Stories for All: A New App Creates Free Audiobooks for Visually Impaired Children

Creative agency Innocean Berlin and the Royal Society for Blind Children London (RSBC) have launched a Bedtime Donations app, providing blind and visually impaired children with easy access to education and fictional stories.

When a parent reads a story aloud from the app’s library, it is transformed into a free audiobook using secure AI. The library also includes hundreds of copyright-free stories across 15 categories, derived from Project Gutenberg.

More than one-third of blind and visually impaired people in the United Kingdom struggle financially, according to a 2021 study by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Accessing audiobooks can be a challenge, primarily due to their high cost and time-consuming nature.

For Julie Davis, chief executive officer of RSBC, the app is a vital step toward inclusivity. She said, “Every child deserves to experience the magic of a bedtime story – yet for blind and visually impaired children, the selection of accessible audiobooks remains far too limited. With the Bedtime Donations campaign, we want to change that. By encouraging parents, carers, volunteers, and well-known voices to share their bedtime stories, we are building a library of free, accessible books that give children a sense of belonging, inspire them, and let them experience the magic of storytelling.”

Familiar British actors, comedians, and TV personalities such as Jon Richardson, Ralf Little, and Mathew Baynton are among a growing list of celebrities lending their voices to the campaign.

The app offers two modes: reader and listener. In Reader mode, parents or carers select short, child-friendly stories from a curated library and read them aloud. Once a recording meets internal quality standards, it is made accessible to blind children via secure AI in listener mode.

​Gabriel Mattar, chief creative officer of Innocean Berlin, said, “At Innocean Berlin, we believe in alleviating a brand’s pain points. To do so, you must go well beyond the brief – and that’s exactly what we’ve done with RSBC. Bedtime Donations is a powerful platform that makes an important step towards greater accessibility of stories for visually impaired children and their families – through dedication, the latest technology, and inclusive design.”

Accessibility experts helped design the app and website. All colours used in the app and on the website meet web accessibility standards of WCAG Level AAA, ensuring a minimum contrast ratio of 7:1 for optimal visibility. Additionally, carefully selected fonts and integrated voice recognition on iOS and Android devices provide an inclusive and user-friendly experience.

Jens Brater, managing director and lead developer of the digital agency BuzzWoo, which supported the project, said: “The app is designed to ensure that reading and listening are as seamless as possible. AI-powered speech enhancement removes background noise for a clearer, more pleasant listening experience. Features such as coverage scoring and integrated control mechanisms ensure that the narration remains true to the original text and promotes reading engagement.”

The app is designed to grow over time, housing stories in multiple languages and genres, making it as diverse as the children it serves.

The Bedtime Donations app by RSBC is available on the App Store and Google Play. Website: https://www.bedtimedonations.com/