TOP Apps at Vision Loss Resources
Compiled by Teri Bennis/ June 2017
BARD Mobile (free)
--Is a Service of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Library of Congress. The app provides access to talking books directly from BARD. BARD contains nearly 80,000 books, magazines. 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. Requires iOS6.0 or later.
BeSpecular (free)
(1 min)
-A VIP* asks a question with a photo and voicemail / A sightling* replies / VIP receives the reply via BeSpecular app. (*They call visually impaired people VIPs and sighted people Sightlings) Available on iOS and Android.
BlindSquare ($39.99)
(1 min)
-It describes the environment, announces points of interest and street intersections as you travel. In conjunction with free, third-party navigation apps it is a powerful solution providing most of the information blind and visually impaired people need to travel independently.Pioneering accessible navigation - indoors and outdoors. Know where you are, know where you're going, travel with confidence.Available on iOS.
KNFBReader ($99.99)
- take a photo, with the touch of a single button, read virtually any type of printed text, including mail, receipts, class handouts, memos and many other documents. Available on iOS, Android and Windows.
Nearby Explorer ($79.99)
-is a full featured GPS app designed for use by people who are blind. Instead of just providing directions, it describes the environment in ways comparable to reading signage or observing road characteristics.Available on iOS and Android.
1Password (try free, then $2.99 per month)
-remembers all your passwords for you, and keeps them safe and secure behind the one password that only you know. Available on iOS and Android.
Audio Game Hub (free)
- is a set of eight experimental arcade videogames that use audio as their primary interface – making them accessible for both sighted and non-sighted users.
Available on iOS and Android.
Blindfold RS Games (free)
-specializes in the development of accessible games, products and software for the blind and visually impaired. Now play any of the 19 different multi-player games. Just login with your RS Games account, or create a new account, and start playing. Several of the games are free, and others are available with an in-app upgrade.Available on iOS.
A Blind Legend (free)
-It’s the first-ever mobile action-adventure game without video – where ears replace eyes! Discover the original, innovative sensory experience of binaural 3D sound.
Available on iOS and Android.
Nant Mobile MoneyReader (fkalooktelreader) (free)
(30 sec)
- Instantly recognizes currency and speaks the denomination, enabling people experiencing visual impairments or blindness to quickly and easily identify and count bills. Point the camera of your iOS device at a bill and the application will tell you the denomination in real-time.
Available on iOS and Android.
Taptapsee (free)
(2.51 min)
- TapTapSee is an amazing app that can identify just about anything in a photo. Use your iPad or iPhone’s camera to take a photo and TapTapSee will speak (using VoiceOver) to tell you what is in the image. The accuracy is phenomenal. The app will not only tell you that you just took a photo of a sock, for example, but the color of the sock and the brand of the sock too.
Available on iOS and Android.