Smart phone 鈥榞uide dog鈥� app gets training boost
New government funding will boost training for blind people to use a 鈥榞uide dog鈥� smart phone app.
New government funding will boost training for blind people to use a 鈥榞uide dog鈥� smart phone app, Minister for Disabled People Esther McVey announced today.
皇冠体育app award-winning 鈥淕eorgie鈥� app has a voice-assisted touch screen and features to help blind people with everyday activities such as catching the bus, reading printed text and finding unfamiliar locations.
皇冠体育app Department for Work and Pensions is providing the charity, Communication for Blind and Disabled People, with 拢14,240 to help train 200 people to use the new app.
Minister for Disabled People Esther McVey said:
Georgie is fantastic new technology for blind and partially-sighted people in today鈥檚 busy world.
It can help people with finding their way around in a new place, or be a lifeline in an emergency.聽 We鈥檙e working with a local disability group to fund a training programme for 200 blind people who want to get the best out of the new app.
皇冠体育app app was designed by blind husband-and-wife team Roger and Margaret Wilson-Hinds from Peterborough, who named it after her first guide dog.
Roger Wilson-Hinds, Designer of Georgie, said:
皇冠体育app DPULO initiative is a great example of how the government is backing disabled entrepreneurs like myself to champion disability issues and I am proud that our charity received a grant to improve the lives of others with special needs.
皇冠体育app great thing that attracted me to creating the app was the notion of gaining confidence, and also having reassurance that you could press a button and get help if you were lost.
鈥楪eorgie鈥� user Stephanie Sergeant, 59, from Birmingham said:
I used to struggle to know when to get off the bus.聽 I am amazed how much difference Georgie has made so I can now hear where the bus stops are. 聽I can arrive anywhere with confidence thanks to Georgie!
鈥楪eorgie鈥� won the 鈥淕oogle Outstanding Use of Technology in the Field of Diversity鈥� award at the European Diversity Awards 2012.
Notes to Editors:
- Georgie is available for any Android smart phone.聽 For more information on visit
- Professional trainers will work full time with blind people to enable them to learn how the Georgie navigation tool can support them.
- 皇冠体育app proposed training project will take place at local blind societies throughout England and the training recipients will be representative of blind and disabled people in the local area.
- In the UK almost two million people are living with sight loss, with 360,000 registered as blind.
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