot but of course we like to do things on our own. She is amazing at spinning wool and crochet but struggles with wool colour and Seeing AI isn't as precise as she needs for that. She uses a penfriend with dots on her wool so she knows what colour it is. I think just being able to navigate email, read newsletters and know what is happening around the house when she is on her own would make a big difference. A lot of the text readers struggle when there are also pictures so I have to figure out which one would work best. I've tried contacting the companies who send the newsletters but they won't give the newsletters to me in anything but the usual email, so I can't even copy and paste the plain text into a document for her to read, which is a real pain.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
Voice over will just skip over the pictures or does she want access to those. Does she use ocr yet? Maybe try voice dream reader so she can read printed materials or her mail.
Currently besides sighted help seeing ai or other stuff like that including envision ai is the best we have got.
Something like be my eyes may help but that is connecting to a sighed volunteer.
Currently besides sighted help seeing ai or other stuff like that including envision ai is the best we have got.
Something like be my eyes may help but that is connecting to a sighed volunteer.
Merkinfumble [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thank you, I'll check them out :)
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
No problem. If you have more specific questions feel free to ask.
PrettyBlind1983 1 points 1y ago
I use TapTapSee, Seeing A I to Recognize Something and Voice Dream reader tu read Books
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