The first app to integrate GPT-4’s image-recognition abilities has been described as ‘life-changing’ by visually-impaired users.
Be My Eyes, a Danish startup, applied the AI model to a new feature for blind or partially-sighted people. Named “Virtual Volunteer,” the object-recognition tool can answer questions about any image that it’s sent.
Imagine, for instance, that a user is hungry. They could simply photograph an ingredient and request related recipes.
If they’d rather eat out, they can upload an image of a map and get directions to a restaurant. On arrival, they can snap a picture of the menu and hear the options. If they then want to work off the added calories in a gym, they can use their smartphone camera to find a treadmill.
“I know we are in the midst of an AI hype cycle right now, but several of our beta testers have used the phrase ‘life-changing’ when describing the product,” Mike Buckley, the CEO of By My Eyes, tells TNW.
“This has a chance to be transformative in empowering the community with unprecedented resources to better navigate physical environments, address everyday needs, and gain more independence.”