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

描述（由申请人提供）：这是一个在现有移动的电话基础设施之上建立按需援助服务的建议。类似于通用汽车公司为盲人和低视力者提供的OnStar服务，“随叫随到”将提供远程、分布式助理人员的帮助。通过这个项目，Blindsight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，将对数百万低视力和老年人的生活产生重大影响-这是一种以合理成本按需获得援助的全新选择。该系统的用户将与现场操作员交谈，同时通过配备摄像头的手机发送周围环境的图像和GPS位置信息。然后，视力良好的操作员可以协助执行各种移动和定向任务，例如找到公交车站或街道地址，以及许多日常任务，例如购物和支付账单。该项目的第一阶段将需要建立和测试该系统的原型。如果受试者能够在预定义的时间限制内使用原型完成一系列任务，并且大多数受试者报告称，与被迫依赖其他替代方法相比，使用该器械具有显著优势（在时间、压力或不适方面），则该系统将被视为可行。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。在每个阶段，将尽可能引入自动化，以提高操作员的生产力并降低成本。然后，60名人类受试者将使用开发的系统进行大规模的真实的世界测试。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。待证实可行后，我们计划在建议计划期结束后6个月内，成立一个全面的视缐随叫随到服务局。根据目前的呼叫中心成本指标，针对中度至重度低视力的富裕老年人的高级服务的估计成本低于每分钟1美元。与此同时，还提议建立一个以志愿人员为基础的分布式服务，该服务可提供同样的服务，估计费用为每月30美元，无限制使用。该项目是感兴趣的医疗保健风险资本界，如果和当某些里程碑实现。

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.