“You have reached your destination.” A familiar phrase that most of us hear on a regular basis these days. Navigation apps have made life easier for all of us, but “RightHear“ has taken it even further, finding a way to make navigating easier for people who until now could not take advantage of those apps.
RightHear is an Israeli technology that allows people with visual impairments or blindness to navigate public places with greater ease. The technology is based on auditory guidance and works in both outdoor and indoor public spaces, making them more accessible, thereby improving independence when going out into the community. Another special feature is that visual description cues are incorporated into the navigation allowing the user to create a map of the space in their mind, not just of the directions to take, but what they are passing along the way. The app also warns the user of potential obstacles in their path, such as bike lanes and roads.
RightHear works on city streets and also inside public spaces, such as museums or shops, that have installed the special sensors that work with the app, allowing for easier navigation within a space. For example, in a clinic that works with RightHear, the user will hear detailed cues and will receive important information like “You are at the main entrance, continue 5 meters to the service desk, the waiting area is on your right.”
In addition to the functional use of the app helping users get to a destination, it also provides them with details along their route, such as places such as shops and cafes nearby that are accessible to RightHear. For sighted people, discovering a new shop on the way to meet a friend at the local cafe is a common occurrence. RightHear makes that experience accessible to those with impaired vision as well, allowing them to also discover interesting places along the way. We hope that as technology advances we will discover more and more solutions that address the experience of the user and not just the need.
Have you, or someone you know, tried RightHear? Write us and share your experience.
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