Education for visually impaired students is now easier thanks to audio files being easily accessible on a new portable, handy, pocket-sized device called the audio book reader (ABR). Designed by Saksham, a Nagpur-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) which works for the visually impaired, the ABR was demonstrated on Saturday at Saksham's branch in Pune.

Equipped with a two-GB memory card, the device reads audio files stored in a multimedia card (MMC) with random access to any subject, book or chapter. It operates on only five buttons that can access the chapters and various audio files, and record up to 60 hours of audio.

Saksham came up with the device after a research of over two-and- half years. This also involved the team travelling all over the country and meeting various organisations working for the betterment of the visually impaired.

"We came up with this device keeping in mind the limitation of Braille and the size of Braille books which the visually impaired students have to get used to. As of now, blind students study with the help of pre-recorded audio cassettes, CDs, computers and iPods, but these also have limitations, because not too many books or resources are available to the blind for higher education. Listening to audio files on the ABR will make learning easier. Given its features and usability, the ABR is the first-of-its-kind device in India," said Avinash Sangwai, national general secretary of Saksham.

The device also has a group hearing facility, wherein ten students can listen to audio files simultaneously. Saksham soon plans to make the ABR available to various schools and institutes working in the field of education for the visually impaired.

Given the device's storage capacity of up to 60 hours, it can record the entire syllabus of Std X or Std XII. The ABR costs Rs 5,000 and Saksham is looking for sponsors willing to fund the cost of the device for visually impaired students.

Back home in Nagpur, Saksham has a library of some 15,000 audio books. "The ABR was introduced in Nagpur last year and currently, some 65 visually impaired students are using it," said Shirish Darwhekar, member of national working committee, Saksham. The ABR was introduced in Cochin, Trivandrum and Palakkad in Kerala, seven months ago.

The NGO also has a steady base of volunteers who record audio files on the memory card for further perusal by schools and institutions catering to the visually impaired. "We are looking at creating a similar volunteer base in Pune. For this, we plan to conduct a workshop that will involve training in recording, editing and transferring of audio files using the necessary software on to the memory card of the ABR as per the requirement of the user," said Darwhekar.