ListenToMe is a free app designed to help blind and visually impaired students access study materials in higher education. Created by AI engineer Yogen Ghodke, the app converts textbooks, notes, and other documents into audio in about 30 languages. Over 1,000 users, including schoolchildren, university students, and exam aspirants, now use the app to listen to their study content, making learning more accessible and independent.
- ListenToMe converts scanned textbooks, handwritten notes, and images into audio.
- The app supports around 30 languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.
- It includes features like summarizing tables and describing diagrams for better understanding.
- The app works with screen readers and has an accessible interface for blind users.
- Yogen Ghodke plans to collaborate with educational institutions to expand audio study materials.
How Did ListenToMe Start?
The app began when two fathers in Pune discussed the challenges faced by a visually impaired PhD student named Seema Kharad. She struggled to find study materials in accessible formats. Yogen Ghodke, an AI engineer based in the United States, developed the app after receiving feedback from Seema to meet her needs. What started as a favor for one student has grown into a tool used by many across India and beyond.
What Challenges Do Blind Students Face in Higher Education?
Blind students often find it easier to access braille books at the school level. However, higher education requires advanced textbooks and reference materials that are difficult to obtain in accessible formats. For example, Vikas Godadiya, a history student at Gujarat University, found it hard to prepare for exams because many books were unavailable in formats he could use independently. He now listens to PDFs on ListenToMe, which helps him study without relying on others.
What Features Does ListenToMe Offer?
ListenToMe goes beyond simple text-to-speech conversion. It can process scanned textbooks, handwritten notes, photographs, diagrams, and tables. The app summarizes lengthy tables and describes diagrams to help users understand visual information. Its "Ask AI" feature allows students to ask questions about their study material, such as summarizing chapters or locating specific information, saving time and effort.
The app supports approximately 28 to 30 languages. Initially available in Marathi and English, it expanded to other languages like Tamil and Persian based on user requests. Processing a 100-page document takes about five minutes, while shorter documents convert faster.
How Does ListenToMe Ensure Accessibility?
Accessibility was a priority during development. The app works with screen readers such as TalkBack on Android and VoiceOver on Apple devices, enabling users to navigate through audio feedback. The interface includes labels for buttons and controls, making it easier for blind users to operate the app. A planned feature will guide users with low vision to position their phone cameras correctly when capturing documents by giving spoken instructions.
Who Uses ListenToMe and How Has It Spread?
More than 1,000 users have registered, with about 50 new users joining daily. The app serves a wide range of learners, including students preparing for competitive exams like UPSC and MPSC. It is also used by schoolchildren, such as those in Tamil Nadu, where a school converts textbooks into audio for classes 5 and 6. The app has reached users in India and other countries, mainly through WhatsApp groups and word of mouth.
What Are the Future Plans for ListenToMe?
Yogen Ghodke aims to collaborate with universities, schools, government institutions, and NGOs to convert commonly prescribed books into audio formats and share them with students. He wants to keep the app free and sustainable by seeking support through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Currently, Ghodke funds the app's operating costs himself and works on the project outside his job hours.
What Feedback Have Users Provided?
Users have suggested improvements such as enhancing the optical character recognition (OCR) feature, adding page numbers, total page counts, and estimated listening times. Some have requested the ability to jump directly to chapters or topics in lengthy textbooks. Ghodke actively incorporates user feedback to improve the app's performance and usability.
