Delhi: Class IV student creates apps for toddlers

Recognising new toys, new words, new foods, new animals. can overwhelm toddlers. To help kids discover the world one object at a time, Manya Singhal, 8, has designed an app. Called Pickaboo, it helps kids scan real-life objects to hear their names. 

Manya, a student of Class IV at Suncity School, Gurguram, loves to teach her little sister everything she knows. But she also finds it time consuming. “My two-and-a-half-year-old sister is always curious to learn about the things she sees around her and often asks questions to my parents and family members.

So, I wanted to create something that would help make her independent.” Manya started learning to code seven months ago, and has attended 84 classes of one-hour duration each. It took her a month to create this app now available on Google App Store. 

“The app takes a picture of the object and sends it to a Microsoft Image Processing API. Once the API returns the description, it is sent to a Translator API (based on language settings). The result is then sent to a text-to-speech converter and a translator engine that spells out the scanned object’s name in five different languages - English, Hindi, Spanish, French and German.”  “I don’t realise how time passes by when I am coding.” The best thing about coding, for Singhal, is that the subject can be used to simplify any aspect of life. But this isn’t the first app she has created.

“I designed a storytelling app, another app to store a collection of songs, and one on parenting.” Manya is already analysing how she can improve Pickaboo to make it more interactive and personalised. “I am planning to create another app that will make it easier for kids to learn Indian classical dance. While learning Kathak, I realised that correct posture of hands and feet is very important, and I think it is possible to add such functionalities in an app.” Shikha, her mother, says, “During lockdown, all other activities Manya used to be involved in took a backseat.

With all that time, she wished to explore coding as she had been introduced to it in school. We are glad she loved the initial few classes that built her interest in this field. Coding has improved her logical thinking. Even if she doesn’t want to or doesn’t get an opportunity to take up coding in the future, she has gained valuable experience that will come in handy in all walks of life.”