Aira is a professional remote assistance service for blind and visually impaired people in English-speaking countries. Aira Tech was founded in California in 2015 and raised 38 million dollars in venture capital. With more than 5 millions of calls to date, the service is used by individuals, employees and customers of many organisations, including universities, public transport providers, airports, banks, software companies, financial service providers and retailers.

Until now, Aira had no plans to offer its service in Germany or other countries. That’s why I started the Fernassistenz project. „Fernassistenz“ is a German term for professional remote assistance for people with disabilities.

After reading thousands of testimonials from enthusiastic Aira users, I believe that such a service should be available everywhere, not just in English-speaking countries. That is why I am looking for partners, stakeholders and funders in Germany and the European Union who might be interested in cooperating with Aira. My explanations and the 260 testimonials from Aira users that I have collected on my website are the most comprehensive presentation of visual interpreting on the web and are intended to motivate others to explore this innovative approach as well. I have no financial interests.
Mails are welcome: Per.Busch @fernassistenz.de (without the blank)

Access to information is a right, not a privilege.
This should also apply to visual information.

AI & RA

The name Aira consists of two parts. AI has long stood for Artificial Intelligence and RA stands for Remote Assistance. AI was actually intended to play a major role in Aira’s service back in 2015, but it soon became clear that AI was not yet good enough and that the human component was much more important.

Since March 2024, Aira has been experimenting again with various AI models and prompt engineering in order to combine artificial and human intelligence in the best possible way. Aira users can have photos and scenes automatically described to them and then ask the AI further questions. This function is also offered by the apps from Be My Eyes, Seeing AI, Envision and the major AI providers, but with Aira’s service, AI-generated descriptions can also be checked by trained staff and improved if necessary. Any hallucinations of the artificial intelligence can thus be easily recognised and corrected, which is very important for blind people.

AIRA and Google DeepMind

In 2024, video chat sessions between blind users and AIRA’s human remote assistants were recorded over a period of several months and used to train an AI model. Since May 2025, it has been clear that this was a collaboration with Google. The two companies have now officially announced their partnership:
https://deepmind.google/models/project-astra/
https://aira.io/introducing-project-astra-join-the-trusted-testers-waitlist-today/

What does Aira’s new partnership with Google mean for blind and visually impaired people? Aira CEO Troy Ottilio spoke with the creators of the Doubletap podcast about Aira’s previously undisclosed partnership with Google DeepMind, Google’s XR Glasses, and the innovative combination of a specially trained, proactive AI model with the human intelligence of professional remote assistance specialists.
Inside Aira’s AI Future with Google DeepMind (Doubletap Video, YouTube, 22. Mai 2025)

What is Aira?

An innovative combination of assistive technology, AI and reliable human intelligence.
A visual interpreting and information access service for blind and visually impaired people.
An important support during training, studies, work and getting a job.
A tool to overcome digital barriers on the web and on computers and smartphones.
A tool to make the handling of photos, videos, images, graphics and visual layouts accessible.
A tool for carrying out very private or embarrassing tasks discreetly.
A tool to become less dependent on friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and random strangers.
A tool to learn more about your own appearance and to be able to control it better.
A tool to help with orientation & mobility in unfamiliar or difficult surroundings.
A tool against anxiety when travelling alone.
A little piece of security in your pocket.
A professional, trustworthy service that connects people with people.
A universal aid that gives its users more independence, flexibility, efficiency and self-efficacy.

How does the service work?

Aira refers to its assistants as agents or visual interpreters and calls the contact with it’s users a session. The user opens the Aira app on the smartphone or browser and requests assistance. An agent answers via an audio connection and the user briefly describes what kind of support is needed. The agent sees the video stream from the user’s camera or logs onto the user’s computer and then provides assistance according to the user’s instructions. In addition to the video stream, the agents have other tools at their disposal. They use a sophisticated dashboard:

They can see the user’s location in real time on Google Maps.
They can take photos with the user’s camera and display them enlarged on their own screen.
They can use various tools (screen sharing, image editing, research, etc.).
If required, they can also use remote access to gain access to the user’s computer in order to do things that are not accessible to them.

A chat function also makes the service accessible for deaf-blind people. This also helps in situations where it is not possible to speak out loud, e.g. at meetings and events or in the silence of the night.

During the session, the agents have access to the customers‘ profile folders. These contain personal information provided by the user, such as preferred type of navigation instructions, information about frequently visited places, special preferences, known allergies, as well as photos of people, products, map sections and building plans. See also: Making remote assistance more efficient with profile folders (German language).

Who are the Aira agents?

Aira’s agents are intensively trained, certified, trustworthy, good communicators, accurate describers, respectful of privacy, considerate of users‘ individual preferences and provide professional customer service.

They say what can be seen in the camera’s field of vision or on a screen. They read aloud, describe, research, explain, take photos, provide navigation instructions or operate customers‘ devices remotely using tools such as TeamViewer. They do not replace technical blindness skills. They are not a substitute for a white cane or guide dog, but merely an additional source of information.

Agents go through a background check and sign a non-disclosure agreement that binds them to confidentiality. After each session, users can rate them and write a comment. This feedback is used for quality assurance. In the event of complaints, members of top management can check the recorded meetings and, if necessary, retrain the agent in question. The recording of sessions can be declined at any time.

Which devices does Aira run on?

On smart phones with iOS and Android, as a web app in the browser, on the Blind Shell Classic 2 and 3 keypad phone and the Envision camera headset. There is an Aira SDK to facilitate adaptation for other system environments. The apps are developed with Flutter.

Using apps hands-free with smart glasses

In many situations, it can be useful for blind and visually impaired people to use a headset with an integrated camera instead of a smartphone. The camera’s field of view is controlled by the movement of the head, leaving both hands free. If the smartphone remains in the pocket, it cannot be accidentally dropped or unexpectedly snatched from the hand by a thief. Alternatively, the phone can be placed in a case around the neck with the camera facing forward, or attached to the body with a chest harness or neck holder.

Since 2020, Dutch company Envision has been developing a modified version of Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 alongside its AI-based apps for blind people, which can also be used with Aira since 2022. Google sold these ‘glasses’ with 2016 technology for around $1,000 and discontinued sales in 2023. The Envision Glasses currently cost between €3,000 and €4,000.

As many companies are now working on headsets with integrated cameras due to the numerous applications of artificial intelligence, there will likely be a wider selection of these wearables available soon. Examples include the smart glasses from Meta and Ray Ban, the slightly older model from ARX Vision and the Echovision Smart Glasses from Agiga, announced for late summer 2025, which are being developed specifically for blind people and are expected to cost around $500. Development in this area is progressing rapidly.

Since AIRA announced in May 2025 that it had been working closely with Google for a year, AIRA’s service is also expected to run on the XR Glasses which Google unveiled at its I/O 2025 developer conference. Incidentally, the Be My Eyes app runs directly on Meta’s smart glasses, while AIRA users can currently only use the service via a WhatsApp video chat on their glasses.

Many blind people around the world dream of an affordable headset with an integrated camera and without display that allows them to use apps on their smartphones directly. Hopes are high!

Who uses Aira?

Aira describes its customers as explorers. These are primarily blind and visually impaired people. However, there are also people with other disabilities who also use the service. The needs and abilities of blind people vary greatly. Some need a lot of help, some only rarely. Sometimes it only takes a minute, sometimes much longer.

Aira’s community work has been exemplary for a long time. They have already published over 100 podcasts and are often guests on other podcasts. They are active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, YouTube, Instagram); there is a customer hotline, a mailing list, a Facebook group and a Slack channel for beta testers.

What is Aira used for?

There are numerous testimonials from enthusiastic Aira users. There are only a few limits to the imagination when it comes to the use of professional remote assistance. Here are 260 examples translated from English to German and sorted in 12 categories. If you would like to read these in English, you could do so using the translation function of your browser:

We’ve got so used to only getting help when it suits someone and not when we need or want it. I’m getting better at integrating Aira into my everyday life. When I read other users‘ posts, I often discover new ways to use the service that I would never have thought of otherwise.

About the company Aira Tech

The idea for Aira was born in California in 2014. It became a start-up in 2015. Aira already employs more than 120 people and is active around the clock, 365 days a year in five English-speaking countries worldwide. Aira is owned by the Blue Diego Investment Group. The current owners are not known by name. The CEO is Troy Ottilio.

With more than 5 millions of calls to date, the service is used by individuals, employees and customers of many organisations, including universities, public transport providers, airports, banks, software companies, financial service providers and retailers. These organisations include Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Freedom Scientific, Sales Force, Intuit, Target, Starbucks and states such as Connecticut, Colorado and Alabama.

Aira calls its service ‘visual interpreting’ and is currently campaigning in the USA to have this form of assistance service legally recognised as equivalent to the right to sign language interpreting and video telecommunication services already recognised there.

According to the company, it has received 38 million dollars in venture capital since 2015. Some of this went towards the development of a virtual assistant called Cloe and the development of a camera headset. However, this work was discontinued in 2019. Even more money was channelled into the generous offers that were and in some cases still are available free of charge to non-paying Aira users, e.g. free calls of up to five minutes and support with job searches and rapid Covid tests.

In 2019, much of the venture capital was apparently withdrawn again and key stakeholders left the company. At the beginning of 2020, there was a change of ownership, a reorganisation and a new managing director. 2023 was another year of upheaval. The free services were further restricted and prices increased significantly. The service is charged by the minute. The price was around one dollar per minute for a long time, but was increased sharply at the beginning of 2023.

Aira’s history

The idea to found Aira was born in 2014 when two Intuit employees, Suman Kanuganti and Yuja Chang, became friends with the blind communications professional Matt Brock in San Diego. The three discussed the typical problems faced by blind and visually impaired people and how the new Google Glass technology could be used to help this group of people become more mobile and independent. Suman was particularly impressed by a comment from Matt, who said: ‘The biggest challenge for blind people is not necessarily the loss of sight, but the lack of access to information that most sighted people have on a daily basis.’

These conversations led Suman and Yuja to begin developing a prototype that combined Google Glass with human assistance from distance to provide blind people with spontaneous access to visual information and support when and where they want it. Shortly thereafter, Suman met Larry Bock, a prominent entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Bock, himself visually impaired for a long time and now almost blind, was so enthusiastic about the idea of Aira that he not only became a user, but also Aira’s first business angel as an investor and later the first chairman of the management and supervisory board.

The Aira founders began their first trials in 2014. More than 50 experiments and 200 in-depth interviews were conducted with blind users. By summer 2015, there were already more than 100 beta testers and 8 focus groups with mobility and orientation specialists, assistive technology experts and rehab counsellors. From this point onwards, the National Federation of the Blind also got involved. Many well known blind people have advocated for Aira, including Jonathan Mosen, Paul Schroeder, Greg Stilson, Ryan Bishop, Joshua Miele, Michael Hingson, Jenine Stanley, Everette Bacon and many many more.

Typical use cases

Computers:

30% of Aira sessions involve activities on the computer. Using remote access tools such as TeamViewer or Microsoft’s Quick Assist and screen sharing, users can get help with many things.

Typical tasks: Describing products when shopping online. Filling out and signing PDF documents. Formatting texts visually. Checking layouts. Working with graphics and images. Performing actions on websites and within software that are not accessible. Solving captchas. Describing screen content. Reading out error messages that are not accessible with screen readers. 38 testimonials.

Navigation:

15% of Aira’s sessions involve navigation in unfamiliar or difficult environments. The agents are trained in the different orientation and mobility skills of blind people. Remote assistance cannot be used as the sole mobility aid. However, in conjunction with a white cane or guide dog, it provides a lot of useful information. An agent can do similar things to a guide dog, for example locating doors, stairs, lifts, traffic lights, service points, but also announcing traffic light phases and moving cars and, of course, describing the surroundings.

Typical tasks: Help with orientation. Finding routes. Crossing open spaces. Receiving navigation instructions. Familiarising yourself with and practising new routes. Reading travel information on screens. Transfer assistance at stations and stops. Finding a seat. Where is my taxi, can the driver see me? Taxi drivers often drop you off at the wrong place, but you usually realise this too late. In this case, you can be directed to the right place. 42 testimonials.

Fear and safety:

Remote assistance improves the feeling of safety, as you could get help at any time if needed while travelling. Having remote assistance in your pocket helps to reduce anxiety when walking unfamiliar routes and also when travelling at night, in lonely places or in uncertain situations. 14 testimonials.

Photos:

Agents can take photos, edit them, tag them with a name and image description and save them on the user’s device or in their Aira profile folder, or even send them as an email. If something needs to be read out or you are looking for something, it is often more practical for the agent to quickly take a picture to enlarge it. They provide tips so that the user can optimise the orientation of their camera. Users might also want to take a nice photo of a special situation, a pet or people to share on social media or with family members or friends. Quote from an Aira user: ‘My Facebook profile now looks much more like that of sighted people.’ 21 testimonials.

Appearance:

Choosing clothes. Putting outfits together. Colour coordination. Getting different opinions from different agents. Search for stains. Checking make-up. Online shopping. 12 testimonials.

Unpleasant and private matters:

Occasionally you need help with things that you don’t really want to bother anyone with, but that need to be done. The Aira agents are used to this. They help to locate and remove animal faeces and vomit and also describe human wounds as well as urine and stool samples. 12 testimonials. Other use cases for pets: Visual inspection for soiling, wounds, disease symptoms and ticks, as well as help with dosing and administering medication.

On the road:

Reading out notices and display boards. Help with the operation of vending machines, terminals and number-based registration systems. Finding public toilets and checking that they are clean before use. Catering: Finding a free table. Reading out the menu. Drawing the attention of staff.

In a hotel or hospital:

Understanding technical equipment such as thermostat, bathroom taps, telephone, TV remote control. Reading out wifi password and price lists. Identifying personal hygiene products provided. What’s in the minibar? What does the view from the window show? Finding your own room, breakfast room, reception etc. Help with the breakfast buffet. Walking around the grounds. Visiting the cafeteria. Shopping for small items. 12 testimonials.

Study and work assistance:

Training, study and work: describing presentation slides. Create and check your own presentations. Learn about the reactions of the audience during presentations. Moderation support. Is someone raising their hand? Has my hand been noticed? Read a whiteboard or inaccessible printed handouts. Wandering around the campus. Finding your way around the venue. Finding an office or a specific workstation. Operating office equipment. Sorting mail and papers. Reading handwritten notes from colleagues, etc. 14 testimonials.

Understanding, adjusting and operating things:

Commissioning new equipment. Getting to know the controls and their functions. Learning buttons on remote control. Making non-accessible instructions accessible. Putting things together. Navigating the menus of TVs or video games. Is the device on? Is the light on? Where do I plug in the cable? Is the printer working properly? What is the serial number?

Links

Aira’s website aira.io
Aira on Linkedin
Aira on YouTube

** Written by Per Busch, first published in February 2023, translated to English in May 2024, occasionally revised **