Top Apps for Disabled Travelers

While some wheelchair users and those who need mobility equipment often opt for tile trackers, there is a small array of apps that can make traveling with disabilities a little more seamless. Among some of the apps Furler said can help travelers with disabilities:

Microsoft Seeing AI

The Microsoft app for people with visual or cognitive impairments uses the smartphone camera to read and recognize what it views. When held in front of short text, the app will read back what it sees. It can also describe scenes and people, and recognize types of currency.

“When you’re in a foreign country, the money is confusing to all of us,” said Furler. “And it’s really confusing for someone with a disability or someone who can’t see it very well.”

Be My Eyes

This app for iOS and Android uses crowdsourcing to help users with blind and low-vision people. More than 5 million volunteers are available to assist users through a live video call to help with tasks like reading signs or seeking directions.

Access Now

The website and app map out information on locations, providing details on the level of accessibility. You can search for specific locations and rate them based on their accessibility.

Google Maps

Two years ago, the popular navigation app introduced an Accessible Places feature so users can more easily see which destinations are wheelchair accessible.

Google Keep and Apple Notes

Furler suggests travelers consider using note-keeping apps like Google Keep for Android or Apple’s Notes app to keep all their necessary documents in one place on their smartphone. “It’s all in there so every single thing is in one app that they can easily access and pull up.”