Uber, but for Grandma

As part of a larger effort to make the city of West Sacramento more friendly to their aging population, an on-demand ride-sharing app was developed to make transportation more accessible for seniors who cannot easily use public transportation. The response has been overwhelming, and the project will soon be able to support itself financially. The city is also using another app to help connect seniors with volunteer opportunities that make use of their skills, which was something else they learned was desired by doing focus groups.

The coronavirus pandemic drastically reduced the ridership of the Monterey-Salinas Transit District, so the system shifted services to help the mostly rural community it serves. Despite cash-flow problems, unused drivers and vehicles helped Meals on Wheels deliver 8,000 meals to seniors and persons with disabilities, wi-fi-enabled commuter buses parked in rural areas to provide hot spots for students, and the system donated unused vehicles to groups serving veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and at-risk youth. The system continues to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances.

Using the camera of a smartphone, individuals who are blind or visually impaired can receive quick and easy help from volunteers. The Danish company, Be My Eyes uses a smartphone application to connect those who are blind or visually impaired to an international network of sighted volunteers ready to assist. The on-demand access to assistance provides visually impaired individuals with more independence in their daily lives.

Entrepreneurs and startups in Kenya and India are finding success creating products that meet the needs of poorer citizens in those countries. This episode includes a story about a mobile phone app that tackles the difficulty of finding locations in Nairobi using GPS coordinates and a photo, a startup near Bengaluru, India that uses human ATMs to help rural residents access cash via mobile phones, and a Kenyan company building devices that create free public wifi.

AI software BabyChecker is a portable ultrasound tool that can be accessed through smartphones and allows community health workers to easily and quickly detect pregnancy risks in rural areas where access to care is difficult. So far, over 20 community health workers have been trained to use the technology, and more than 2,000 pregnant women have been scanned using the BabyChecker app.

The Nigeria National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) Project is increasing rural financial inclusion and addressing the digital divide by funding projects that make it easier for telecommunications companies to expand their connectivity to rural communities, allowing locals to access digital banking services.

The TriTown Connector is a microtransit service providing rides between three rural communities in western Massachusetts, with reduced fares for senior residents. Rides are scheduled in advance by phone and via an app, and the service has completed roughly 350 trips in its first month of operation.

In a country where the prevalence of blindness for all ages is 4.2% of the population, Zions Assistive Tech Solutions (ZATS) trains people who are blind on how to effectively use technology like phones and computers.

Via teams up with public transit agencies like Metro to offer low-cost rides on demand by using an app to catch a ride. Via aims to address transit deserts, where people don’t have ample access to public transportation stops.

This Ability is a non-profit in Kenya specializing in supporting those facing gender-based violence, particularly with disabilities, with myriad resources. The organization developed a network of on-call women called "Mama Siri" who field emergency and informative calls on a toll-free number. Since 2020, their hotlines have received more than 4,500 calls.