People are sharing their heartwarming experiences with an app that lets you ‘see’ for blind people

via Be My Eyes

Smartphones and voice-activated technology have been a huge blessing for the visually-impaired.

They make it much easier for visually-impaired people to access information while making day-to-day activities a lot more convenient.

Before smartphones, they would have to carry multiple items such as GPS devices, voice-activated note takers, and bar scanners.

Now, a new app called Be My Eyes is making life a lot easier for visually-impaired people by connecting them to people with sight via Facetime. It also gives sighted volunteers the opportunity to give back.

Be My Eyes was created by Hans Jorgen Wiberg, a visually-impaired man, in 2015. Visually-impaired people would often use Facetime to ask friends and family members for help.

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These kids are using technology to turn their prosthetics into a superhero's dream.

If you could give yourself a superpower or a superhero-style gadget, what would it be?

I always say I'd want to be a shapeshifter or have a car that could shape-shift à la the Batmobile because I like pretending to be other things.

It's a fun question to ask friends because it gets everyone to think outside the box and have a good time being creative.

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Disney's plastic straw ban kind of sucks. Here are 4 better ideas.

The Walt Disney Company is the latest company to hop on the plastic straw-free bandwagon.

Joining Starbucks and Marriott, Disney has said it will eliminate plastic straws, stirrers, and cups in its theme parks, cruise ships, and stores. The company said it will start phasing out the products by mid-2019 and expects to save 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers every year.

But here's the thing: There are major drawbacks to a total plastic straw ban.

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Heroes

A huge shift is happening in how society perceives autistic people. But it's just a start.

The way society understands autistic people is changing.

According to new research, not only have perceptions of autism changed — millennials are helping to normalize it.

Hasan Zafer Elcik, CEO and co-founder of Otsimo, an app that helps autistic children develop social and cognitive skills, is thrilled about the shift. When his younger brother was diagnosed, Elcik quickly realized there was no adequate access to treatment, therapy, or other resources for his growth and development, which led Elcik to explore how society understands autism and what influences that understanding.

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