Seeing Dogs

Seeing Dogs is an iPhone and iPad app that acts as a virtual seeing dog for blind and visually impaired people. It uses AI to describe what the camera sees, so users can perceive the scene around them and handle everyday tasks with more independence. The app is a personal assistant in daily life, speaking to the user as a friendly AI guide dog.

Using Seeing Dogs takes a single press of the Capture button, after which the app describes the scene in front of the camera. The same approach helps with practical jobs: reading street signs, identifying objects in front of the user and choosing dishes from a restaurant menu. A later update improved the recognition so the app can identify more kinds of scenes for blind users.

Seeing Dogs can also record and store moments from journeys and special occasions, so they can be revisited later and shared with friends. It is free to download with in-app purchases, including Seeing Dogs Pro at $9.99 or $34.99, a Small Pack at $9.99 and a Standard Pack at $89.99. Some purchases can be shared through Family Sharing. It requires iOS 15.0 or later and supports English and 8 more languages.

Use cases

• Getting a spoken description of the surroundings when walking outside
• Reading street signs while getting around a city
• Choosing a meal from a printed restaurant menu
• Identifying everyday objects at home or in shops
• Keeping a record of trips and special occasions to share with friends