Sight on Call: Remote Services for the Blind and Low Vision

描述(由申请人提供)：这是一项在现有移动电话基础设施上建立按需援助服务的建议。就像通用汽车安吉星为盲人和低视力者提供的服务一样，“随叫随到的视力”将提供来自远程、分散的助理劳动力的帮助。通过这个项目，盲视将为盲人和中度低视力市场带来新的能力。如果该项目达到目标，这将对数百万低视力者和老年人的生活产生重大影响--这是一种按需获得帮助的全新选择，而且费用合理。该系统的用户将与现场操作员通话，同时通过配备摄像头的手机发送他们周围环境的图像和GPS位置信息。然后，有视力的操作员可以帮助完成广泛的移动和定向任务，如查找公交车站或街道地址，以及许多日常任务，如购物和支付账单。该项目的第一阶段将需要建造和测试该系统的原型。如果受试者能够在严格的预定时间内用原型完成一系列任务，并且如果他们中的大多数人报告说，与被迫依赖其他替代方法相比，拥有该设备具有显著的优势(在时间、压力或不适感方面)，则该系统将被认为是可行的。在第二阶段，将开发和测试服务的所有关键组件，包括手机软件、远程服务中心基础设施、操作员招聘和培训、交互协议开发和操作员控制台开发。在可能的情况下，每个阶段都将引入自动化，以提高操作员的生产率并降低成本。然后，60名人体受试者将使用开发的系统进行大规模的真实世界测试。这将推动额外的开发和测试，以最大限度地提高运营商的效率和用户满意度。一旦证明可行，计划在拟议项目期结束后6个月内推出一个全面提供随叫随到服务的服务局。根据目前呼叫中心的成本指标，这项针对中度至重度视力低下的富裕老年人的高级服务的估计成本不到每分钟1美元。同时，还提出了一种以志愿人员为基础的分布式服务，该服务可以提供同样的服务，估计费用为每月30美元，无限制使用。如果达到某些里程碑，该项目将引起医疗保健风险投资界的兴趣。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal to build an on-demand assistance service atop the existing mobile phone infrastructure. Something like a GM OnStar service for the Blind and Low-vision, "Sight on Call" will provide help from a remote, distributed assistant workforce. With this project, Blindsight will bring a new capability to the blind and moderate low-vision market. The impact on the lives of the millions of low-vision and elderly, if the project meets it goals, will be significant - an entirely new option for getting assistance on-demand, and at reasonable cost. Users of the system will speak to live operators while sending images of their surroundings and GPS location information via a camera equipped cell phone. Sighted operators can then assist in a wide range of mobility and orientation tasks such as finding a bus stop or street address, as well as many daily tasks such as shopping and paying bills. Phase I of the project will entail building and testing a prototype of the system. The system will be considered feasible if subjects are able to complete a range of tasks with the prototype within demanding predefined time limits and if a majority of them report that having the device represents a significant advantage (in terms of time, stress or discomfort) over being forced to rely on other alternative methods. In Phase II all key components of the service will be developed and tested including cell phone software, remote service center infrastructure, operator hiring and training, interaction protocol development and operator console development. At each stage automation will be introduced when possible to increase operator productivity and lower cost. 60 human subjects will then carry out large scale real world testing with the developed system. This will drive additional development and testing to maximize operator efficiency and user satisfaction. Once proved feasible, a full-scale service bureau providing the Sight on Call service is planned to launch within 6 months of the end of the proposed project period. Estimated cost for the premium service, targeting affluent seniors with moderate to severe low vision, is under $1 per minute of use, based on current call center cost metrics. In parallel, a volunteer-based distributed service is proposed, which can provide the same service at an estimated cost of $30/month for unlimited use. The project is of interest to the health care venture capital community if and when certain milestones are achieved.