App Will Help People Who are Blind, Visually Impaired Navigate Streets

Researchers at the University of Minnesota are developing an app that would assist people who are blind and visually-impaired cross the street, informing users which direction they’re going, and how many lanes they have to cross. The app will tell users the name of a street when they tap the phone and points in it the direction of the street. Users could request a walk signal by tapping the phone again, instead of having to find a button located near the intersection. The app will then tell the users when it is safe to cross, and how long they have to get to the other side.