I know the agents go through a training process to become part of AIRA; that’s 
why it is a paid service as their agents are paid.  I am not sure of all the 
policies they have.  

 

I wasn’t talking so much about a scenario in which someone an agent or 
volunteer sees approach an individual in a harmful manner, but just the fact 
that this person I am working with is someone I don’t know.  

 

 

 

Bill Outman 

 

 

 

From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of 
Cristóbal Muñoz
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 6:17 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Aira

 

This is one thing I’ve been interested to know as far as what if any training 
Aira agents have had for scenarios where the person using the service may find 
themselves in.  Be it outright danger or in situations that perhaps don’t rise 
to this level, but may present uncomfortable issues. Like what are their 
policies for handling such matters? What is their obligation say if while 
person X is using Aira and the agent sees someone in the foreground approaching 
them or taking a particular interest in what they’re doing and so on? If 
they’re a victim of a crime while using Aira? 

 

Cristóbal

 

From: viphone@googlegroups.com <viphone@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Bill 
Outman
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 3:10 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Aira

 

I wasn’t going to jump in on this thread, but your post caught my attention.  
Some of these apps and services will be discussed on a technology call I’ll be 
on in a few hours sponsored through Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually 
Impaired.  

 

You mentioned stranger danger.  This is a social issue for me that sometimes 
keeps me from asking for help.I’ve seen AIRA demonstrated at various NFB state 
and national conventions I’ve attended, but the cost is a limiting factor for 
me now.  I have Be My Eyes on my phone but haven’t used it out of the issue of 
dealing with someone I don’t know, and admit even the name of the app reminds 
me squarely of my limitations.  I haven’t even learned how tou use Facetime, 
though I think I could do it.  Seeing AI and K-NFB Reader are both part of my 
world.  

 

The stranger issue has kept me from trying Uber and Lyft, even though I have 
both apps.  Yet I can use cabs and the local paratransit, and even used it in 
another community for a convention.  I am glad all these services and apps 
exist to give us more choices than we used to have, but I need help in working 
through some of my issues to use these options more effectively.  

 

Bill Outman 

Secretary, Greater Daytona Beach Chapter 

National Federation of the Blind of Florida 

 

 

 

From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of 
Cristóbal Muñoz
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 5:30 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Aira

 

Good God… When did this become a commentary on pseudo-social anthropology?

Everyone’s got different needs and lifestyles. Maybe folks don’t have a huge 
family or sighted social network they can rely upon. Maybe folks aren’t 
comfortable for reasons X, Y or Z with just going around and asking random 
people on the street for help. Ever heard of stranger danger? Maybe folks have 
different levels of mobility skills or abilities. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I 
currently don’t have the need for Aira, but I’m not going to go all luddite and 
argue the other way. Thank goodness for innovations like this. Be it Aira, 
Facetime, BeMyEyes, the myriad GPS apps/services, etc. There apparently seems 
to be a nitch/market/need for them.

And for the record and to refute silly tropes. This is one Mexican who if I 
never saw a lot of my cousins or extended family again, I wouldn’t shed a tear. 
Gimmy a break. 

 

 

Cristóbal

 

From: viphone@googlegroups.com <viphone@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of David 
Moore
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 2:10 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Aira

 

Hi Andy,

I totally agree as well.

How many blind people can afford $200.00 or more a month to get unlimited 
service to have an entire play at the theater described for them.

The people who are so passionate about this service, don’t realize that the 
blind are 70 percent unemployed.

What about those people?

I went to the Ohio State University and went everywhere I wanted to go with my 
good, old cane, and I do so today.

Technology is just getting out of hand, I think.

It is making some people lazy.

Also, why are blind people alone all of the time.

I hear so many blind people say that they are alone here and there, and they 
need this service.

I always have people around everywhere I go , practically.

How many sighted people go out and roam around alone.

Another thing this brings up, is that blind people need to be with sighted 
people, instead of using a service like this.

We are becoming a society where everyone wants to do everything for him or her 
self, instead of relying on each other.

Many cultures would not think of doing so many things alone like we do in the 
west, and I assume Australia 

And New Zealand.

Mexicans love to live with their extended family.

They would not live alone if their life depended on it.

Technology like this AIRA, are just causing people to be alone more with their 
technology.

When I ride the bus, I am always talking to people.

I do not even want to get on my phone!

I love talking to strangers the whole time I am out, , not on a device.

Thanks for putting up with my little rant.

Sometimes, I think the blind were better off, when they had to get a reader to 
read everything to them, and they had to remember it or take good Braille notes 
as the human read to them.

New is not always better for people!

Have a great one,

David Moore

Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986>  for Windows 10

 

From: Andy Baracco <mailto:w...@socal.rr.com> 
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 4:19 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Aira

 

I agree!

 

Considering that most blind people are unemployed, and that the average 

income of blind folks is well below that of those who are not blind, aiRa 

will only be feasible for a minority of blind people, thus making services 

like Be My Eyes, and platforms like MS Seeing AI a welcome alternative.

 

Andy

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Cristóbal Muñoz" <cristobalm...@gmail.com>

To: <viphone@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 1:05 PM

Subject: RE: Aira

 

 

As with most things in life. You get what you pay for...

And this isn't meant to denigrate BeMyEyes or the people who volunteer 

through the service, but keep in mind you're talking about well intentioned 

people who are still just volunteers at the end of the day.

 

Cristóbal

 

-----Original Message-----

From: viphone@googlegroups.com <viphone@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Marie 

Lyons

Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 11:53 AM

To: viphone@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Aira

 

I can only tell you about “Be my eyes” and a difficulty I experienced. A 

volunteer said, ”over there”. That isn’t very helpful to a blind person. I 

do know of 2 stores who offer “Aira” for free: Wallgreens and Wegmanns. This 

is done by using the app on your iPhone.

 

Marie Lyons

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

> On Jan 27, 2019, at 2:09 PM, Holly <fe...@comcast.net> wrote:

> 

> Hello:

> 

> I just joined this group yesterday.  I have been following the discussion 

> concerning Aira.

> 

> I am certain that most of you know about the app 'Be My Eyes', which is 

> free and essentially operates like Aira, although the sighted people 

> answering the phones are volunteers, not paid operators.

> 

> I have never had a particular reason to use either app, as am living with 

> a sighted partner.

> 

> Could anyone tell me how they compare?  The paid version seems very 

> expensive for low income people.

> 

> Thank you,

> 

> Holly

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