Project description
Harnessing technology for the visually impaired
Be My Eyes is an application that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers or company representatives for visual assistance through live video calls. The application has helped blind people lead more independent lives. Specialised help of the EU-funded project BEMYEYES aims to enhance the existing application, connecting its user base to customer support functions in subscribing companies. Be My Eyes is in the unique position of being able to provide both the technology and the users to companies who subscribe to Be My Eyes, allowing them to better service the visually impaired community.
Objective
For the 25 million blind and visually impaired people within the EU, simple everyday tasks, present a daunting challenge that can leave them dependent on the help of relatives and carers and there is a very narrow set of options focused at facilitating their daily lives. This challenge is exacerbated by the small number of companies who adapt their services to the needs of blind and visually impaired users compared to the rest of their customers.
Specialized Help from Be My Eyes will build on our existing award-winning digital crowdsourcing app ‘Be My Eyes’ to connect our existing visually impaired user base of 100,000 individuals to customer support functions in subscribing companies. Be My Eyes is in the unique position of being able to provide both the technology and the users to companies who subscribe to our service allowing them to service the visually impaired community, improve their CSR and accessibility agendas and gain relevant product feedback through a single, integrated user platform.
Specialised Help will be developed to a fully commercialised product meeting the customer needs as determined by a SME Instrument Phase 1 Feasibility Study.
We estimate that within 5 years of product launch we will have sold 185 Specialized Help licenses achieving revenues of €54.3m. We will have hired 30 additional new employees and will control 4.7% of the European market. The return on the project investment in the third year of commercialisation would be 16.98.
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
3500 VAERLOSE
Denmark
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.