Three Must-Have Aids for The Blind
2018-11-20 | By Orcam Staff
When deciding which must-have aids for the blind to put on this list, we tried to choose ones that would benefit almost every blind or visually impaired person. Therefore, we chose three aids that will help with health, house safety, and receiving information.
1. Body Temperature Thermometer
Most people think of aids for the blind as only walking canes, text readers, etc. As far as keeping healthy and aware of your physical condition, monitoring your temperature is always important. Whenever someone isn’t feeling well, their temperature is one of the first things to measure. High temperatures are usually an indication of a developing or existing illness. Most thermometers only have a visual representation of the temperature it measures. Low-vision thermometers will present your temperature vocally. With talking thermometers, you will able to measure your temperature independently at any given time without needing someone else to read it for you.
2. Liquid Level Indicator
As far as house safety and prevention of accidents or house damage, a liquid level indicator can be useful in every household. Another must-have aid for the blind, this one will help to prevent water from overflowing in the house. It is even more relevant for people who like to take baths or cook with large pots. When filling anything up with large amounts of water, any case of an overflow will create a sound alert for people to respond to it. For people who are blind, an overflow of water will not be visible and can accidentally cause serious injury from slipping on a wet floor.
3. Text Reader
Less than 1% of people who are visually impaired use the braille reading system, and regardless, not everything is written in braille. When receiving government and even corporate mail, it is not written in braille. Mail is not the only information that blind people need to read independently. Street and bus signs, and product information while shopping is just a few of the activities that require text-reading assistance. There are many text readers which are defined as aids for the blind. Some are made for stationary, in-the-house reading. While others are made for mobility and even wearability. This way, anyone can find the right one for them.
OrCam MyEye 2
If you are looking for an all-in-one device, look no further than OrCam MyEye 2. Aids for the blind were created to help blind people live their lives with the highest level of independence and enablement. What separates OrCam MyEye 2 from the rest is the number of life-changing features as well as its wearability. In addition, it allows for people to use it without drawing attention. The device attaches to the side of glasses and is only the size of a finger. It reads any printed or digital text instantly. This allows for reading menus at restaurants, smartphone screens, newspapers, and more. It allows for identifying products while shopping and receiving information about their ingredients. Identify money bills when paying people and checking out at stores. Recognize the faces of family or friends. All of these functionalities and more, are now available for OrCam MyEye 2 users.