Maryland Zoo Now Offers Free Vision Assistance App For Guests

BALTIMORE — Founded in 2019, ReBokeh Vision Technologies just announced a new partnership with The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore that will grant guests and employees free access to a mobile app that aids people with low vision. The ReBokeh app uses assistive technology software to change the appearance of the world in front of you to meet the needs of people with vision impairments.

ReBokeh will assist guests in reading animal plaques and restaurant menus, as well as other important text commonly displayed throughout the Maryland Zoo. Between penguins and red pandas, the Maryland Zoo features around 1,500 animals, and most of the exhibits have something to read, so ReBokeh’s technology will be invaluable for people with limited sight.

According to a CDC post from 2024, about 7 million people in America have some form of vision impairment, making it difficult to enjoy outings that require one’s sense of sight. The CDC also reported that approximately 1 million people struggle with blindness.

Zoos are a wondrous place where visitors can come from far and wide to get a peek at animals that they can’t encounter in the wild. Unfortunately, many guests have vision impairments that stop them from enjoying all of the experiences that the zoo has to offer, but ReBokeh is working to fix that problem.

“Maryland Zoo is a place that engages people with all backgrounds and abilities. ReBokeh’s tools will open up the wonders of the living world to our guests like never before,” said Kirby Fowler, the Maryland Zoo president and CEO.

The Maryland Zoo will be the second in the world to implement ReBokeh’s technology for its visitors with low vision, with the Detroit Zoo being the first. Since around 90% of people with low vision still have some level of eyesight, ReBokeh is able to assist those guests with using their natural abilities to the fullest extent possible.

ReBokeh Is Helping People Explore The Beauty Of Zoo Animals

In an announcement sent to The BayNet, Rebecca Rosenberg, the ReBokeh CEO, shared that they aspire for ReBokeh to help zoo visitors with low vision see the full scope of the animals to ensure that every guest experiences “the beauty of an African penguin or the vibrant colors of the tropical bird.”

“Interacting with nature is a profoundly visual experience, so we couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Maryland Zoo to make their space more accessible for individuals with low vision,” said the ReBokeh CEO.

The Maryland Zoo receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, making ReBokeh’s assistive technology especially important. With a little bit of extra help, nearly every Maryland guest will be able to enjoy the wonders of exotic animals with their own two eyes, and ReBokeh is leading the charge.

To learn more about ReBokeh, visit its website. Organizations that want to explore partnerships with ReBokeh can contact partnerships@rebokeh.com.

---