[NFBMT] aira -- visual interpreter for the blind

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

This device was demonstrated at the East Valley chapter meeting Sheila and I
went to while we were visiting Mesa, AZ.  Somebody at the Washington Seminar
said he used it to navigate the airport.  You register and sign up to use it,
and it is wearable technology that has access to a sighted person telling you
what is around you and directing you to your destination.  They will tell you
what street you are coming to, but not when to cross; that is up to you.
When you sign up, you tell them what mobility aid you use, whether it be cane
or dog or whatever, and they won't help you unless you have your mobility aid
with you.  You also tell them how you want directions to be relayed to you,
whether by positions on a clock face, left or right, or north or south.  You
connect it to your smart phone and you can use an earphone if you want to.  I
think the lowest price is something like two hundred dollars a month, but I
could be mistaken.  I think that gives you two hours or so of time with the
assistant.  Don't take that to the bank, though.  Although it is expensive,
it is illustrative of some of the cool technology that is being developed for
us.  

 

https://aira.io/

 

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

 

Live the life you want

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.