What if learning was not limited to sight but opened up through sound and touch? That’s the promise of Go-Karna - an assistive learning tool, being co-developed at IIT Madras Research Park in collaboration with Karna Vidya Foundation, for visually impaired students who need individual attention at schools.

Go Karna will help children learn through audio output, braille, and touch-and-feel elements. Initially, Go-Karna is designed to teach English for visually impaired students from Grades 1 to 3 . The device combines audio output and tactile feedback to make learning inclusive, engaging and effective, said R Jayasree, Head – Assistive Technology, IIT Madras Research Park.

V Subramaniam, Managing Trustee, Karna Vidya, said the initial investment is around ₹1.5 crore for the device and the books will be ongoing. “We are planning for English Level 1 covering Grade 1 to 3, Each book will have 26 cards, and we are planning to have 2600 words. We have tied up with a company called Tech-Plastics in Chennai for manufacturing the device,” he said.

The device, which is still in the pilot stage, will be given to government blind schools, aided schools, inclusive schools in the first year, the target price is ₹10,000 for open market, but will be given free to government students through CSR, he said.

The idea

Raghuraman lost his eyesight at the age of eight due to an illness. However, his inquisitive nature and determination helped him navigate through school and college despite the challenges. Today, he is a college professor. “I did everything possible - had someone read books to me, listened to audio tapes, paid close attention to my teachers, and put in immense effort just to read and understand my subjects,” he recalls.

Having experienced the challenges and struggles first-hand, he is now dedicated to helping visually impaired children learn to read and write using technology. Raghuraman met Venkatesh Chandrasekaran, a technocrat, from Karna Vidya Foundation to share his vision of an ideal device to help visually impaired children learn subjects in schools. Both collaborated on the concept, leading to the creation of “Go-Karna: The Reading Device,” an audio device integrated with tactile information. This will make learning much easier for children, helping them better understand concepts through sound and touch, said Raghuraman.

Published on June 23, 2025