Aira Explorer

Category

Description of App

What is Aira?

Aira is an app that provides on-demand, remote visual interpreting for the blind and low vision community to enhance independence and efficiency. With one tap, connect with a professional Visual Interpreter and work together to accomplish a wide range of tasks. Anytime you encounter an obstacle related to visual information, Aira can assist. It is a trusted and secure tool that can support every realm of your life—on your own terms.

How Does Aira Work?

Download the free Aira app on your smartphone, create an account, and with one tap connect with a professional Visual Interpreter. Aira streams live video, including your GPS location, and through an integrated dashboard, a Visual Interpreter can immerse themselves in your surroundings. They will use your phone’s camera to assist you to better understand your surroundings by navigating, describing, narrating, and reading. They have access to web-based data, including maps, location tracking, search engines, text-based messaging, and even rideshare integration. This is all carefully calibrated to provide our blind and low vision users, who we call Explorers, with a seamless experience.

How Does Access AI Work?

Access AI is Aira’s image chat feature that is free for all Explorers, whether they have a subscription or not. Simply tap the Access AI button on the home screen menu, and then take or upload an image. Send it through the chat, and an AI description will be generated. Ask questions, get refined answers, or for added confidence, use Aira Verify to confirm the description with a Visual Interpreter. Some popular uses of this free tool include getting info about labels, signs, and printed menus, choosing outfits, and getting readings from digital displays like thermostats.

How Can I Get Free Aira Minutes??

Aira has individual subscriptions available, but there are many ways to get free minutes without one! Our Access Partners are leading organizations that provide free access to Aira’s services to their customers, visitors, students, and employees. When you call Aira from an Access Partner location, the offer will automatically be applied, and you can connect with a Visual Interpreter at no cost to you. To manually search for Access Partner offers, open the app, and click “Browse Access Offers.” You can scroll through recently used offers, and even see ones available near you. Some examples of popular locations include Starbucks, Target, and Wegmans. Aira also has many promotional offers, like a daily Five Minute Free Call, free minutes for those seeking employment, and a limited time offer for those who opt into our Build AI data collection program. Learn more about accessing free Aira minutes here: https://aira.io/explorer-tips-how-to-get-free-aira-minutes/

Highlights

- Create a free account and start experiencing visual interpreting without commitment

- Browse Access Offers and promotional offers to get free minutes

- Use Access AI to take or upload a photo, get an instant description, and choose to verify with a human

- Need more minutes? A variety of paid plans support a wide range of needs

- Easily connect to a Visual Interpreter 24/7/365, no reservations required

- Integrate your Lyft account with your Aira

- Join a supportive and inspiring community

- Increase your everyday efficiency and independence

Learn More

Listen to Airacast, our podcast for help getting started, and for news and updates. Subscribe at https://pinecast.com/feed/airacast.

Follow us on Twitter (@airaio), Facebook and YouTube, or learn more at aira.io.

Questions?

Contact Customer Care daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific time.

Phone: 1-800-835-1934

Email: [email protected]

Version

2.6.4

Free or Paid

Free

Apple Watch Support

No

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

iOS Version

12.1

Accessibility Comments

The Aira app is fully VoiceOver accessible without reservations. A text-based communication feature called Aira Messages makes the service accessible to everyone, including deaf-blind explorers.

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads all page elements.

Button Labeling

All buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

The app is fully accessible with VoiceOver and is easy to navigate and use.

Other Comments

While the Aira app is free on the app store, the Aira service is not. Pricing plans start at $29 for basic service. Free guest access is available in some locations and for some tasks, while free promotional minutes are offered for subscribed explorers for other tasks and in other situations. Please visit the company's website for details.

Developer's Twitter Username

@airaio

Recommendations

18 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Darrell Hilliker 7 months 1 week ago

Options

Comments

By Casey on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Wow I like the idea, but waaay too much. Starting at $89? I'll have to pass this for now.

By Darrell Hilliker on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I agree the price is high right now, but, for those of us who must hire sighted readers to help us with household tasks like filling out printed forms and reading mail, it is not such a terrible deal.

Anyway, I believe the price of this service should decline over time as more blind users come on board and more tasks can be accomplished using artificial intelligence.

I also hope Aira will consider creating a foundation that will raise money to help more blind people afford the cost.

By Tree on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Just wondering; I mean, if this app is just a way to do video calls with sighted people isn't that a lot like be my eyes. I have found that I like the BeSpecular model better for most of what I need such apps for, but that's just my own personal experience.

By Darrell Hilliker on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

The main difference between Aira and other similar systems like Be My Eyes is that the people working for Aira are paid, trained agents who know specifically how to work with blind people.

By Kira McCall on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I am one of Aira's testers, and not only are the agents trained to work with/communicate with blind people, for the price of the plan, they will send you Google Glass to use as a hands-free camera. You can also use your phone's camera if you wish, but the Glass is there so you can walk around and, say, call Aira to have an agent read signs and things like that. You have the assistance, but you can also walk around with your cane or guide dog at the same time if you use Google Glass.

By Troy on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

This sounds pretty neat! Would love to hear someone do a podcast on this.

By alex wallis on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I thought google glass is a dead technology though no longer being supported or developed by google? the description of the app makes it sound like we are in constant need of help or assistance, I guess its good to have options though I won't be subscribing.

By Lysette Chaproniere on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Is this available outside the US? if not, are there any plans to make it international? Also, is there a demo video/podcast for this, or somewhere else I can learn more about how the service works and what it might be useful for?

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hello.

I have written to the AIRA team asking them whether AIRA is downloadable in the UK.

It turns out it is as I just looked on the app store.

I might try this, just to see what happpens.

I have Be My Eyes and that is a great service however this is slightly different as they have access to google maps and things like that.

By Lysette Chaproniere on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Yes, you can download the app in the UK, but I don't think you can sign up for the service.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hello.

In the airas Terms of Service it says that a user is able to try out AIRA for 30 minutes.

I would like to do this to compare it to be my eyes.

Honestly, having looked at the price for this service, I probably won't pay for it as it is way to much. Although a 30 minute trial would be nice. Who knows, I might end up paying after all.

It might be interesting to have someone there telling you what is around you, then again it might turn out to be very annoying. I just don't know unless I try it out.

Hello.

As far as I know, AIRA is available in the UK. I'm not sure about other countries.

The reason I say it is available is because I am able to download the AIRA app off of the app store.

Here is a link to a video of someone using AIRA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEejIaDTCwQ

This is the same video as the one on the AIRA site.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

In reply to by Lysette Chaproniere

Hello.

I've emailed and facebook messaged the team to see what they say.

I'll write a message tellling you what they said if I get a reply.

By JeffB on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I could see using this if I traveled a lot more. I wonder how much data this would take up? It also seems to be different than other apps as the person seems to stick with you longer.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hi everyone.

Do the AIRA google glasses come with headphone speakers of some type?

If not, for those of us that don't have good headphones, we're going to have to use the IPhone speaker and as we all know, that's not good on busy roads or in loud environments.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

1. Can the app be used in the UK. Not at the moment. Having said that, there are tests in the UK that are going on.

2. What is the difference between AIRA and BeMyEyes? The aira team says that they have a ten second pick up time where as BEMyEyes can have up to 45 minute wait. Personally i've not had this happen to me and have had to only wait for about 10 seconds for BeMyEyes. They also have uber integration, a live feed GPS and internet searching capabilities.

They also come with google glass or another brand of glasses with a camra that I can't remember at the moment, so you don't have to hold your phone all the time.

3. Does the AIRA google glass come with headphones? No, they work with any headphones be they bluetooth or plugged into your phone.

I have decided that for me, this is a service I will not be using. The payments are way to expencive and if I need help I will just ask someone and go from there.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hello.

I mentioned in my facebook posts to the AIRA team, that their pricing plans wern't layed out as I expected. I expected a table as that would be easier for a screen reader to read. I mentioned this and they said they would pass it on to their team.

What makes me pick at this? They are a service to help the blind and Visually impaired and they don't know this?

This confuses me. Surely they'd have some blind members on their team, right?

By Airatech on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hello there, my name is Wesley and I work on the Aira team! I'm happy to answer any questions you might have regarding the Aira app & service. I'll go through some of the ones already posted to this thread that haven't already been responded to by some of our current users.

Troy: Here is the link to the Speaking Out for the Blind podcast featuring one of our engineers and an Aira user. https://soundcloud.com/user-674130373/speaking-out-for-the-blind-aira

Alex: Google glass is no longer available for individual purchase, but google has been hard at work on a newer version of glass with even stronger connectivity features that we ship to our users. It's only available to companies at this time.

JeffB: We ship an AT&T mifi device with all of the glasses, so all of the data goes through that device instead of your phone. The data is built into your subscription price.

Brad: Thanks for asking all the questions earlier :) In regards to the pricing table, every email and web page we have has been tested with screen readers for functionality by multiple blind users. We hadn't received any complaints regarding that specific page. What screen reader are you using so we can test with that as well?

By Paul Schroeder on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Thanks for the good posts here. Full disclosure, I consult with Aira. I am also a very stubborn blind person who does not seek or like very much assistance. However, the ability to reliably obtain (and control) sighted assistance when needed is powerful. I am also impressed that the Aira team, which includes blind employees and advisers, is careful not to make assumptions about our needs as users. They train the agents to provide professional customer service and the rest is up to us as users to determine what we need and when. Sometimes its a quick, but essential, transaction, identifying my bag on the airport baggage belt. Sometimes more detailed, sorting out visual indicators on a piece of technology. And sometimes private, which papers do I need for taxes. Price is admittedly a sore point and one that I hope to help Aira decrease through broadening financial support mechanisms.

By Earle on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I guess the subject says it all. LOL I know the app can be downloaded in the Canadian app store, but is the service actually available in Canada?

By KE7ZUM on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I think the price is worth it. I might make the suggestion though that if you know you have wifi networks or a good cell plan that you can opt out of the hotspot thereby reducing the cost of the plans if you want to.. I've ben using it now for two day and I can already say this. Wow! Just, wow! I was able to get help installing printer inc by myself. I have not dine this before, normally my dad does it for me and talks me through the set up. I was able to do it by myself and it took about an hour, but it was very much worth it. I'm ready to take my

By Tree on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

First of all let ,me just say that I do not think the price is unreasonable; to be honest, I wonder if the financial model is even sustainable for Aira in the long run. Now to my questions.

What is the battery life on the compatible headsets while using Aira? I don't know much about Google Glass, but from what I remember the first version had pretty short battery life, and I would think it would go pretty quickly if you were on a cellular connection, per forming what is basically a video call.

Question two, how much lag or delay do users typically experience when communicating with the operators? The description of the app mentions mobility, but I can't see how this service could be trusted for many mobility tasks. We have all used Skype and Face Time, and we all know how badly those services can lag. Even a lag of a few seconds could have very bad results if users were depending on this app for mobility.

I'm looking forward to any answers to my questions, Perhaps I am missing something when it comes to the mobility part of the service.

By mhingson on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

?Aira is the most revolutionary product for blind people to come along in quite some time. Aira makes it possible to truly get any information not available to blind persons via any other means. While it is true that constant use of the iPhone can cause some additional battery drain I find that my use of the phone for Aira is not sufficiently diminished to cause concern. It is true that Aira has some user costs associated with it. However, like any new product costs will decrease over time and the product will be easier to use and less costly to operate. I urge people to try Aira, and then decide whether or not They are ready to use Aira. The product is cool and it's users say they find it most helpful, usable and worth the price.

By riyu12345 (not verified) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

In reply to by Airatech

Hello Aira team.

To answer your question, I am using the latest version of NVDA with the latest version of firefox.

I went to check the pricing one more time and was placed on a heading about canciling the monthly subscription when ever you want. I'm not sure what's wrong with firefox or the site but I am unable to brows to the prices.

I am really glad people are getting a huge use out of this product but it's not for me.

By Faerie on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I am on the waiting list to become an explorer and am curious what it will bring to my life. I don't believe the subscriptions are over priced, as hiring a reader for say ten dollars an hour can be costly too depending on what you want done. Like someone else pointed out, I too think it would be a good thing to create plans that don't come with the hotspot device, bringing the price down for those who don't need the extra data.

Battery life for the glasses is about 160 minutes. Actually I did use it a bit for mobility. Latency is quite good, almost 0.

Now I woudl be careful with the word mobility. If they are not beein g too detailed you can make it work. They might say the path curves to the right in a way to give you time to make that judgment call so really I find no issues with it.

By Tree on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

160 minutes. , ok thanks.

By Tiffany J. Kim on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

I had heard about this product from a friend and colleague awhile back, and saw this entry, and decided to give it a go. I had a couple questions to add to the mix. Is this Mifi hotspot only meant to be used for the device or could I conceivably use it to link up to my phone and get help from another service like BeMyEyes when Aira agents are unavailable? I am currently with Sprint and I was traveling in a rather rural area where I could not get an adequate connection for BeMyEyes volunteers to be able to see the video. It would be useful to have the option to use the data connection in certain circumstances, such as the one I described.
Perhaps I missed this, but I was wondering if there was a price per minute if one went over their allotment for the month.
How much time can I spend with an agent at any given time? Would I be able to, say, head into the supermarket and do my own shopping? What about watching a movie and getting descriptions of what's happening on the screen? Will I be able to sit down and play a game of Candy Crush, at last?
I'm looking forward to regularly using the service soon. I literally finished creating my account a few minutes ago, so hopefully the suspense doesn't kill me.

By Tiffany J. Kim on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Yes, I will definitely keep you all posted about the journey. And if I go to the grocery store and encounter a nice-sounding vixen, I'll ask the agent whether she is as gorgeous as I am! On second thought, if they say that she is fairer than I, these glasses might go for an unintended trip out my second-story window. :D

By JDawg on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

On the web site using both NVDA and JAWS and even voiceover on the iPhone, i can't see what the plans are. I'm using the latest of everything, windows ios and NVDA, i have jaws 17. Haven't tried it on macOS but am not very hopeful as i can't access the same info anywhere else, but here's hoping.

By Tiffany J. Kim on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 17:14

Hey,

I thought I would throw this out there. I was having trouble viewing websites too, and come to find out that my antivirus was blocking certain pages from loading properly. I had tried with multiple screen readers and multiple browsers, and didn't put 2 and 2 together till I had a friend load the same page without an issue. For the record, the antivirus program I was using was Daily Safety Check, which incorporates the BitDefender antivirus engine. I can't guarantee that this will address your issue, but am sharing this to illustrate that it may not be related to accessibility.

Hi all,

I'm writing in with my promised update. I received the glasses last week, and my glasses were activated on Wednesday. So far, I have been enjoying them. I used them to do the following:

* Went for a leisurely walk, explored nearby buildings, entered one, checked out the murals on their walls, and picked up a pamphlet
* Entered a restaurant and seated myself by following the hostess, read the menu, and (while glasses were off) remembered where I was seated in relation to the door and found my way out
* Cooked up some delicious pork chops (and was able to have several going in the pan at once for the first time), and flipped them using a spatula and fork when we couldn't locate the tongs
* Played a game of Angry Birds and scored 50k+ points on the second try at the Halloween level

For the record, I am totally blind. It has been pretty impressive. It costs a bit of money, but I will be making room in my budget for the service.

By Aaron on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 - 17:14

I second the question asked by Big Cat earlier - does anyone know how the glasses look? It would be good to know whether or not you end up looking like Geordi La Forge by wearing these things.

I also am curious if there is an option for a tinted/sunglasses version for those of us with light sensitive residual vision. Looking on the site I can't seem to find anything that describes the glasses in any detail.

Hopefully they will consider a pay-as-you-go model too at some point. I would rather pay for a bucket of minutes that I could use up and then buy more, rather than commit to a subscription. I guess this would probably require the user to buy the glasses upfront though.

By brandon armstrong on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 - 17:14

hi their, I just signed up for the aira service last week on wednesday and wow, all I have to say is what a difference it has been for me in the short time i've been using it. before, i've had to have uber and lyft drivers get out of their vehicles and come in to where ever I was to find me, now, with aira, I have found three vehicles with out having to have a driver come in to the building and find me, looked up a menu and got the information about what kinds of chicken sandwiches their were at burger king, read several pieces of mail with no bad results from apps, walked in to a red lobster to a host stand and found a table, and even got to my seat in the movie theater all with out sited guide and using aira. what an incredible service this is, and to me the price is well worth the bit of money i'm out every month.

By Jade Sharp on Friday, April 6, 2018 - 17:14

Hey everyone! So I am from the UK, and I met up with a friend who was visiting for lunch. He let me have a go using Aira, and I think it’s incredible! We used it to help us get from our table in the restaurant through london Victoria train station and down to the platform on the underground train system. It was incredible! I am not very confident navigating around busy places, so I loved it today! I have checked on aira’s website, and if you select a plan and go to fill in your details, it says the available countries are the UK, USA and Canada. I wonder if we can definitely get it over here? If that is the case, then i’ll Definitely be subscribing at least to the basic package, it’s incredible!

Sorry but Aira isn't availible according to the email I got back from them. They're working on it but it's not hear yet.

By Jade Sharp on Friday, April 6, 2018 - 17:14

Well, I emailed them yesterday, and they are working on a beta program for the UK. They are also working on one for Australia. I told them, that I am interested, and they are going to send me a form. They are launching in Canada in May. :-)

By Jonathan Mosen… on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

Hi once again from Aira.

I'm Jonathan Mosen, VP of Explorer communications at Aira. One of the cool things about working with Aira is that the service is constantly being improved due to your feedback. Since it's been a while since we've posted in the comments on this App Directory entry, here's a bit of a "State of the Service" update as at December 2018.

First, for those who were deterred by the cost of Aira, the app is now free to use for an increasing number of tasks, and in more locations. This is thanks to a program we call Aira Access. With Aira Access, the business sponsors the use of Aira, so it's free for you to use.

Locations include airports, a range of stores and college campuses.

In terms of tasks, thanks to our partnership with Intuit QuickBooks, the Aira app is now free to use in any location for any task relating to small businesses whose owners are blind or low vision.

We also have a partnership with Vispero, who make JAWS and ZoomText among other products.

It is free to register with Aira as a guest. You can then keep the app on your iPhone in case you are in an Aira Access location or want to perform a task that is covered free by one of our partners. If you find yourself in an Aira Access location, we'll send you a push notification to tell you.

Second, it's cheaper to try us out for your own tasks. As many people have requested, we now offer handset-only plans, starting at $29 USD per month. This means you can give us a try with a much smaller outlay of funds than before.

Third, although when the app directory was created it wasn't possible for Deaf Blind people to use the app, I'm pleased to say that's no longer the case. We've introduced a feature called Aira Messages. It has many uses, one of which is that a Deaf Blind Explorer can communicate via a Braille display with a professionally trained agent, who will text back. This is all done within the app, so it's like being in a chat window and is efficient. You can also pre-program commonly used messages to speed the process up even further.

Finally, Aira offers a way to broadcast your Aira sessions. It's a social network of sorts called Aira Live. When an Explorer chooses to, they can make their session public for anyone to hear on the Aira Live tab within the app, or they can "go live" and protect it with a PIN. All someone needs to do to listen is register as a guest. This is great for sharing descriptions of conferences when several blind or low vision attendees are in the room. It could be used to read restaurant menus to several blind guests at once. or it could just be used to share a visit to an exciting attraction with friends.

There's a lot more going on, so do feel free to download the app, even if you don't think you want to pay for the service just now. You'll find it's still very useful.

By Holger Fiallo on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

Sounds great. What about if you need to use the service for several minutes and not for more than 30 minutes? I learn to cook without having to need help and the only way I see me using is if I am looking for something. For example the exercise room in my building so I can find the equipment. Particular building but I tend to find it without ever using similar thing. The price probably OK but there are some who are getting SSA benefits and not enough money for it. Question. I can not use any type of glasses because my left ear does not work and I can not put the hook of the glasses. Are there glasses that go around?

By Jonathan Mosen… on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

In reply to by Holger Fiallo

Hi Holger, some Aira tasks are completed in only a minute or two. Think of Aira's plans like a cell phone plan. When you have 30 minutes, you can use those 30 minutes all on one call, or for 15 two minute calls if you want. How you use those minutes is up to you.

If glasses aren't an option for you, you can use your phone camera and your smartphone. hope that helps.

By alex wallis on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

as I understand it though if you don't use all your minutes in a month any you don't use basically go to waste you lose them and can't bank them so basically you might as well have set fire to your money, same say if you have a period in a month where you pay for it and don't use it at all.
If someone is that un independent that they need several hundred minutes from aira you have to wonder if they should be living in sheltered accommodation or something.

Yes, Alex. I agree regarding the minutes. I do not see myself using several hours to do something or travel. Perhaps to find a specific building or address. To travel around this is why I have a cane and iPhone with GPS. For cooking I do that without any help not even Bella the cat. I ask for help to her but she mostly says meow. I think it means do it yourself.

By alex wallis on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

haha, or it could mean feed me first. Seriously I think the concept exploits blind people who are less able and encourages laziness, as to things like navigating airports, I actually think its probably more efficient to deal with staff there rather than portraying this attitude I am blind I must do something without any help even if waiting for local staff to help you is probably quicker in the long run for example navigating security getting on board the plane etc. as lets be honest OK you can ask an aira agent for help finding something in the airport but they won't be as efficient or helpful as local staff. plus I think anyone who wonders around a public space using something like aira just looks a bit of a freak to be honest and stands out more than they would with just a cane.
Plus if your minutes you pay for with aira go to waste because you don't have enough use for all the ones you pay for that is theft in my book, even phone companies are starting to allow people to roll over unused usage.
also have you heard about paul hopkins experience with aira in the UK, it sounds a nightmare and aira don't seem bothered about sorting it, not a great advert for the company.
I know everyone also goes on about live audio description for stuff, but if you think about it minute per minute its like paying for a premium rate phone call.

Alex, Have you ever tried Aira at an airport or to perform very many tasks? How much have you used Aira? Let me address your comments specifically.

haha, or it could mean feed me first. Seriously I think the concept exploits blind people who are less able and encourages laziness, as to things like
navigating airports, I actually think its probably more efficient to deal with staff there rather than portraying this attitude I am blind I must do something
without any help even if waiting for local staff to help you is probably quicker in the long run for example navigating security getting on board the plane
etc.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Actually, Aira explorers have found overwhelmingly that using Aira to navigate airports is much more efficient, fulfilling and helpful than attempting to work with local airline and airport personnel. I have been traversing airports my entire adult life and NEVER had the challenging experiences using Aira that I encounter with local staff.
First, discussing U.S. airports, many of the staff do not speak english well.
Second, Staff for the most part are not trained how to walk sighted guide and have often crashed me into objects.
Third, staff is not always available in a timely manner. I have, in the past, almost missed flights waiting for staff or walking with staff who do not walk at a pace needed to get me somewhere on time.
Finally, notwithstanding the above, staff members are programmed to get me to flights and do not give me information about what is around me while walking through an airport. I do not easily learn about restaurants and shops, something I may wish to know about for a variety of reasons.

With Aira, I have NONE of the problems I mentioneed above. I walk briskly through airports and often beat sighted flightmates who also are going from one flight to the same next flight. I get to experience the airport on my terms and at my speed.

Keep in mind, Aira is an information source. It does NOT in any way encourage laziness. One can't use Aira as a mobility tool. In conjunction with a cane or a dog, both of which I use efficiently, Aira gives me an incredible amount of data and information I never had access to before.

As for appearances, really? Given the number of sighted people walking around with things sticking out of their ears often not paying attention to what is around them, I'll take Aira any day. I do admit often I am stopped as people do not understand why I appear to be talking to myself when I am actually talking to an agent. The only reason people stop me is that they are not use to a blind person walking, chewing gum and talking on a device at the same time. Sighted people do it, so why should it be different for me? In fact, it should not and is not different except that I am getting invaluable information and I am paying attention ALWAYS to my surroundings as a result.

It is a mindset to use Aira. Aira is changing how we interact with the world, but in a positive way. Again, it is all about getting the visual information we otherwise would not have access to receiving.

as lets be honest OK you can ask an aira agent for help finding something in the airport but they won't be as efficient or helpful as local staff.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Of course Aira agents will be more efficient. Given the tools they have at their disposal such as airport maps, the ability to see what is close by as well as reasonably far away I will take what an Aira agent offers all the time. Besides, suppose I am at a gate waiting for a flight which won't leave for an hour and I decide to get something to eat or go to the restroom. I will take the speed with which I can perform these tasks with Aira over the alternatives every single time. Not only will I be able to travel mmore efficiently, I also will get more information such as reading menus and learning without even leaving the gate what is up and down the concourse.

Keep in mind that Aira agents are highly trained to describe and provide information according to each Aira explorer's requirements and preferences. I know sighted people who have been around blind people for more than 40 years and who cannot hold a candle to the accuracy and detail of the descriptions provided by an Aira agent.

lus I think anyone who wonders around a public space using something like aira just looks a bit of a freak to be honest and stands out more than they
would with just a cane.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Your are welcome to believe as you wish, but the evidence based on tens of thousands of agent connections with Aira explorers proves something entirely different.

Plus if your minutes you pay for with aira go to waste because you don't have enough use for all the ones you pay for that is theft in my book, even phone
companies are starting to allow people to roll over unused usage.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Rollover minutes through phone companies come from the need to address issues around the long-term contracts the companies require you to sign. Aira does not do this.

also have you heard about paul hopkins experience with aira in the UK, it sounds a nightmare and aira don't seem bothered about sorting it, not a great
advert for the company.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] I believe I know who you are talking about. If the person is who I believe it is he and I have corresponded. However, I will not address any particular explorer's situation unless he wishes to talk with me directly. I do find that those who have difficulties can usually have their situations addressed.

I know everyone also goes on about live audio description for stuff, but if you think about it minute per minute its like paying for a premium rate phone
call.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] That is a matter of individual choice. Again, many love the live access. Live Access is being provided as a result of strong demands from explorers. Use it or not as you wish.

You are welcome to your opinion, but please really give Aira a detailed chance and observe what others are encountering with it. I have been using Aira for four years. I certainly can survive without it, but why? The vast amount of information and access I get from using Aira is invaluable beyond compare. There is no other product that permits the level of information access and accuracy afforded by Aira.

By alex wallis on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

Hi Michael, I haven't used aira yet because I haven't visited anywhere that offers aira access yet, and I don't really have any tasks around the house that I need assistance with.
though I plan to try it at some point, as to the minutes not rolling over, effectively users have to guess how many they might need then tough if they don't use them all.
I wonder if the other reason aira doesn't allow for minutes to roll over is because a lot of users would buy a block of minutes, then spend them over a few months and so reduce company income. another thing I haven't been able to find out is if agents are all from the US, or say I am in the UK does that mean I will get a UK agent. as I don't want to have to start using americanisms just to make myself understood, can you point me to the rest room or tell me where the crossing is for the sidewalk etc. are there some in non english speaking countries, I wouldn't want to call up and get agents with thick foreign accents or who weren't actual native english speakers.
also, if aira is so wonderful how come I haven't scene organizations like the rnib promoting it and saying what a wonderful product it is. Sure there has been press attention but there always is with things like this.
I listened to a podcast recently where the glasses were unboxed and from the description they sounded awful and the presenters found it quite funny, and yes I know your going to tell me they look fashionable and stylish but the description in the aira in the real world podcast was far from flattering.
also how does aira protect sensitive information, I know agents have to sign non disclosure agreements, but for example say I got an agent to read me new credit card information how would I be guaranteed that said agent wouldn't copy down my information and misuse it. also, are calls monitored or in any way recorded either for quality assurance or to protect either the user or agent, and in fact what information does aira collect and retain and how does it use any stored information. and in fact can users request copies of information aira holds as I know it keeps an ongoing profile of explorers with notes on preferences and such.

By techluver on Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 17:14

My only complaint with the service as it stands now is that the wonderful unlimitted plan is gone. But oh well, o-bla-di, o-bla-da, life goes on. It was nice for a while, but I guess it had to go.
I loved aira as it gave me access to many books that were published without digital or audio editions, something that is not possible anymore (I do not enjoy reading books with synthesized speech). I would scan a book and read it, hense why I say I loved the unlimitted plan.
But do I still use aira? Yes! Maybe not for the same things as someone else, but I still do find it a valuable resource.

Hi Michael, I haven't used Aira yet because I haven't visited anywhere that offers Aira access yet, and I don't really have any tasks around the house
that I need assistance with.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Again, Aira is all about providing visual information. I would wager that you could find tasks “around the house” or elsewhere. People often feel that they do not need Aira because they have sighted friends or have access to sighted spouses or colleagues and thus don’t require Aira’s capabilities. Typically when I drill down and have discussions with people who express these opinions I find that, as I said in my last post, these people have not adopted nor explored developing the mindset where they try and would eventually use Aira. My wife, for example, loves the fact that I do not have to ask her for assistance especially when she has other projects to do and does not really want to take the time to help at that moment. My choice, as it has always been, is either to push or simply step back and wait for her to be available.

With Aira I no longer need wait. When I am required to perform a task or need information requiring eye sight to help me all I need do is to connect with an Aira agent and do what needs to be done. The convenience and immediate response is enough to prove Aira’s worth. I now do things on my own terms and in my own time.

Yes, there are alternative techniques I can and do use including labeling things in Braille, making sure I put things in particular places, paying special attention to how I organize our refrigerator and so many other things. However, and I cannot emphasize this enough, Aira only provides more information, information I otherwise would not have access to.

though I plan to try it at some point, as to the minutes not rolling over, effectively users have to guess how many they might need then tough if they
don't use them all.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] And so it is with anyone who does not have an unlimited phone plan. However, you are correct as far as it goes. Aira is only starting out. If money were not an issue Aira would cost less and we all would have every little thing we wish from Aira.

Such is not the case. Aira is, in my opinion, the most consumer observant company I have encountered. I have worked in the high tech world in specific and with many other organizations in general for more than 42 years. I have had the opportunity to see Aira working up close and know that every single comment, observation and opinion expressed by all Aira explorers and guests are read. I have never seen this elsewhere.

I wonder if the other reason Aira doesn't allow for minutes to roll over is because a lot of users would buy a block of minutes, then spend them over a
few months and so reduce company income.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] No. Keep in mind that Aira has no long-term contract. You can sign up for Aira on one plan, change your plan whenever you want, and then change again anytime you wish.

another thing I haven't been able to find out is if agents are all from the US, or say I am in the UK does that
mean I will get a UK agent. as I don't want to have to start using Americanisms just to make myself understood, can you point me to the rest room or tell
me where the crossing is for the sidewalk etc. are there some in non-English speaking countries, I wouldn't want to call up and get agents with thick foreign
accents or who weren't actual native English speakers.

[[[Michael Hingson]]]

Aira is slowly expanding. At present all agents are located in the United States. This will change over time for lots of reasons including all the ones you mention. Aira is still very much in a kind of startup mode. Unfortunately, today we live in a world where we all want everything right now. That isn’t going to happen. The process of being able to do business within countries differs widely from country to country. Aira will get to the point where there will be native agents in many countries. Much has to happen for this to be possible. I ask you to be as patient about that as I had to be about Aira becoming a 24X7 service. Aira agent access did go 24 hours a day in August of this year.

also, if Aira is so wonderful how come I haven't seen organizations like the rnib promoting it and saying what a wonderful product it is. Sure there has
been press attention but there always is with things like this.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Sure. Aira is not yet doing full business in the UK. It is coming. Again, neither you nor I control when Aira can do all that we want.

I listened to a podcast recently where the glasses were unboxed and from the description they sounded awful and the presenters found it quite funny, and
yes I know you’re going to tell me they look fashionable and stylish but the description in the Aira in the real world podcast was far from flattering.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] I have encountered people on both sides of this. Some love the glasses style and some do not. So? Ultimately, I prefer function over style in this case. Sometime in the future I am sure you will be able to obtain an extremely stylish pair of Aira glasses that will permit you to connect with an agent for 12 hours without recharging the glasses internal batteries. These glasses will have within their frame the LTE chip and they will even include bone conduction head phones near the back ends of the frame permitting even better fidelity than the bone conduction headphones of today. They even will have the exact lens tint you wish. Why can’t we have these features today? Batteries are not small enough and so there is not a way at present to make what many of us would say are really cool and the most functional glasses. Even so, in a short time Aira has gone from a company using glasses made by others and which had limited programming capabilities and limited fields of view to the current Horizon glasses that provide much better viewing for agents and thus better information access by us the users.

also how does Aira protect sensitive information, I know agents have to sign non-disclosure agreements, but for example say I got an agent to read me new
credit card information how would I be guaranteed that said agent wouldn't copy down my information and misuse it.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Go to the Aira web site and examine the security and privacy sections located at the bottom of the home page. Many explorers, me included, do use Aira to read personal and often sensitive documents. We have developed a trust of Aira and the agents.

also, are calls monitored or in any
way recorded either for quality assurance or to protect either the user or agent, and in fact what information does Aira collect and retain and how does
it use any stored information. and in fact can users request copies of information Aira holds as I know it keeps an ongoing profile of explorers with notes
on preferences and such.

[[[Michael Hingson]]] Again, go to those same areas of the Aira home page.

Alex, I appreciate you want to do proper due-diligence concerning Aira. However, the tone I interpret from your comments is one of fierce skepticism and certainty that Aira won’t be worth having around. I ask you to keep an open mind. Doubt, but please do not criticize nor denigrate without facts. The Aira web site, Applevis, several podcasting sites and many other sources have evaluated Aira and found it valuable. Time Magazine even proclaimed that Aira is one of the top 50 inventions of 2018. That is a designation no one can buy. More and ore airports are starting to provide “Aira Access” so that anyone who goes through their facilities can use Aira for free. One such airport is Heathrow which just yesterday officially announced Aira access.

I urge you to be part of the growth rather than being a detractor unless you really have a substantive reason to object to Aira. I have steaked my reputation and visibility on Aira without any doubt or fear. I have come to know the product, the people and the company philosophy. If I could have used Aira on September 11, 2001 to escape from my office in Tower One of the World Trade Center and if I could have used Aira to move out of the area on that day I tell you emphatically that I would have used it. I would have loved to have the information I now know Aira provides. Aira was not available then. I used other alternative techniques and I used the assistance of a sighted colleague and we both used the help of other people in NY City.

Aira is a great product. I trust that it and the company will continue to grow and evolve in a positive way.
Again, while I appreciate your questions I urge you to approach Aira with a healthy curiosity and mindset to explore and learn what Aira can do for you. If you are in the United States I urge you to spend $29/month to sign up for the Aira Introduction plan and really see what Aira is about. If you are on this plan then use your 30 minutes a month. If you are not in the U.S. I am sure there will be options for you soon. That is the best I can offer for now.

Best Regards,

Michael Hingson

The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
"Speaking with Vision"
Michael Hingson, President
(415) 827-4084
[email protected]
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