Talking Vision is Vision Australia Radio’s flagship program, discussing the latest news and issues from a blindness and low vision perspective.
On this week’s episode Sam is joined by Adelaide software developer Cassie Hames. Cassie is the winner of the US$25,000 Holman Prize for her app See Me, which communicates with bus drivers and notifies them of approaching bus stops, making independent travel on public transportation safer and more accessible.
Users of the See Me app are able to click ‘request’ on the app to notify the bus driver that somebody who is blind or has low vision is waiting at a stop ahead. Users can also click ‘request assistance’ to ensure the bus pulls in closer to the kerb to make it safer for passengers to board.
The idea for the See Me app has been a long term ambition for Cassie, stemming from her experiences 15 years ago as a bus user in Adelaide and frustrating experiences she encountered.
“I started off holding a sign and wearing a hi-vis vest but even that wasn’t enough. One day I realised this isn’t just a problem for me, a lot of others like me are going through this as well and something needs to change,” Cassie said.
Cassie encourages others from outside the blind and low vision community to use the app as well.
She wants to stress that this app isn’t just something people who are blind or have low vision can use, it’s something that people with mobility needs or other disabilities can benefit from.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, my goal is to make it into something that can potentially benefit everyone,” she said.
Listen to the full Talking Vision episode on Omny or in the player below:
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