These are a handful of useful apps that our customers have been using with success.
Automatic Text and Image Recognition
These apps are used to read text, identify objects, and recognize images through your smartphone’s camera.
Seeing AI
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS
Website
www.microsoft.com/en-us/seeing-ai/
Official Description:
Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed for the blind and low vision community, this ongoing research project harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world and describe nearby people, text, and objects.
TextGrabber
Cost
Free with in-App Purchases
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
Official Description:
ABBYY TextGrabber easily and quickly scans, translates and saves your chosen text or QR-codes from virtually any printed material. Simply take a picture of the text on 60+ languages or QR-codes and immediately edit, hear it spoken aloud via VoiceOver, translate it into 100+ languages, send your text by SMS or e-mail, or share it quickly on Facebook, Twitter or Evernote. Translation is available as a separate in-app purchase.
knfbReader
Cost
$99.99
Platform
iOS, Android, and Windows
Website
Official Description:
The easy-to-use KNFB Reader app converts any text to speech or Braille instantly and accurately. Its text-to-speech and text-highlighting tools make it valuable for blind, low-vision, dyslexic, and other print-disabled users.
TapTapSee – Blind & Visually Impaired Camera
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
Official Description:
TapTapSee is a mobile camera application designed specifically for blind and visually impaired users, powered by the CloudSight Image Recognition API. TapTapSee utilizes your device’s camera and VoiceOver functions to take a picture or video of anything and identify it out loud for you.
Human Supported Apps
Get access to a sighted personal assistant. With these apps you are connected through your phone’s camera to a sighted help who can assist with reading and identifying things around you.
Be My Eyes
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
Official Description:
Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call.
Aira
Cost
Free for short calls and specific situations. Charges vary for longer calls.
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
Official Description:
When you need to do something where some extra information can help you save time and be more efficient, just open the app and give us a call. You’ll connect with real, highly-trained people who can see your surroundings through your phone’s camera.
BeSpecular – Help The Blind
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
Official Description:
Are you blind or visually impaired & need that extra little bit of help? You should be able to conveniently ask your questions and know that someone who’s sighted will happily and quickly be able to help. Now you’re able to personalize your questions to find out exactly what you’re looking for. You can upload or take photos and ask with a voice/text message. You’ll receive as many friendly and helpful replies as you need.
Reading
With these apps you’ll be able to download and read digital book and audiobooks.
Radio Talking Book
Cost
Free – Available to anyone with a disability that makes reading print difficult
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/radio-talking-book/id1483640951\ Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ssb.rtb&hl=en_US
Official Description:
The Radio Talking Book Network (RTB) is a free news and information service that broadcasts 24 hours a day, every day, to listeners across the nation.
We broadcast daily newspapers, current magazines, and a wide variety of books to appeal to diverse interests. All are read by skilled volunteer readers and broadcasters.
The Archive Daily Listings within the app offers a view of our wide-ranging programming.
With the Radio Talking Book smartphone app you can listen to the live stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book at any time. Just tap the listen button on the main page of the app. You can also listen to any program which has been aired in the past seven days. First tap on the day of the week you which to pick and then choose the hour of the program you wish to hear.
Available to anyone with a disability that makes reading print difficult.
BARD Mobile
Cost
Free – Must be a registered user of the National Library Service Braille and Talking-Book Library
Platform
iOS and Android
Website
www.loc.gov/nls/enrollment-equipment/register-for-bard-get-bard-mobile/
Official Description:
A service of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress
The BARD Mobile app provides access to braille and talking books directly from the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD). BARD contains nearly 80,000 books, magazines, and music scores in audio and braille formats, with new selections added daily.
With BARD Mobile, you can play the audio materials on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If your device is connected to a refreshable braille display through Bluetooth, you can also read the braille materials available on BARD.
Capti Narrator
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS
Website
itunes.apple.com/us/app/capti-narrator/id437052502?mt=8
Official Description:
Listen to everything you want to read on the go and at your leisure! You can listen to any content from Safari, Chrome, GoogleDrive, Dropbox, Bookshare, or Gutenberg. Whether you are a student, a language learner, a commuter, a busy professional, a retiree, or a person with dyslexia or other print disabilities, Capti will improve your productivity and make your reading more enjoyable.
Voice Dream Reader
Cost
$14.99
Platform
iOS
Website
Official Description:
Read with your ears! Voice Dream Reader is a widely acclaimed desktop-class app that reads articles, documents and books out loud. With advanced text-to-speech and a highly configurable visual layout, it can be tailored to suit every reading style and level.
Navigation
These apps act as aids for navigating around your community and the world. They do not replace good independent navigation skills, but they are great tools for building confidence and exploring new places.
BlindSquare
Cost
$39.99 – In-app purchase for Voice Commands feature
Platform
iOS
Website
Official Description:
BlindSquare is the world’s most widely used accessible GPS-app developed for the blind and visually impaired. Paired with third-party navigation apps, BlindSquare’s self-voicing app delivers detailed points of interest and intersections for safe, reliable travel both outside and inside.
Microsoft Soundscape
Cost
Free
Platform
iOS
Website
www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/product/soundscape/
Official Description:
Soundscape provides information about your surroundings with synthesized binaural audio, creating the effect of 3D sound. It can run in the background in conjunction with navigation or other applications to provide you with additional context about the environment. Your phone, in hand or in pocket, tracks movement using location and activity sensors, and lets you move toward a self-set audio beacon.
Learning and Resources
These are informational apps that include lessons, podcasts, and access to communities.
Blind Abilities
Cost
Free
Website/App
Websites: blindabilities.com iOS App: itunes.apple.com/us/app/blind-abilities/id1085849859?mt=8
Official Description:
Blind Abilities produces podcasts and blogs dealing with accessibility, technologies, devices and enhancing the opportunities in the job market for the Blind, visually Impaired and DeafBlind. We interview developers, users and advocates in the field of Blindness. Blind Abilities is a community of Blind, DeafBlind and Low vision members sharing experiences and offering advice when needed. Together we share each other’s vision to bridge the gap between the limited expectations and the Realities of Blind Abilities. Our Teen Cast podcasts focus on promoting successful transitioning from high school to college and employment. Life Skills and everyday living categories is part of our mission to enhance the self-confidence to reach one’s higher expectations in all aspects of living with Blindness.
Braille Tutor
Cost
Free – $1.99 In-App Purchase for additional lessons
Platform
iOS
Website
www.ienabletechnology.com/braille-tutor/
Official Description:
Learn and practice contracted braille (Unified English Braille) with Braille Tutor!
Braille Tutor provides an interactive learning experience for a sighted or blind braille learner. It works on iPad using onscreen keys or home keys on a Bluetooth keyboard. It is self-voiced, but also works with iOS accessibility.
The app uses sounds and text-to-speech to support vision-impaired learners. Using a Bluetooth keyboard also gives the user a feel of the keys.
Blind Support 