Text To Speech Blog (www.TextToSpeechBlog.com)

Become a Fan of TextAloud Text to Speech, and You Could Win an iPod Touch

2010-11-27T14:10:00.003-05:00

From: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/11/prweb4825084.htm

NextUp.com announces iPod Touch Prize Drawing for newsletter subscribers and Facebook fans to celebrate launch of TextAloud 3.

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) November 23, 2010

Because of its ability to empower PC users to export almost any text into natural-sounding speech, Text to Speech software program TextAloud from NextUp.com (http://www.nextup.com) is a popular resource for mobile technology users -- and it's now giving away one of the most popular digital mobile devices on the market! NextUp.com is celebrating its latest update of TextAloud 3 with a prize drawing for newsletter subscribers and Facebook fans: a coveted iPod touch (R)!

"TextAloud has always been popular with users of mobile devices, enabling them to listen to their text anywhere, from the gym to the freeway, and beyond," comments NextUp President Rick Ellis. "With the release of TextAloud 3, it's easier than ever for Windows PC users to create audio files for listening on their iPods. The iPod Touch (R) is therefore the perfect giveaway, as one of the most popular mobile digital devices available today, and will be a great way for one lucky prize winner to take their reading on the go."

Entering the prize drawing is easy: Users simply need to note their favorite features of the new release of TextAloud 3 in a brief e-mail, and join the TextAloud 3 newsletter mailing list by e-mailing "newsletterdrawing[at]NextUp.com." Facebook users can also enter by becoming a fan of (or "liking") TextAloud 3's official Facebook Page and noting their favorite features via Facebook post, at http://www.Facebook.com/TextAloud. Please note that only one entry per Facebook fan or newsletter subscriber will be accepted, equaling a maximum of two chances for entry. The contest is available for entry now, and will run through December 31, 2010.

About TextAloud 3:
With a completely new interface including more personalization options than ever before, TextAloud 3 is the latest update to TextAloud, the highly useful PC program for students, scientists, writers, business people, students and people from all walks of life. TextAloud enables anyone to experience their reading by listening, and has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more.

Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced from $29.95. System requirements include almost any version of Windows (R) (from 98 to Me, NT, 2000, XP or Vista), as well as a minimum of 64 MB of RAM, 10 MB of disk space, and a sound card. TextAloud can even be listened to on TV, using TiVo's (R) Home Media Option, and works seamlessly with iTunes (R), for easy synchronizing with iPod (R), iPhone (R), or other iTunes (R)-compatible portable audio players. Best of all, unlike prohibitively priced gadgets or eReaders, TextAloud doesn't require special hardware of any kind. Become a fan at http://www.Facebook.com/TextAloud, or try the program today, via a fast, safe and secure preview and purchase at http://www.NextUp.com.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional Premium Voices from Nuance RealSpeak (TM), AT&T Natural Voices (TM), Acapela (R) and Cepstral (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian-Accent English, Scottish-Accent English, Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, Taiwanese, and Turkish.

There are now text-to-speech programs that

2010-09-22T11:12:00.001-05:00

From: http://www.knubbel.info/?p=1323

There are now text-to-speech programs that do an adequate job of creating an audio file that you can listen to on your iPod or other MP3 player. This opens up a lot of new possibilities. You can:

–Type up notes of books so you can focus only on the most important points (or have an assistant type up the notes for you).

–Listen to memos from work

–Convert books in the public domain (that are already in an electronic text file format)

The only limit is your imagination.

At my website, http://www.poweraffirmations.com, I have posted a few free audio files you may find helpful using text-to-speech software. One file is James Allen’s classic work “As a Man Thinketh” (in the public domain).

Teacher and Fire Chief Blazes Through Educational Goals with TextAloud

2010-09-04T15:43:00.002-05:00

From: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/08/prweb4446024.htm

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) August 31, 2010

Three years ago, Battalion Chief Tom Brown turned to TextAloud Text to Speech to assist him in his work for the Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Department. The software from NextUp.com proved especially invaluable to Tom in his continuing studies, which were challenging to maintain on top of a demanding job as a Battalion Chief and teacher himself. Years later, Tom is still using TextAloud, and in more ways than ever.

The popular Text to Speech software program that enables PC users to experience their reading by listening, TextAloud provides a useful and ingenious alternative. Priced from just $29.95, TextAloud is state of the art TTS that's easy to use, turning almost any text file format into spoken audio--from websites, articles and e-mails, to eBooks, word processing documents, PDFs, or even (as Tom does) from PowerPoint presentations. In just a few mouse clicks, TextAloud then seamlessly exports that text into popular audio file formats which can be played via MP3 player, iPhone (R), car stereo, or computer.

Tom originally turned to TextAloud while studying for a vital promotional exam in the fire department. TextAloud proved invaluable in his studies, allowing him to listen to his materials and absorb them anywhere, even while mowing the lawn! The software ultimately enabled him to not just pass his promotional exam, but to tie for the top spot, and it proved so useful that Tom has continued to work with the software in the years to follow.

Tom recently achieved a major milestone, completing his Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, and TextAloud, as with his promotional exam studies, was a key component in his study success. "While pursuing my Bachelor's degree, I would use TextAloud to convert notes and PowerPoint slides into audio files," Tom explains, and it's a routine he plans to continue in the Fall as he continues his studies in pursuit of a Master's in Public Administration. The software's ability to convert written text into audio files for school and promotional exams helped Tom, as well as many of his classmates and coworkers achieve higher marks and greater success in their studies.

As he has continued to use TextAloud, Tom explored new ways to make the software even more productive. He has created a routine in which he chooses the text to export, then previews all of the prospective audio versions before saving the file, in order to catch abbreviations or acronyms. He also continues to enjoy the ability to change voices within projects with ease. "The ability to change voices to emphasize a particular topic remains a very valuable feature," he comments. "This voice change functions as a highlight in the information, causing the listener to perk up and pay particular attention, bringing the proper emphasis to the selected text."

Once he saves the file to audio format, Tom either burns it to CD, or copies for listening on his Phillips portable MP3 player. While he finds the program highly useful for listening on the go, in the gym, and in the car, it has also taught him to value the ability to reinforce study input by listening at the same time as reading visually. "Anyone with access to electronic versions of the text they are reading can use the program in support of their reading," he adds, "getting double the input through both sight and sound."

TextAloud has become an important asset to Tom's friends, coworkers and family as well. One friend who was studying for a Lieutenant's exam began to use TextAloud in his studies, and "I know of several others I've introduced to the software who download the text onto iPods, and who have done well on their promotional exams, too," adds Tom. "My wife likes being able to use the optional Spanish voices, meanwhile, to assist her in Spanish class."

TextAloud continues to play a key part in the success of Tom's many roles as a student, Lead Instructor, Battalion Chief, Paramedic Primary Education instructor, and more. "The program has allowed me to use study time which would just not have been available without TextAloud."

Meet 'the other woman' who is always telling you where to go

2010-08-16T12:40:00.002-05:00

From: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/cartech/meet-the-other-woman-who-is-always-telling-you-where-to-go-20100814-123zn.html

Garry Maddox
August 14, 2010

Could drivers be finding in their GPS units something more than just their way home? Are American Jill or Espanol Paulina becoming ''the other woman'' for harried males who spend hours each day on the road? Are women driving to work fantasising about an evening with Irish Sean?

Karen Jacobsen, a little-known singer known as ''Australian Karen'' in millions of TomToms, NavMans and other GPS units around the world, learnt a couple of years ago that she had an underground fan club of smitten drivers.

''I started to be contacted by people thanking me for getting them through a dark lonely road in Italy or being lost in the Black Forest in Germany or around Los Angeles on the freeways or taking them to school and back,'' Ms Jacobsen said. ''It's increased to the point where I've realised people really do have an intimate relationship with the voice in their GPS system.''

The American writer Bruce Feiler wondered in The New York Times recently whether the GPS unit was rewriting the rules of male-female relationships after confessing that he had fallen for the automated voice that had ''guided me effortlessly through the maze of freeways and road rage like a graceful hostess - unflappable, efficient and with just enough sex appeal to give some sizzle to my protracted absence from my wife''.

He quickly realised he was not alone. ''At sites like gpspassion.com and pdastreet.com, the number of lewd comments about the voices of American Jill or Australian Karen seem more suited to a convention of 900-number [adult entertainment line] users.''

Ms Jacobsen, who has lived in New York for 10 years, is always meeting people who feel they know her already because of her voice. ''They'll want to tell me right away the story of the time we were travelling in this city or that country and what happened,'' she said.

Jacobsen is not surprised that the connection matters to drivers. ''You're on that dark lonely road on your own in the car, you don't know where you are and this voice, even though its coming from a machine, seems like your companion. It's something that you're trusting.''

She believes the voice on the GPS unit can help relationships by stopping arguments between couples about directions.

''They take it out on the third-party GPS. It's kind of like a community service - reducing the amount of angst between couples in the car.''

The chief executive of Relationships Australia NSW, psychologist Anne Hollonds, agrees that GPS units are easing tension on the road between couples by ''outsourcing the navigation role''.

And Ms Hollonds is not surprised that drivers are having an emotional response to the voice.

''The car is actually a very intimate environment,'' she said. ''A lot of people will say they have their most meaningful conversations - with their partner or their kids - in the car. It's like a bubble.''

Ms Jacobsen's new career started when she recorded almost 50 hours of script for a text-to-speech system. Having now achieved a strange kind of fame, she is taking it for a spin.

Her latest CD is called Take A Little Drive. (And, no, it doesn't include lyrics like ''at the next intersection, turn left''.) She also has a personal development podcast called Directions For Life and has shot a pilot for a TV show called Travel the World With the GPS Girl.

''Growing up as a little girl in Mackay in north Queensland, I always wanted my songs - my voice - to be coming out of the car radio,'' Jacobsen said. ''Now, all these years later, my voice is coming out of the GPS.''

Tech Writer Chooses TextAloud to Catch Errors before They Reach the Editor's Desk. Text to Speech program catches the errors most spell-checkers miss

2010-08-11T14:27:00.001-05:00

From: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/08/prweb4370324.htm

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) August 10, 2010

Freelance tech writer Dan Heim works from a home office just North of Phoenix, Arizona, writing for a variety of high-tech clients worldwide from the serenity of the rural desert. With degrees in both Physics as well as Environmental Science, Dan was a teacher of science and math for over 30 years. His work now includes writing for trade journals, testing services, and newspapers, as well as the production of educational materials for math and science teachers, so it is critical that what he provides is free of typos or errors. He accomplishes this goal by proofing his documents by ear, using his computer and TextAloud, from NextUp.com (http://www.NextUp.com).

TextAloud is the popular Text to Speech software program that enables PC users to experience their reading by ear, whether for listening in the gym or during a commute, or simply as a useful alternative to visual reading. Priced from just $29.95, TextAloud is state of the art TTS that is simple to use, turning almost any text file format into spoken audio--from websites, articles and e-mails, to eBooks, word processing documents, and PDFs. TextAloud then seamlessly exports that text into most popular audio file formats, which can then be played via MP3 player, iPhone (R), car stereo, or computer, and listened to anywhere you go!

"I initially purchased TextAloud as a potential 'narrator' for some of my educational animations," Dan comments. "I figured that a synthesized voice might be a cool hook." While experimenting with TextAloud's potential as a narrator, however, Dan soon realized that the software offered other benefits--most significantly, that it was a superb resource for proofing his own work.

"When one writes for a living, proofing is a critical process," he explains. "The spell-check modules built into word processing software programs are a huge benefit, but they are not perfect. If I type 'list' instead of 'lists,' for instance, spell-check misses it, and grammar-checkers are often just plain wrong. So when I would finish an article in the days before TextAloud, I'd just let it 'ferment' for a day or two, and then go back and proof it with fresh eyes to try to catch those errors. However, there were still errors that occasionally slipped through."

Dan began to use TextAloud to proof by ear instead, and the experiment was a success. "The ears simply hear what the eye misses," he comments--especially when it comes to typos. For this reason, TextAloud soon became his routine 'grammar check' proofing assistant. Now Dan no longer has to wait a day or two on proofing--before closing his documents, he simply uses TextAloud to ensure that his work is typo-free. "I just copy, paste and listen," he says, "and those typos immediately pop out." To customize TextAloud's narration and readings, Dan uses the program's easy and convenient pronunciation editor, and he relies on premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices (TM) for most of his readings.

"Ultimately, TextAloud has totally changed the way I proof my writing, with huge savings in time and a better quality end-product," adds Dan. "TextAloud provides me with the feedback that would otherwise come from my editor, and without the embarrassment of a correction."

About TextAloud:
A highly useful PC program for students, scientists, writers, business people, students and people from all walks of life, TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced from $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000, XP and Vista. TextAloud can even be listened to on TV, using TiVo's (R) Home Media Option, and works seamlessly with iTunes (R), for easy synchronizing with iPod (R), iPhone (R), or other iTunes (R) compatible portable audio players. Best of all, unlike prohibitively priced gadgets or eReaders, TextAloud doesn't require special hardware of any kind. The program is available for fast, safe and secure preview and purchase via http://www.NextUp.com.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional Premium Voices from Nuance RealSpeak (TM), AT&T Natural Voices (TM), Acapela (R) and Cepstral (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian-Accent English, Scottish-Accent English, Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, Taiwanese, and Turkish.

Author Uses TextAloud to Write, Share and Connect

2010-07-08T21:56:00.001-05:00

From: http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20100708/bs_prweb/prweb4236704_1;_ylc=X3oDMTEwNzlyaWdiBF9TAzIwMjM4Mjc1MjQEZW1haWxJZAMxMjc4NjExNTA0

Thanks to TextAloud from NextUp.com, author J. Aday Kennedy can listen to e-mails, websites, and even her own writing

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) July 8, 2010 -- Known as "The Differently-Abled Writer," Texan J. Aday Kennedy is the acclaimed author of inspirational articles and essays, children's books, and more. She is also a legally blind, ventilator-dependent quadriplegic who has overcome her disabilities to find success on her own formidable terms. To help her achieve her goals, she turns to TextAloud Text to Speech software, from NextUp.com (www.nextup.com).

TextAloud is a popular software program, priced from just $29.95, that allows PC users like Kennedy to listen to their reading by ear instead of reading it visually, simply by turning their text files into natural, human-sounding speech. From articles, to eBooks, e-mails, websites, documents, and PDFs, TextAloud exports virtually any written text into spoken audio, and into sound file formats that can be listened to anywhere, via MP3 player, iPhone (R), car stereo, computer, and more.

Like many other users with visual disabilities, Kennedy discovered TextAloud as a valuable assistive resource in lieu of more expensive gadgets or screen readers, and found the program simple, uncluttered, and easy to use. With a history of successful inspirational essays that have included publication in prestigious anthologies like "Chicken Soup for the Soul," Kennedy doesn't let her differently-abled status or physical challenges get in the way of her writing or accomplishments. "TextAloud," she comments, "is the program that has helped me hone my writing skills." Despite her legal blindness, TextAloud enabled Kennedy to listen to her writing class texts in 2006, just as it now helps her to review as many as 200 e-mails per day as a successful author four years later. "As I write, TextAloud enables me to listen to what I've written, and I really like the options of the different voices," she says. "I also have TextAloud read my e-mail, as well as the books I review on my blog."

Kennedy's primary use of TextAloud, however, is in the review process. "I use TextAloud primarily in editing my manuscripts," she explains. "The different voices, and being able to paste into the program any text I want to hear spoken, are the most useful features." She adds that she recommends the software to other writers a few times per month, at least.

Kennedy is also grateful for the software's impartiality. "I'm a legally blind ventilator-dependent quadriplegic," she comments. "So when humans read my work, they can sometimes tend to be too kind and uncritical. TextAloud allows me to be an unbiased critic. It will only read exactly what I've written, and provides me with an objective read."

"Ultimately, the problem with humans is the fact that our brains fill in missing words," she adds. "TextAloud, on the other hand, only reads what is there. I couldn't write without it!"

About TextAloud:
A highly useful PC program for students, scientists, writers, business people, students and people from all walks of life, TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced from $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000, XP and Vista. TextAloud can even be listened to on TV, using TiVo's (R) Home Media Option, and works seamlessly with iTunes (R), for easy synchronizing with iPod (R), iPhone (R), or other iTunes (R) compatible portable audio players. Best of all, unlike prohibitively priced gadgets or eReaders, TextAloud doesn't require special hardware of any kind. The program is available for fast, safe and secure preview and purchase via http://www.NextUp.com.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional Premium Voices from Nuance (R), AT&T Natural Voices (TM), Acapela (R) and Cepstral (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian-Accent English, Scottish-Accent English, Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, Taiwanese, and Turkish.

Actor Finds TextAloud Takes the Drama Out of Learning Lines

2010-05-31T14:37:00.002-05:00

From: http://lifestyletom.com/path/rao10925685922ros/roin59012134637

John Greene is an accomplished actor, as well as the Artistic Director for a youth repertory theatre company in Martinez, Georgia. One day, while seeking new and more effective ways to memorize his lines for his role in the local production of Oliver!, he came across TextAloud, the easy to use Text to Speech (TTS) program from NextUp Technologies. The program proved to be exactly what John needed, and aided in his realization that listening actually leads to faster memorization.

"Most actors learn the parts of their fellow performers before they learn their own lines," John comments. "This is because they hear the other performers' lines over and over in rehearsal. By typing and then playing with TextAloud, I am able to hear my lines over and over in a different voice." John also uses the program to give cues as well, where "the ability to use multiple voices is a definite plus."

TextAloud is the easy, affordable Text to Speech software that's priced from just $29.95, and which enables PC computer users everywhere to listen to e-mails, websites, stories, novels, textbooks and more -- and not with toneless, robotic-sounding voices, but instead via natural and enjoyable human-sounding speech. The program provides users with the unique ability to listen to their reading anywhere, either in front of the computer, or on the go, via an iPod (R) or even audio CD -- and using a wide variety of potential Premium Voices, accents and vocal choices.

John has gone on to use TextAloud for many years ever since. "I first bought the program to read e-books," he comments. "I am an aural learner, and listening helps me concentrate and comprehend the written word better." He also uses the program to proof letters, documents, and even scripts for errors. "It's easier to hear the errors that way," he comments, "Because the mind doesn't 'fill in' missing words or mistakes."

John has since used the program in conjunction with his Toshiba laptop for everything from script readings (where he can even assign different voices), to learning lines, cues, and even for sound effects onstage! "I enjoy being able to assign different voices for script readings, and also use TextAloud to read aloud others' diaries on Open Diary while I do other things."

As a part of his routine for years now, TextAloud continues to surprise the actor with its versatility, and has gone from being a great occasional tool, to a "must" when memorizing his lines. From reading complicated documents to e-mails, lines, cues, and more, TextAloud has made John a believer, onstage and off.

TextAloud Helps Lawyer Keep Order in the Court

2010-05-27T13:17:00.001-05:00

From: http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20100525/bs_prweb/prweb4046884_3

Tue May 25, 3:01 am ET
Leading Text to Speech software frees legal professional from long days at the office, and enables him to hear court action anywhere he goes

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) May 25, 2010 -- Like so many in the legal profession, Joshua Gordon's greatest commodity is time. The Concord, New Hampshire appellate lawyer once spent hours just on the reading associated with his casework alone, but soon discovered TextAloud from NextUp Technologies (http://www.nextup.com) as a useful and valuable alternative to hours of reading by sight each week. Joshua now uses TextAloud as a far more streamlined solution for reading his professional documents, transcripts, long legal memos, and other content. Thanks to TextAloud, he can now do so away from the confines of his office, listening to his materials instead while driving, commuting, or even while working out.

Affordably priced from just $29.95, TextAloud is the easy and popular software program that allows PC users everywhere to listen to their reading, instead, by turning their text files into natural, human-sounding speech. From articles, to eBooks, e-mails, websites, documents, and PDFs, TextAloud exports almost any written text into spoken audio, and into sound file formats that can be listened to anywhere, via MP3 player, iPhone (R), car stereo, computer, and more.

"I tried TextAloud after reading about it in a legal technology newsletter," comments Joshua, who soon discovered that by using TextAloud, his productivity actually increased even while cutting down on his long hours in the office. "TextAloud made me very efficient," he explains. "In my work, I have to review days and days of trial transcripts. Reading these transcripts is extremely tedious, and can take nearly as long as the trial itself. However, by using TextAloud, I can speed up the playback slightly as needed, and get through a day of trial testimony in about an hour and a half. Later, when I have to refer to the transcript for a particular fact, I know just about where to go back to."

Joshua uses TextAloud on his Zen Creative MX, which is an MP3 player model that allows him to utilize bookmarks effectively for his sound files. "This way, I'm able to come back to finish long MP3 files later as required," he comments. The Zen Creative MX is easy for him to navigate, the screen is easy to view, and the MX's ease of use with bookmarks is a huge plus for the busy lawyer (who also uses TextAloud in conjunction with his website http://www.appealslawyer.net).

Like many TextAloud users, Joshua has found tricks and shortcuts that have proven highly useful to him while working with the software. For new users to TextAloud, for instance, Joshua recommends that they "Use the audio tags. I put a shortcut to the audio tags on my toolbar, so that my MP3 player is automatically able to organize my 'reading' on TextAloud." Joshua's easy solution means that he is able to pull up almost any file or topic he needs after only a brief glance at its audio tags.

"TextAloud has become something I use almost every day," comments Joshua. "It is invaluable."

TextAloud Brings Faith to Life for Listeners

2010-05-19T20:56:00.001-05:00

From http://lifestyletom.com/path/rao10925686707ros/roin59012380947

The greatest power of Text to Speech lies in its ability to bring written words into sound -- to entertain, educate, or, as is the case with many users, even to reconnect the listener with his or her faith. When a printed word becomes a spoken one, reading is no longer confined to a chair, but opened up to the world. Through Text to Speech and programs like TextAloud from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com), the Bible, Scriptures or other religious works can now be enjoyed anywhere, bringing comfort and inspiration wherever the listener goes.

"By using TextAloud for listening on a PC, laptop, or other portable device, people with failing or poor vision can now listen to their favorite Scripture or other religious passages read by lifelike and enjoyable human voices," comments Rick Ellis, President of NextUp Technologies. "Others find themselves too busy to enjoy their works of faith as often as they would like, so TextAloud allows the printed page to become a rich and meaningful listening experience anywhere." A popular and budget-friendly program, TextAloud's prices start at just $29.95.

Users of TextAloud to enjoy Bible or Scriptural passages include:

Anthony: "At 74 years of age, I have poor eyesight, and discovered TextAloud as a very useful program," he comments. "I now use TextAloud to help teach children how to read the Bible. I am also using it to learn Hebrew and Greek in Holy Scripture study."

William: "I came to TextAloud to see if it would work for church members who were having a hard time seeing to read, and to also see if it could read publications to them, as well. The program was priced right, and performed well."

Eric: "I got TextAloud to read the NIV Student Bible faster and better, and also to get a better understanding of what I was reading. The program was excellent, and very easy to learn, and the AT&T Voices are very nice!"

Joseph: "I got TextAloud for Bible study and lessons. The program is very good, and affordable, as well."

Steven W.: "As a Pastor, I purchased TextAloud with AT&T Natural Voices and was highly pleased. The program is very good, and I also love the integration with Firefox and Internet Explorer."

Winnie: "In a lot of Bible study, most information is only available in printed text. Listening via TextAloud helps me to learn the answers much faster."

In Fall of 2007, in addition, South African missionary Pieter Schutte began using TextAloud Text to Speech to present the Gospel in sound to those with access to modern technology. These users, and many more, quickly embraced the ability of Text to Speech to bring their faiths to them in new ways. TextAloud brings independence and freedom back to the enjoyment of faith-based written works, and to anyone with access to even a basic computer or laptop.

Long Journeys Feel Shorter for Auto Professional Thanks to TextAloud Text to Speech

2010-05-10T10:08:00.001-05:00

From http://healthosp.com/archive/jalna35185867o3a/archives94347

In his work for a major car dealership outside of Kansas City, Gene Walker drives the new car trades from the home dealership to other dealerships across the central U.S. Since his trips delivering the cars can be anywhere from three to ten hours per trip, for entertainment on the long commutes Walker turns to TextAloud software from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com). With TextAloud Text to Speech (TTS), Walker exports a wide variety of both fiction and nonfiction books into speech files, for listening on the journey, via iPod.

An easy to use and affordable program for transforming text into speech, TextAloud is popular with a variety of users the world over. From commuters and educators, to visually disabled users seeking alternatives to screen readers, learning disabled users, as well as thousands of others seeking to listen to their reading for entertainment, TextAloud has proven a valuable tool for a multitude of uses -- and all at a price starting at just $29.95.

"Using TextAloud, I render to voice all of the books I should have read while in school," comments Walker. "Almost all the classic novels and histories are available as downloads on a myriad of Internet sites. This way, the hours on the Interstate fly by -- and I learn something in the bargain." TextAloud allows him to make a productive use of those long commutes -- time that would otherwise be wasted as idle time, as well as in his other endeavors.

Walker is a retired railroad electrician who previously spent 34 years working for the Santa Fe (later BNSF) Railway. In addition to his work for the dealership, he now spends his time restoring old sports cars and in vintage racing with his local club -- and even there, TextAloud has proven useful. "When I'm working on a car in the garage or traveling to a race, the voices in my head are doing something worthwhile."

Walker discovered TextAloud while searching for something to render some of his books on Astronomy and Cosmology into a voice similar to the computer-simulated voice of Steven Hawking. He found this option with TextAloud -- as well as a wide variety of non-robotic-sounding options that made spoken speech as natural to listen to as a live reading.

Walker has also suffered from glaucoma nearly all of his life, and recently underwent surgeries to remove cataracts. "During the recovery period from my eye surgeries, it was a real joy to be able to continue reading my books and e-mails using TextAloud, and without being dependent on wife or kids for help," he adds.

"The tool I like the most with TextAloud is the ability to change voices in the middle of a text," comments Walker. "For instance, P. G. Wodehouse wrote several stories from different points of view, so the ability to have different voices narrating helps to give me a clearer division of the story."

His other favorite feature is the ease and speed with which TextAloud can render text to speech. "This means I can spend an evening dividing books into chapters, setting up the program the way I want the narrations to sound, and have the finished product on my iPod, ready to go." He likes dividing the book text into chapters for easy reference, as well as for listening. "It's also easier to find where you left off," he adds.

In his listening, Walker uses a first-generation, 20 GB iPod, and even with many books and sound files has been unable to fill the entire thing thus far. "With TextAloud, the voices bring a life to forgotten texts that probably haven't existed since the author died," he adds. "TextAloud has made it possible to continue learning, which is truly the secret of not growing old, no matter how old you may be."

TextAloud Brings Written Words to Life for International Psychologist and Academic

2010-04-30T13:03:00.002-05:00

From: http://healthosp.com/archive/jalna35158667o3a/archives95041

To say that Moshe Landsman is a busy academic is a definite understatement. The professional psychologist, who directs a municipal service at a Bedouin Municipality in Southern Israel, also teaches Special Education at a teachers college in Beer Sheva -- as well as teaching Psychology in Prishtina, Kosovo, where he spends one week out of each month in his academic work. To keep up with his almost impossible schedule as well as his truly daunting courseload, Landsman, an avid bicyclist, copes by converting his articles, books, and other teaching materials into spoken audio for listening during his commute, using TextAloud software, from NextUp Technologies (http://www.NextUp.com).

Landsman's discovery of TextAloud heralded a marked change in his daily life and previous routines. The software provided the literal gift of hours into a schedule in which time was his most valuable commodity, and did so in an easy PC program priced from less than $30 ($29.95 USD). The program, which he sampled in its trial version before moving on to purchase the full version almost immediately, suddenly enabled him to make use of the bicycling time he so enjoyed, while also directly adding to his invaluable and scarce 'reading' schedule several additional hours per week for absorbing articles, teaching materials, and more, by ear. Once he had installed the TextAloud program, he was now able to simply download what he required. He then used the program to easily and flexibly export the materials to text files as needed, and then to 'speak' the material to ensuing voice files, which were easily exportable to his iPod, computer, CD, or a variety of other portable devices (even iPhones, and more).

"I convert articles and books that I download through various databases and listen to them while riding to work," comments Moshe. "Using TextAloud, I convert the files to audio and listen on my MP3 player. It keeps me really up to date, and to some extent I can even prepare material for classes that way, as well."

Landsman discovered TextAloud thanks to a recent magazine article, and decided to try out the program's free trial, in hopes that he would open up some desperately needed free time. For the busy professor, the best part of his experiment was that the TextAloud program proved to be "one of the few software packages I have encountered that actually does what it claims to do," he comments. "I was looking for a way to keep up with the literature -- and am an obsessive reader -- so I am very happy using the auditory channel of input, and it maximizes my time use."

When he first tried the software, Landsman worried that the program's voices would prove to be unlistenable -- too robotic or monotone. "I definitely had the image of metallic, robotic voices at first," he adds, "but this image was rebutted even during the trial version, as well as into my use of the full version with the optional Premium Voices, so it has certainly revolutionized the way I see Text to Speech."

The academic has also discovered that the program offers a multitude of easy and enjoyable features, "such as how to easily start a new article -- or that it copies material for speaking directly to the clipboard as long as TextAloud is running," Landsman adds, "so things go very smoothly." He discovered that the software not only functioned well with a variety of text formats, but was equally adept at translating HTML into speech -- a format he now exports frequently. Landsman now listens to most of his speech files on a generic MP3 player with 4 GB of space, providing him with plenty of room for his articles and other topics for listening while biking or driving.

"Ultimately, TextAloud has really made a profound difference in my life," Landsman comments. "I am sure it has at least doubled the amount of professional literature I can absorb. This makes me a better psychologist and, ultimately, a better professor as well!"

Speaking for the afflicted

2010-04-27T20:38:00.002-05:00

From: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90782/90872/6960741.html

The iPad is being touted as an aid to those who have speech problems as the result of a stroke or other disabilities.

Most people view the iPad as a slick multimedia entertainment platform, but Gregg Vanderheiden, a university professor, sees other potential uses for Apple's new touchscreen device.

"Say you have somebody who's had a stroke, for example, and they wake up and they can't communicate," says Vanderheiden, director of the Trace Research and Development Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

"Instead of buying a $5,000 communications aid, you take out your iPad and download an app and - bam! - they can communicate," he says.

The Trace Center helps people who are unable to speak and have disabilities to communicate and Vanderheiden is one of a number of researchers and others excited about the iPad as a relatively low-cost communications tool.

"There's a lot of interest in the iPad," says Karen Sheehan, the executive director of the Alliance for Technology Access, a California-based group that seeks to expand the use of technology by children and adults with disabilities.

Stroke victims, people with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy or ALS, a paralyzing nerve disease, and children or adults with autism are seen as just some of those who could potentially benefit from the iPad.

"Anyone who's non-verbal and needs a device to speak for them," Sheehan says. "People with Alzheimer's who do better with graphic-based communication boards instead of trying to search for a word.

"People with traumatic brain injury, soldiers coming back from Iraq or people who've been in automobile accidents."

Sheehan says there are a lot of powerful communications devices out there, some very good companies, but they tend to run into the thousands of dollars, which can be prohibitive for a lot of people.

"You can take the iPad and turn it into a communications device very inexpensively," she says.

The cheapest iPad costs $499 and the most expensive $829.

A company called AssistiveWare has already adapted for the iPad a communications application called "Proloquo2Go" it designed for the iPhone and the iPod Touch and is offering it for $189.99 in Apple's App Store.

"Proloquo2Go" allows people who have difficulty speaking to communicate using symbols to represent phrases or by typing in what they want to say and having it converted by text-to-speech technology into a natural sounding voice.

Sheehan says the iPad's large touchscreen makes it potentially more useful to a wider range of people than the iPhone or the iPod Touch.

"They're such a small area and for someone who has limited fine motor, it's hard to hit small icons," she says. "It's easier on the iPad to just click on an icon to say 'I want juice', or 'I want to watch a movie'."

Joanne Castellano, the director of New Jersey-based TechConnection, which provides "assistive technology" solutions to people with disabilities, says the "avid Mac users" in her office are "chomping at the bit" for an iPad.

"They keep asking me 'When are we getting one?'" she says.

"I'm sure we'll get one," Castellano says. "It seems like it would be something very useful to the community that we serve.

"For anybody who has a reading challenge, it's useful because it has a nice feature where it reads books out to you," she says.

Castellano agrees that the touchscreen controls are part of the attraction of the device but says some of the gestures could prove challenging to some. "The way you have to pinch some things with your thumb and your forefinger - that movement might be a problem for some people," she says. "But to turn the page of a book you just have to swipe it so that could be very helpful."

Dan Herlihy of Connective Technology Solutions says he would be adding the iPad shortly to his "treasure chest" of hardware and software tools he uses to address the needs of people with disabilities.

"And I can already think of about half a dozen things I'll run on it," he says, touting its potential use, for example, as an educational device for children with dexterity issues.

"For some kids, it's a lot easier to just put your finger on something and drag it than it is to have to click and drag and drop with a mouse," he says.

The Trace Center's Vanderheiden says the iPad is a "great platform - small, inexpensive, a lot of power, a long battery", but its greatest contribution to the needs of the disabled may be from the applications built for the device.

"They offer the opportunity for just tremendous, unprecedented innovation," he says. "The really key part is that it's a development platform that allows people to be creative. That's where the power comes from."

Source: China Daily/Agencies

Civil Rights Division Pushes for Internet Accessibility

2010-04-27T20:34:00.002-05:00

From: http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/04/22/civil-rights-division-pushes-for-internet-accessibility/

By Leah Nylen | April 22, 2010 4:17 pm

A Justice Department official told a House Judiciary panel Thursday that the Civil Rights Division will continue to push for accessibility on the internet for Americans with disabilities.

Samuel R. Bagenstos, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, said that division has worked to ensure that websites for state and local governments and public accommodations comply with the American with Disabilities Act and are accessible by assistive technologies, such as text readers or Braille displays, which convert text to Braille for blind web users.

“As public servants entrusted with the welfare of our citizens, we in the federal government must provide the leadership to make certain that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from the virtual world in the same way that they were historically excluded from ‘brick and mortar’ facilities,” Bagenstos said in testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights and civil liberties. “If we are not careful, as technology becomes more sophisticated the gap will grow wider, and people with disabilities will have less access to our public life.”

Bagenstos also highlighted a recent case by the Disability Rights Section at Civil Rights Division involving universities that wanted to incorporate e-book readers. Earlier this year, the DOJ reached settlement agreements with five universities that had agreed to participate in a Kindle e-book reader pilot program with Amazon.com. Although the Kindle has the ability to turn text to speech, the blind have no way of navigating the menus to turn on that feature. In the agreement with the DOJ, the schools promised they would not require students to purchase the Kindle or any other e-book reader that was not fully accessible, Bagenstos said. Although it was not part of the Justice Department suit, Amazon.com also announced that it would make the Kindle accessible to the blind.

TextAloud Software Helps Photo Rep Stay Focused

2010-04-15T12:54:00.003-05:00

From: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/04/prweb3867484.htm

Leading Text to Speech software helps NYC producer and photography rep to manage workload and maintain flawless communications for high-fashion clients

CLEMMONS, NC (PRWEB) April 13, 2010 -- As the principle of a high-fashion photo rep firm in New York City, as well as a successful reality TV producer, John Turner must manage his busy schedule down to the microsecond. To assist him in maintaining his heavy workload (and focus), as well as the quality of communications, Turner chooses the leading Text to Speech program TextAloud, from the minds at NextUp.com (http://www.NextUp.com).

Priced from just $29.95, TextAloud is the popular and easy to use software program that enables PC users everywhere to turn their text files into natural, human-sounding speech. TextAloud not only exports written text into spoken audio, it also exports that text into sound files that can be listened to anywhere, from the MP3 player, to the iPhone (R), car, or office. Proving an especially strong resource for those with hectic schedules like John, TextAloud flexibly converts text into enjoyable speech from virtually any text source, from e-mails, websites, documents, and text files, to PDFs and more.

"I've had TextAloud for five years, and use it to check every piece of e-mail and correspondence that goes out," comments John, who first began using TextAloud when he started conducting more and more of his business via e-mail -- a trend that only increased with his TV producing work as well. "My brain is faster than my hands, and I found that I was sometimes missing words in my e-mails," he explains. "However, I didn't always catch the errors, as when I reread them my brain would actually substitute the missing words. Only by using TextAloud did I discover my mistakes -- it was an eye-opening experience." Turner quickly began using TextAloud on a routine basis, not just for reviewing his e-mails, but for his other documents, too.

"TextAloud helps me to really 'hear' the tenor of my writing," adds John, who says the program is like having "a highly useful on-site editor that is able to support me in checking the tone, tenor and grammatical accuracy of my written documents." With a firm that represents a number of high-fashion photographers, and with clients including some of the biggest names in fashion and beauty, flawless communications are a must for John at all times. Those standards are equally vital for his TV producing work, as well, with all communications meeting a high professional standard for readability and professionalism in every way. "Working alone at my desk, TextAloud often serves as a kind of personal assistant that reviews my work for me anytime I need it," he adds. "In listening to this assistant, I'm able to hear the mistakes I have written and to often improve the intent of my communications."

John's favorite aspects of the TextAloud program include its ease of use, as well as its array of enjoyable and varied Premium Voices, which are available for preview and purchase by TextAloud users directly from the NextUp.com home page. "I actually switch voices often," John comments. "It just depends on what mood I'm in. I particularly like the Nuance RealSpeak (TM) voices right now -- several of their voices sound absolutely amazing."

TextAloud remains a mainstay in John's work routine as one of his most helpful software programs and business tools. He sums up his feelings succinctly: "I rely on TextAloud to check every piece of e-mail and correspondence that goes out. I love this program, and always keep it current."

Simon the Robot Has the Ability to Learn

2010-04-15T12:47:00.002-05:00

From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/194155/simon_the_robot_has_the_ability_to_learn.html

Nick Barber, IDG News Service

Apr 13, 2010 4:00 pm

Simon the robot, who has the ability to learn new tasks, got his first public outing at the Computer Human Interaction conference in Atlanta Monday.

To view a full video report click here.

Prior to the show he was a project of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Socially Intelligent Machines lab for three years.

"We're interested in machine learning algorithms where you don't need to necessarily be an expert in machine learning to interact," said Andrea Thomaz. She and her team of researchers are working on robots that could be installed in the home and don't need to be preprogrammed with a set of tasks.

At the CHI conference Simon's job was identifying a few colorful items: a blue book, a green plastic case, a red flower and several others, and putting them into the corresponding color's bin.

To begin teaching Simon, a researcher asks him, "Simon, can you hear me?" He responds in the ubiquitous text-to-speech voice, "Yes." The researcher then asks him if he wants to learn something and he reaches out his robotic arm and grabs whatever the researcher is holding. He brings it towards his face and looks at it. In one demonstration he was given a blue book and told to put the book in the blue bin. He rotated, dropped the book in the bin and said, "There you go."

Thomaz said one of the biggest challenges in developing Simon was system integration.

"We have Linux boxes, Macs, Windows PCs and basically any kind of machine, we're using it," she said. "We use OpenCV [Open Source Computer Vision] and lots of off-the-shelf things for speech recognition." She said that Simon does "blob detection," facial recognition and sound localization.

For now Simon only has a "body" from the waist up and can pivot on the platform he rests on. Behind him is a bank of four computer monitors displaying various information about the robot's status.

In case Simon goes haywire, there's a large red button next to him to turn him off.

As with many of the projects at CHI, there are no current plans for commercialization.

Assistive technology helping students do well in class

2010-02-28T16:04:00.001-05:00

From http://www.communitypress-online.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2466882

Regional – When it comes to assistive technology, the local Catholic school board is making what Kim Carmichael calls amazing progress.

Carmichael, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board special assignment teacher in charge of assistive technology, updated the board and provided examples of equipment and software with the help of two students.

Assistive technology includes tools such as computer hardware and software, FM systems and other equipment funded through the board's special equipment amount (SEA) to support students with a variety of learning disabilities.

"Particularly in my role technology is a gift," Carmichael said. "With appropriate supports students can achieve at a high level and assistive technology is one of them."

There are currently 640 SEA-funded systems in use in the board, 220 of which have been ordered since September.

Carmichael said back then the waiting list for equipment was about nine months or more, but changes to ordering have reduced that to about three months.

"We've made a lot of amazing progress now," Carmichael said. "Most boards we've talked to in Eastern Ontario are still in the nine- to 12-month range, so we're very proud of what we've accomplished this year."

She has also trained 36 teacher and 48 educational assistants at 17 schools in the use of various software programs during this school year.

The programs include software to help students organize their thoughts, text-to-speech programs and others.

Hanna Abrams, a Grade 8 student at St. Mary School in Read, demonstrated how she uses some of the software – referred to as mind mapping – to organize her thoughts and help her read and write.

She has been using assistive technology since Grade 5 and said she initially thought it was "really cool." But other students became envious, she said, and she felt singled out and didn't want to use it.

New Teach Yourself Singing Website Uses Site Pal Speech Bots

2010-02-28T16:00:00.001-05:00

From http://www.seopressreleases.com/teach-singing-website-site-pal-speech-bots/6774

Welcome Bot And FAQ Bot Explain How To Tune Your Voice And Simg
Pearland , Texas, February 25, 2010 — What do you do if you want to add video to your website and do not even own a camcorder? Or for whatever reasons you do want at this time to put your face and your voice online and you do not know any supermodels who will work for free. How about a talking speech bot, that looks and sounds like a great looking and sounding live person in a video.

When a visitor goes to my new website for my new family singing course, Teach Yourself Singing If You Can Talk You Can Sing, a welcome video window pops up and a beautiful spokes model from the UK, explains how my new singing course teaches any child, teen, adult, and senior, how to tune their voice, so their singing sounds great. The same spokes model also pops up on my how to sing website FAQ page and answers the most often questions about Vocal Tuning.

The speech bots were designed by SitePal and they have dozens and dozens of models you can choose from, and dozens and dozens of voices you can choose from. You can even record your own voice and use it with any SitePal model. SitePal can also make a custom speech bot from a photo of yourself. SitePal offers a free 15 day trail. After that, there are a variety of rental plans, where you sign up for so many speech Bot playback streams per month or per year. Adding a SitePal to your website is not expansive at all. My plan also allows me to put my SitePal on ebay, or in an email and many other placement options.

A SitePal Speech Bot or Text To Speech Bot is a great fit for my Teach Yourself Singing If You Can Talk You Can Sing website. I can change spokes models appearance, gender, language, and what the Speech Bot says in just a few minutes. Much faster and easier than making and uploading videos and replacing them with new videos. I still plan to use videos in the futire, but for right now Talking Bots are very effective for Teach Yourself Singing If You Can Talk You Can Sing.

Roger Ebert To Appear On 'Oprah' Tuesday With New Voice

2010-02-27T16:06:00.001-05:00

From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/26/roger-ebert-to-appear-on_n_479007.html

During Roger Ebert's much-anticipated appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" Tuesday, the iconic film critic who has been voiceless for two years following throat surgery will be speaking with a computer-generated voice that reportedly sounds like the one he has lost.

During Friday's taping of the Oprah show, Ebert tested out his new voice and sounded "like himself for the first time in nearly four years since his battle and recovery from thyroid cancer left him voiceless," the Chicago Tribune reports.

As the recent interview with Ebert in Esquire pointed out, a Scottish company called CereProc has made this possible. The Tribune reports:

Last summer, Ebert found the Web site of CereProc, a company based in Edinburgh, Scotland that uses "text to speech" technology to provide people with voices that "sound real" and "have character," according to the company's Web site.
Using mostly audio from Ebert's own voice on DVD commentaries of "Citizen Kane" and "Casablanca," the company created a voice that sounds like the one he lost.

Matthew Aylett, chief technical officer for CereProc, told the Tribune that it is the first time the company has produced a voice that sounded like the voice of the person using it.

"Roger has many years of experience in broadcasting," Aylett told the Tribune. "Obviously we couldn't record him but he did have a lot of audio material we could use to build his voice."

Ebert has expressed frustration about not being able to speak in his blog, but also noted that his writing has improved since he lost his voice.

Small changes can make a big difference to the support of disabled employees, says iansyst Ltd at Health and Wellbeing 2010

2010-02-25T14:42:00.002-05:00

From http://www.24dash.com/news/Health/2010-02-24-Small-changes-can-make-a-big-difference-to-the-support-of-disabled-employees-says-iansyst-Ltd-at-Health-and-Wellbeing-2010

Published by Livewire for Livewire Public Relations in Health and also in Education
Wednesday 24th February 2010 - 4:14pm

Small changes in the workplace can make all the difference to disabled employees, says leading assistive technology specialist iansyst Ltd. At the 2010 Health and Wellbeing Conference iansyst will be showcasing its latest technology and software and will be offering expert advice on workplace disability provision.

Further to the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act, it is more crucial than ever for employers to provide the appropriate support. iansyst will highlight adjustments that can be made to facilitate full participation in the workplace for disabled employees. It is often assumed that such changes will be expensive and impractical; iansyst will identify a variety of measures which can be easily implemented and will have a positive impact on the workplace experience for disabled employees. Simple things like ensuring easy access to information, the provision of assistive handheld technologies and implementing inclusive HR policies can make all the difference.

iansyst will be sharing best practice and ideas for practical training to enable HR managers to meet these expectations. There will be a showcase of various assistive technologies on the stand; these include Audio Notetaker and CapturaTalk mobile phone software. Audio Notetaker enables users to annotate and organise digital recordings; whilst CapturaTalk converts text-to-speech from a digital photo. iansyst takes a full-service approach to technology provision: it will suggest a solution, provide training and offer continued support from its team of service experts.

Janine King, Managing Director at iansyst Ltd commented: “A happy workforce is a loyal workforce. By making changes to support disabled employees, employers are able to encourage a culture of productivity and are likely to retain staff for longer periods of time. iansyst experts are available to discuss what employers can do to support those with disabilities like dyslexia, dyscalculia or visual impairment. Our team will be on stand at the show ready to offer their guidance and support.”

Committed to supporting dyslexic students - Read&Write in the Leeds College of Art

2010-02-25T14:31:00.001-05:00

From http://www.prlog.org/10546603-committed-to-supporting-dyslexic-students-readwrite-in-the-leeds-college-of-art.html

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 24, 2010 – Leeds College of Art has recently installed Read&Write Assistive software on the Colleges’ computer network to support the work of dyslexic students within the College.

The College provides for both further and higher education through its National Diplomas and 12 degree programs. Being a Specialist Arts College, there are quite a number of students with specific difficulties, which Frances Bosley (Learning Development Manager at Leeds College) says is the main reason behind the purchase of Read&Write software.

Frances commented “With being an Art College a lot of the work is practical, but there are also some written aspects, for example students have to complete essays and complete a dissertation and this is when Read&Write software is beneficial. Some courses are also more IT focused which lend themselves especially to using the software”.

Read&Write GOLD is Texthelp’s award-winning literacy support software designed to assist students with literacy difficulties. The software works discreetly with all mainstream Windows applications (including MS Vista), allowing users the opportunity to work in an inclusive manner alongside their colleagues. Read&Write improves access to Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and Digital Exams.

Read&Write GOLD is easy to use and features include: Screen Masking (to tint or mask sections of the window), Texthelp Voices (new text-to-speech voices), a Translator which translates selected words into French, Spanish, German or Italian, enhanced Spelling, Dictionary & Homophone support, and the software echoes back Dragon text.

Frances continues: “The students like the advanced Spell Check feature which is helpful because it provides definitions of words, which can be read aloud instead of just offering alternative words. The organisational aspects of the software also allow students to structure their work better. The fact that their work can be read back to them for proof-reading is very valuable.

The software has only recently been installed at Leeds College of Art and will take some time to embed into the College. We are currently encouraging staff and students to use it more, and this is something that will take a little time. However, some students already say that their life has changed considerably by using Read&Write software”.

Travel apps help you go, stay, dine, shop, translate ...

2010-02-25T14:25:00.002-05:00

From http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Travel+apps+help+stay+dine+shop+translate/2602263/story.html

Travel apps help you go, stay, dine, shop, translate ...
And they're much easier to carry and use than an armload of dictionaries, maps and schedules
By Ruby Turner, Special to Canwest News Service

Wondering what makes a good travel app? Travel enthusiasts who embrace this technology consider a good travel app to be one that displays precise facts in an easy-to-read format. Simplicity is the gold standard. BlackBerry and iPhone/iPod Touch users have embraced this new travel tool but face a challenge in finding the app that best suits their individual needs.

Most business travellers consider their apps as a personal assistant that keeps them up to date with meeting schedules, flight times, hotel and car bookings. These apps provide pertinent details if there is a need to revise plans during the trip and are usually pre-programmed for constant communication.

Apps have quite a different use for the vacationing travellers. Often plans are either set or wide open, so there is no need to be in constant touch with airports and hotels. For these travellers, apps are a bonus with a wealth of information. Choosing the right apps means not having to take along ripped pages from heavy travel books, large expensive maps and hard-to-read timetables of planes and trains.

The following categories are listed on www.appsafari.com and www.bestappsite.com as the most sought-after travel apps. Many apps are free, but you might want to consider add-ons. Check the lists and see which apps best suit your travel needs.

Navigation is the most popular choice. It is very convenient to have a hand-held GPS device when walking around large cities. It is fine to stroll down side streets to sightsee, but there will be times when you want to know the most direct and quickest way to a destination.

Metro transportation apps for major cities give up-to-date times and schedules. Provide an address, and the app will indicate the closest stations. The trip planner will then automatically find the best route. These apps are constantly updated, and you will be alerted if there is a reduction or cancellation of services on your route.

Currency exchange apps make for stress-free shopping and dining. These apps are particularly helpful if you are dealing in a currency other than the U.S. or Canadian dollar or euro. Currency apps include a calculator and alert you when you have reached your budget limit.

Universal translator apps are worthwhile for travel to a place where English isn't spoken. You can translate words, phrases and sentences. Some apps have an text-to-speech option so you can type in a word or phrase and have it spoken.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

Clemson Researchers Deliver Hands-Free, Speech-Enabled Messaging

2010-02-25T08:56:00.001-05:00

From http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/News/News-Feature/Clemson-Researchers-Deliver-Hands-Free,-Speech-Enabled-Messaging-61184.aspx

By Adam Boretz - Posted Feb 18, 2010

Professor Juan Gilbert and a team of researchers at Clemson University developed a hands-free solution that allows drivers to send messages—all via the power of their voice—while driving.

The application, VoiceTEXT, enables drivers to simply switch cell phones into Bluetooth mode, connect to cars, and speak messages. With VoiceTEXT, drivers are able to issue simple voice commands to record, deliver, listen to, and reply to voice messages. Additionally, the solution—built on the Voxeo platform—allows users to receive an accompanying text message and email with each voice message. Users can even choose to receive transcriptions of messages.

Gilbert—chairman of the human-centered computing division of Clemson’s School of Computing—says the system can be tailored to the needs of the user and his location: in the car, in a meeting, etc.

“You can set your settings [based] on how you want to receive information—either auditory or visual—and then react accordingly,” Gilbert says.

According to Gilbert, VoiceTEXT is different from other solutions on the market. With his offering, a user can record a voice message and instruct the system to call the recipient; the recipient is then able to answer the call, hear the message, and reply without ever touching the phone.

“The unique thing is we’re using the phone line versus the SMS,” he says. “It actually calls the recipient.”

Gilbert says the impetus for VoiceTEXT was increasing awareness about the dangers of texting while driving. He says that while people are learning about the dangerous of texting while driving, the practice persists and is usually discovered only after an accident.

Gilbert suggests the issue is one of enforcement. He notes that 19 states have passed legislation banning texting while driving, but a problem remains: how to execute the law. With VoiceTEXT, drivers will have another, safer option.

“For us the safety is it keeps your eyes on the road, your hands on the steering wheel,” he says, noting that studies show that even talking while driving can be distracting. “We believe this technology will be less distracting than carrying on a conversation because you're actually just sending a short message rather than conversing.”

And while, VoiceTEXT may make driving safer, not everyone is convinced it will make it safe enough.

In an email to Speech Technology, Jim Larson—a speech application consultant, co-chair of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Voice Browser Working Group, and program chair of SpeechTEK Europe 2010—expressed excitement about the solution, but remained concerned about safety issues associated with the use of mobile devices while driving.

“My real concern is that there are two aspects to using computers while driving,” writes Larson, “taking your eyes off of the road to look at the screen [and] the cognitive overload to the driver's brain. This experiment deals only with the first aspect and not the second, which is also a big factor.”

VoiceTEXT has been in pilot testing for two months. Gilbert and his team will now launch a study of the solution via a driving simulator on the Clemson campus. Additionally, he holds a provisional patent on the technology and is making it available for licensing.

“We found that people liked this approach,” Gilbert says. “We believe it is safer than texting and we believe it’s safer than having a conversation on the phone and we’re going to study that.”

Is There A Hand Held Device That Can Read Books/text Books To You?

2010-02-24T13:02:00.002-05:00

From http://www.chemicalall.com/device/is-there-a-hand-held-device-that-can-read-bookstext-books-to-you.html

Question:
I’m in college and taking some online classes. I understand material better when it is spoken to me. I’m looking for a portable device that can read the textbooks to me. Any ideas?

Answer:
Nonsound on February 23rd, 2010 at 12:29 pm
You’re looking for what’s known as “text-to-audio” or “text-to-speech”.
Most PC/electronics stores have e-books (OfficeMax, Circuit City, etc) which, depending on your budget, will have an audio option.
Otherwise you can use any run-of-the-mill laptop & pick the text-to-audio software that works best for you.
Here’s an example:
http://www.nextuptech.com/
The only downside to this is that the book MUST be in a digital format; currently there is no reliable devices that can read physical textbooks. If that’s the case, you’re much better off finding a study buddy or trying to find a digital copy of your textbook.

Android SMS Speaker, Hear Your Text Messages

2010-02-24T12:57:00.001-05:00

From http://www.morninpaper.com/2010/02/android-sms-speaker-hear-your-text-messages/

Not happy with your Android Voice control? Need a little multi-lingual help? Have a look at ‘Android SMS Speaker’. It’s a great idea to have voice control while driving, this way you make it to your destination instead of the alternative due to an incoming text you really need to read. Android SMS Speaker will help users keep their eyes on the road, while getting shopping list instructions from home.

Android SMS Speaker version 1.0 is multi-lingual Text to Speech application that fetches incoming SMS and allows for play back, similar to a voice message system, and it’s easy to use.
Features:
Text-To-Speech (TTS) ready
SMS
Multi-language support

Works with

Acer: Acer Liquid
HTC: HTC Nexus One, HTC Passion, HTC Tattoo
Lenovo: Lenovo LePhone
Motorola: Motorola Backflip, Motorola DEVOUR A555, Motorola Droid, Motorola Milestone, Motorola XT720 MOTOROI, Motorola XT800 Zhishang
Samsung: Samsung SCH-i899, Samsung SGH-t939 Behold II
Sony Ericsson: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 / X10i
T-Mobile: T-Mobile G1, T-Mobile myTouch 3G

$9.99
Android SMS Speaker

Capitol to host Braille exhibit

2010-02-24T12:53:00.002-05:00

From http://www.theolympian.com/2010/02/23/1149241/capitol-to-host-braille-exhibit.html

A traveling display highlighting Louis Braille will be featured in Olympia in March. The 20-panel display will take viewers through the highlights of Braille’s life, the braille production process, and why this form of reading remains important today.

The exhibit was produced by the National Braille Press. It is sponsored by the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), Washington State Library and Washington State Heritage Center.

“This exhibit is a great opportunity to celebrate Louis Braille’s extraordinary life and learn how his reading system made it possible for blind and visually impaired people to enjoy literature,” said Secretary of State Sam Reed in a prepared statement.

The exhibit will be shown March 1-15 on the third floor of the Legislative Building.

“I think my main hope for what people take away from visiting the exhibit is to recognize the importance and value that braille plays in the everyday life of blind people,” said Danielle Miller, program manager for WTBBL, which is part of the Washington State Library in the Office of Secretary of State.

On Tuesday (March 2), the library will have a table next to the exhibit where WTBBL staff will have examples of materials in braille, as well as braille fortune cookies. There also will be blind volunteers who can braille names or phrases for people who visit the table. A special event honoring Louis Braille and his reading invention will take place that day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with state legislators and the public invited. Secretary Reed will be among the speakers at a 12:30 p.m. ceremony recognizing the exhibit.

“Louis Braille’s invention made literacy possible for millions of people around the world,” Miller said. “He provided blind people with an important gift that allows them to read, write and stay more connected with the world around them. Unfortunately, there has been a decrease in the number of blind individuals who learn braille, partly due to fewer teachers and an increase in text-to-speech technology. This exhibit is a reminder of how important a role that braille can play in the lives of the blind or visually impaired.” Louis Braille was born in France on January 4, 1809. He became blind at age 3 when he accidently stabbed himself in one eye with a tool and got an infection. The other eye went blind when the infection spread.

The bright, creative student earned a scholarship to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris. At 15, he devised what is now known as braille, widely used by blind and visually impaired people for reading and writing. Braille is read by passing the fingers over characters made up of an arrangement of one to six embossed points. It has been adapted to almost every known language, as well as music, mathematics and science.

Super Text To Speech

2010-02-24T09:35:00.002-05:00

From http://www.androlib.com/android.application.alliance-stts-android-itDC.aspx

Now Ad Free!

With this app you can amaze(or annoy) your friends!

Super features:
-choose your locale
-pitch and speed control
-save to sd card
-email to a friend

Want to use the built in Spanish pronunciations? No problemo!

Want to make your android sound like a ... well an android? I WILL OBEY

Super Text To Speech was developed for Android by Brew Engine

Package name : alliance.stts.android

TEAM International launches iReminder app for iPhones

2010-02-24T09:31:00.001-05:00

From http://www.i-newswire.com/team-international-launches-ireminder/23281

TEAM International proudly introduces the iReminder application. It has now become possible to place a call in the future and set up an iReminder.

(I-Newswire) February 22, 2010 - Have you ever forgotten an anniversary or a birthday? Have you ever been asked to remind someone of an activity? Have you ever missed your daughter’s ballet recital? Have you ever needed a reminder for something in the future but wanted a chance to do it now? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this application has been designed for you!

iReminder is an application developed by TEAM International in partnership with iTMP and designed for iPhone/iPod Touch that let’s you place a call in the future.

You can choose from a variety of preset reminders including birthdays, deadlines, anniversaries, payments, oil change reminders and simple “wake up calls”.

Customers can choose text-to-speech or pre-recorded reminders that are delivered via multiple alternatives customized by the end user.

The Changing Voice of Voice Mail

2010-02-24T09:25:00.001-05:00

From http://www.nojitter.com/blog/archives/2010/02/the_changing_vo.html;jsessionid=B1OFIJ4H33XMDQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN

Posted by Blair Pleasant, COMMfusion/UCStrategies | Feb 22, 2010

At VoiceCon Orlando, Marty Parker and I will be moderating a panel discussion about "How Much Voice Mail Do You Really Need?" with speakers from AVST, Avaya, Cisco and Microsoft. The session’s premise is that even though the need for voice mail is changing significantly due to evolving voice-calling patterns and the availability of alternative communication modes, voice mail remains an important tool for controlling costs, serving customers and enhancing workflows.

The result is new voice mail requirements as well as new products. There is a new breed of voice messaging systems that focus on call answering, notification, and voice services, as well as unified messaging systems that offer mobile notification and speech-to-text capabilities, plus voice portals that offer speech attendants and application options.

We now have more communication and messaging options than ever before--instant messaging and email are taking over as the primary messaging modes, as the use of voice mail decreases. If you were asked which messaging mode you would be willing to give up for a week, I bet it would be voice mail--followed by IM and lastly email. It's hard to get work done without access to email, but many of us go days without receiving a voice mail message, especially for our office phones.

Often times when people make a phone call and don't reach the intended recipient at their home or office, they hang up and call that person's cell phone and leave a message there if there's no answer. The need for true voice messaging--providing the ability to log in, to record and send a message to one or more addresses, to forward stored voice messages between users and to broadcast messages--as opposed to telephone answering--recording a message from the caller to a busy or unanswered number--has also decreased. If a broadcast message needs to be distributed among workers, it's likely to be an email rather than a voice message. And increasingly, voice messages that need to be distributed are sent as email attachments.

In the past few years, voice mail has become a commodity, a feature of other applications such as telephony, with little if any price premium for basic functionality. Users will continue to pay for unified messaging, but UM prices have dropped considerably in the past two years, thanks mostly to Microsoft's introduction of Unified Messaging in Exchange with speech interface capabilities for only $25/seat.

Additionally, many of the functions that were previously associated with unified messaging are now part of a unified communications solution. Advanced features such as find me/follow me became part of vendors’ PBX function or of the UC mobility offerings, and are less specific to the messaging platform.

On the bright side, unified messaging has garnered more attention and customers have more options now than ever before. Thanks to the iPhone, visual voice mail is becoming all the rage. Of course this is a capability that has been part of UM systems for years, but now people expect to see their voice mail messages in visual form in their inbox.

Calendar integration and speech technologies (text-to-speech to translate email messages into speech, and for speech command and control of messaging capabilities) will continue to be add-on enhancements for those who need it, providing enhanced value to UM systems.

There are also new developments and integrations that are making unified messaging solutions more powerful. By integrating the enterprise's presence solution with its voice mail systems, presence capabilities get tied in to the user's mailbox, providing more compelling functionality. For example, when I receive a voice message from Marty, I can see his presence status and availability next to his name in my inbox, and if the system is unified communications-enabled, I can click on his name and be connected via click-to-call capabilities.

'There's no stopping that kid'

2010-02-22T17:09:00.002-05:00

From http://www.rep-am.com/news/local/doc4b81e186346b4384303013.txt

Bristol man, blinded in workplace accident, seeks new home for self, children in Litchfield County

BRISTOL -- Jim Sadecki's living room is decorated with family photos, mementos of his Air Force career, and the stuffed head of the first buck he killed after losing his eyes.

In the five years since an industrial accident blinded Sadecki, 33, he has climbed to the summit of Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire during winter, run road races and learned to shoot rifles, pistols and a hunting bow with a little help from family and friends.

“That was one of my hobbies that I got much relief from,” Sadecki said.

Sadecki's 10-year Air Force career included three deployments to the Middle East. A photograph of Balad Air Force Base in Iraq, a military identification card, and a brass plaque identifying the former staff sergeant as a “jack of all trades” are enshrined in a glass case on the living room wall above the mantle.

He was a competitive marksman who served on Emergency Services Units -- military versions of SWAT teams -- and learned to use laser sights that have come into play as he has learned to shoot with other people's eyes watching a red dot and directing Sadecki's aim up, down, left or right.

He built this ability with Internet research, adapting laser sights already on the market for use with his bow. He now aims to build a home in Litchfield County, and is closing in on a couple of possibilities, land where he can blaze trails through the woods and set up a shooting range.

“I have a digital compass that talks in degrees,” Sadecki said. “All these small things help me to be more independent.”

Sadecki seeks a place where he can teach his children, Carson, 9, and Adlih, 7, to fish and find their way in the woods. He has enlisted the services of West Hartford architect Neal Zimmerman and collaborator Todd Rosenblum in Spring Valley, N.Y., specialists in accessible design, to design a home with features including doorways without steps, flat thresholds, rounded corners on counters and walls and automated controls. He already has a talking thermostat, talking clocks and an iPhone that can photograph a restaurant menu and read it aloud.

'They had to rebuild all of that'

Sadecki learned in the fall of 2004 that his father, Charles, was dying of cancer.

“At the time I was married, and we decided to get out and come back to Connecticut so I could help take care of my mother and father and spend time with the kids,” he said. He returned in August, and his honorable discharge quickly followed.

He took a job in construction, though he is not at liberty to identify his employer. A confidentially agreement precludes disclosure of many details of the accident on Sept. 8, 2004, Sadecki said, or the terms of any agreement that may have followed.

A steel cable snapped under heavy strain and fragments of metal or the cable itself lashed across his face.

“More or less I got hit right across the bridge of the nose,” he said. “It lacerated both eyes, more or less it vaporized the bridge of my nose. They had to rebuild all of that.”

Surgeons replaced his ruined eyes with plastic prosthetics, which appear remarkably natural and move to track sources of sound. Doctors left a thin scar as the only immediately obvious evidence of what Sadecki lost: his sight, smell and, to some extent, his sense of taste. Until he picks up his white cane, that is, a cane that is both a navigational aid and a bar to basic human interaction.

“People feel uncomfortable to talk to you,” he said, adding that his sense of humor comes in handy. “Sometimes, it's just making a joke that breaks the ice.”

A photo of Sadecki atop Wildcat Mountain taken by his brother, Mark, shows a smiling, rugged, 6-feet-4-inch man holding a sign that reads, “FOLLOW A DREAM,” a tribute to Jay Blake, a friend and the only blind crew chief working in auto racing. It was a cloudy day in New Hampshire, Jan. 22, 2006, though mountain peaks are easily visible in the background. On the back of the sign Sadecki wrote “ZERO VISIBILITY.”

'There's no stopping that kid.'

“It took, I think, a snowstorm to get me out of my shell,” Sadecki said, recalling a winter day following his accident and his father's death, when his mother, Francine, struggled to start the snow blower. “I told her get in the house, I'm snow blowing the driveway.”

Sadecki worked out a system: Starting at the garage, “I make everything squares,” he said, following a series of right-angle turns around the driveway of a home he has lived in since age 11 and purchased from his parents after leaving the Air Force.

“It's amazing what you can feel,” he said. “Through my feet, through the snow blower.”

Clearing the driveway inspired Sadecki to take on more challenging tasks. Using a computer that transforms text to speech, he navigated Web sites to learn about laser sights used by blind people to shoot guns and bows while a spotter watches a red dot on a target and gives directions.

Mark Sadecki of Watertown, Mass., Jim's older brother by three years, said he's not a fan of firearms or hunting, but he supports his brother's pursuits.

“There's no stopping that kid. If he puts his mind to something he's going to get it done,” Mark Sadecki said. “He's always done a really good job of making safety his number one priority.”

Sensory Speech Chip, Listens, Talks, Plays Music

2010-02-17T13:38:00.001-05:00

From http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2359459,00.asp

by Mark Hachman

Sensory, which manufactures speech recognition chips for consumer electronics, on Tuesday announced the NLP-5X, a chip that recognizes and plays back speech, sound samples, and MIDI files, all for as little as $2.

The NLP-5x is the company's first to feature text-to-speech, using a voice-morphing algorithm that can generate thousands of voices on the fly, according to Todd Mozer, the company's chief executive.

Sensory counts major toy manufacturers like JVC, Mattel, and Hasbro among the company's customers, so the capabilities that the NLP-5X offers could show up in tomorrow's toys. In total, Sensory chips appears in between 30 to 40 products, over four generations of product. "But we decided it was time to rearchitect the whole chip," Mozer said.

The NLP-5X upgraded the chip's internal microcontrollers to a DSP, adding more MIPS horsepower, upgrading the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog circuitry from 12- to 16-bit sensitivity.

There are two types of speech recognition: speaker-dependent, such as that provided by Nuance and its Dragon Naturally Speaking product. There, the PC or phone stores an enormous library of phonemes and words, but requires the system to "train" with the user to manage the complexity of the process. A speaker-independent system like Sensory manufactures allows a for a great deal of latitude in the input voice, and doesn't require training. But the available "vocabulary" is also much smaller.

Still, even speaker-independent systems can factor in complexity. "An oven is a good example," Mozer said. "It's quite complex on older chips, compared to what we can do today. On an oven, for example, the unit can ask you, 'What temperature do you want?'"

When a user replies, he might answer any of many possible combinations from roughly 100 degrees to 500 degrees, with some variance: "three-seventy-five," for example, or "three-seven-five," or "three hundred and seventy-five degrees". The user also can be asked how he wants the meal cooked - convection, baked, or broiled - and for how long. "The natural language function is the most unique feature of the chip," Mozer said.

With the addition of text-to-speech, that oven could go onto the Internet, find a recipe, and then read it to the user, Mozer added. The voice-morphing system allows it to speak thousands of voices, including male and female. But Mozer said that the company hasn't recorded a celebrity voice. A 24-voice MIDI synthesizer allows it to play back music or MP3 files. Sensory even built in a gesture interface, Mozer added.

An "incredible algorithm" also allows the chip to always be on, Mozer said, "listening" for commands, instead of requiring a button to be depressed. In certain cases, the NLP-5x can receive a "hint" that it might be needed; a Sensory chip inside a Bluetooth headset can be cued by the phone. Even a MIPS-intensive task requires just 30 microamps, Mozer said, extending battery life even further.

"We're far and away the leader in this space, and this is why," Mozer said.

Google's Alfred Spector on voice search, hybrid intelligence and beyond

2010-02-16T15:40:00.003-05:00

From http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/google-s-alfred-spector-on-voice-search-hybrid-intelligence-and-beyond-669605

Inside Google Labs
By Oliver Lindberg

Google has always been tight-lipped about products that haven't launched yet. It's no secret, however, that thanks to the company's bottom-up culture, its engineers are working on tons of new projects at the same time.

Following the mantra of 'release early, release often', the speed at which the search engine giant is churning out tools is staggering. At the heart of it all is Alfred Spector, Google's Vice President of Research and Special Initiatives.

One of the areas Google is making significant advances in is voice search. Spector is astounded by how rapidly it's come along.

The Google Mobile App features 'search by voice' capabilities that are available for the iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Android. All versions understand English (including US, UK, Australian and Indian-English accents) but the latest addition, for Nokia S60 phones, even introduces Mandarin speech recognition, which – because of its many different accents and tonal characteristics – posed a huge engineering challenge.

It's the most spoken language in the world, but as it isn't exactly keyboard-friendly, voice search could become immensely popular in China.

Technology challenge

"Voice is one of these grand technology challenges in computer science," Spector explains. "Can a computer understand the human voice? It's been worked on for many decades and what we've realised over the last couple of years is that search, particularly on handheld devices, is amenable to voice as an import mechanism.

"It's very valuable to be able to use voice. All of us know that no matter how good the keyboard, it's tricky to type exactly the right thing into a searchbar, while holding your backpack and everything else."

To get a computer to take account of your voice is no mean feat, of course. "One idea is to take all of the voices that the system hears over time into one huge pan-human voice model. So, on the one hand we have a voice that's higher and with an English accent, and on the other hand my voice, which is deeper and with an American accent. They both go into one model, or it just becomes personalised to the individual; voice scientists are a little unclear as to which is the best approach."

Machine translation

The research department is also making progress in machine translation. Google Translate already features 51 languages, including Swahili and Yiddish. The latest version introduces instant, real-time translation, phonetic input and text-to-speech support (in English).

"We're able to go from any language to any of the others, and there are 51 times 50, so 2,550 possibilities," Spector explains.

"We're focusing on increasing the number of languages because we'd like to handle even those languages where there's not an enormous volume of usage. It will make the web far more valuable to more people if they can access the English-or Chinese language web, for example.

"But we also continue to focus on quality because almost always the translations are valuable but imperfect. Sometimes it comes from training our translation system over more raw data, so we have, say, EU documents in English and French and can compare them and learn rules for translation. The other approach is to bring more knowledge into translation.

"For example, we're using more syntactic knowledge today and doing automated parsing with language. It's been a grand challenge of the field since the late 1950s. Now it's finally achieved mass usage."

The team, led by scientist Franz Josef Och, has been collecting data for more than 100 languages, and the Google Translator Toolkit, which makes use of the 'wisdom of the crowds', now even supports 345 languages, many of which are minority languages.

The editor enables users to translate text, correct the automatic translation and publish it. Spector thinks that this approach is the future. As computers become even faster, handling more and more data – a lot of it in the cloud – machines learn from users and thus become smarter. He calls this concept 'hybrid intelligence'.

"It's very difficult to solve these technological problems without human input," he says. "It's hard to create a robot that's as clever, smart and knowledgeable of the world as we humans are. But it's not as tough to build a computational system like Google, which extends what we do greatly and gradually learns something about the world from us, but that requires our interpretation to make it really successful.

"We need to get computers and people communicating in both directions, so the computer learns from the human and makes the human more effective."

Examples of 'hybrid intelligence' are Google Suggest, which instantly offers popular searches as you type a search query, and the 'did you mean?' feature in Google search, which corrects you when you misspell a query in the searchbar. The more you use it, the better the system gets.

Training computers to become seemingly more intelligent poses major hurdles for Google's engineers. "Computers don't train as efficiently as people do," Spector explains.

"Let's take the chess example. If a Kasparov was the educator, we could count on almost anything he says as being accurate. But if you tried to learn from a million chess players, you learn from my children as well, who play chess but they're 10 and eight. They'll be right sometimes and not right other times. There's noise in that, and some of the noise is spam. One also has to have careful regard for privacy issues."

By collecting enormous amounts of data, Google hopes to create a powerful database that eventually will understand the relationship between words (for example, 'a dog is an animal' and 'a dog has four legs').

The challenge is to try to establish these relationships automatically, using tons of information, instead of having experts teach the system. This database would then improve search results and language translations because it would have a better understanding of the meaning of the words.

Conceptual search

There's also a lot of research around 'conceptual search'. "Let's take a video of a couple in front of the Empire State Building. We watch the video and it's clear they're on their honeymoon. But what is the video about? Is it about love or honeymoons, or is it about renting office space? It's a fundamentally challenging problem."

One example of conceptual search is Google Image Swirl, which was added to Labs in November. Enter a keyword and you get a list of 12 images; clicking on each one brings up a cluster of related pictures. Click on any of them to expand the 'wonder wheel' further.

Google notes that they're not just the most relevant images; the algorithm determines the most relevant group of images with similar appearance and meaning.

To improve the world's data, Google continues to focus on the importance of the open internet. Another Labs project, Google Fusion Tables facilitates data management in the cloud. It enables users to create tables, filter and aggregate data, merge it with other data sources and visualise it with Google Maps or the Google Visualisation API.

The data sets can then be published, shared or kept private and commented on by people around the world. "It's an example of open collaboration," Spector says.

"If it's public, we can crawl it to make it searchable and easily visible to people. We hired one of the best database researchers in the world, Alon Halevy, to lead it."

Google is aiming to make more information available more easily across multiple devices, whether it's images, videos, speech or maps, no matter which language we're using.

Spector calls the impact "totally transparent processing – it revolutionises the role of computation in day-today life. The computer can break down all these barriers to communication and knowledge. No matter what device we're using, we have access to things. We can do translations, there are books or government documents, and some day we hope to have medical records. Whatever you want, no matter where you are, you can find it."

Another Victim of Technology: Braille Literacy

2010-02-11T13:03:00.003-05:00

from http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/education/2010/feb/Another-Victim-of-Technology--Braille-Literacy.html

February 10, 2010 08:00 AM
by Colleen Brondou
Although technology has been a blessing for those with visual impairments, the abundance of audio and digital technology has made reading Braille a rare skill.

Is Braille Becoming Obsolete?
According to a report issued in 2008 by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), less than 10 percent of the 1.3 million people who are legally blind in the United States can read Braille. Due to technology, Braille is more available than ever, Bill Glauber reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. But more audio is also available, along with digital technology or computer software applications that translate the written word into speech.

The NFB believes there are three reasons for the decline: a shortage of Braille teachers, teachers that haven’t received enough training in Braille and a belief among educators that Braille instruction isn’t necessary.
Read How You Want helps those with reading disabilities, vision impairment and normal vision find the perfect book format. In addition to creating large print and Braille versions of text, Read How You Want has ebooks and audiobooks, and has developed special formats for people with reading disabilities and phonetic formats for English learners.
Background: The decline of Braille
Marc Riccobono, executive director of the National Federation of the Blind’s Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, was diagnosed with glaucoma at the age of 5. During the 1960s and 1970s, he explained to Glauber, many blind students were placed in the public education system. There weren’t enough Braille teachers to handle the influx, so audio devices became a popular way to teach students with visual impairments.

“You had a whole generation that grew up without Braille,” Riccobono told Glauber.
Around the middle of the 20th century, approximately half of visually impaired school children in the U.S. read Braille. Now, Glauber reports, that number is around 1 in 10.

Opinion: “Braille is literacy”
Though text-to-speech technology has its place, Braille advocates point out that being able to read Braille equates to academic success.

“People realize that Braille is literacy,” Hope Good, who works in program support at Engleburg Elementary, told Glauber. “You can’t spell or punctuate with a tape recorder.”

Citing statistics from the NFB, the Wausau Daily Herald points out that only 30 percent of blind adults are employed, and of those, more than 80 percent work in careers that require the use of Braille every day.

“Braille is attached to literacy and to success in employment,” Cheryl Orgas, executive director of Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement Inc., told the Journal Sentinel.
Key Player: Louis Braille
Jan. 4, 2009, was the 200-year anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, the man who invented the Braille system of reading. Blind as the result of an accident at the age of 3, Louis created his invention based on a French military code called “night writing.” The code was a series of raised dots that allowed soldiers to communicate top-secret information on the battlefield in silence. Louis modified the system when he was only 15 years old and published the first book in Braille in 1829.
Reference: National Federation of the Blind
National Federation of the Blind has launched a Braille literacy campaign to make sure that everyone with visual impairments has the opportunity to learn Braille. Visit the site to read the NFB’s report, “The Braille Literacy Crisis in America,” and learn how to promote Braille literacy.

Easy Talking Online Mobile Apps: Acapela Group Provides Online Speech Synthesis Capability for Iphone, Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian Platforms

2010-02-10T12:52:00.003-05:00

From http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/easy-talking-online-mobile-apps-acapela-group-provides-online-speech-synthesis-capability-for-iphone-android-windows-mobile-and-symbian-platforms-83869302.html

To be Unveiled at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Barcelona - Visit Acapela Booth to try out our Talking Demos, Live!
MONS, Belgium, February 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Acapela Group, expert and inventor of innovative vocal solutions, will be announcing the availability of its cloud computing service to mobile developers, for easy talking apps deployment to speech empower iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian platforms, at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Acapela aims to create a vocal world accessible to anyone, whatever the size of their project, and to promote and open the use of speech to all developers. As such the company fully supports the increasing demand for *online resources* and is enhancing its *cloud computing service* by providing cross-platform access which meets the demands of the mobile market.

iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile or Symbian developers will all benefit from Acapela's on-line service, to *easily add the ability to talk to their app*, temporarily use text to speech resources to vocalize interactive campaigns, mobile advertising, games or e-learning, or introduce speech capability for the first time. Acapela's online text to speech grants mobile developers full access to all its highest quality voices and languages, at a controlled and low cost, free from any footprint issues.

Acapela VaaS for Mobile is an invitation to all developers to easily *experience speech synthesis for the first time*. They then choose the voice interface best adapted to their project: connect the app online, use sound files or integrate the speech engine. Acapela offers the full range of speech options, to shape and meet all vocalization needs.

Acapela VaaS will be available for iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian Smart phones, in 25 languages and 50 voices.

Check out http://www.acapela-vaas.com and apply for your free test account.

Acapela VaaS for Mobile will be unveiled during the Mobile World Congress - further information will be available on the acapela-vaas website from Feb 15th.

*Hear more about Acapea VaaS and meet the Acapela Team during the GSMA Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona, booth 2E59

http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/exhibition/whos_exhibiting.htm*

SOURCE Acapela Group

Nuance Voice Control for Automotive Powers Speech for Leading QNX CAR Application Platform

2010-02-10T12:42:00.005-05:00

From http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nuance-voice-control-for-automotive-powers-speech-for-leading-qnx-car-application-platform-2010-02-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Nuance's Innovative Speech Technology Tailored for the Connected Car Fully Integrated as Part of QNX CAR Application Platform

BURLINGTON, Mass. & OTTAWA, Feb 09, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nuance Communications, (NUAN 14.48, -0.35, -2.36%) and QNX Software Systems, a Harman International (HAR 41.81, +0.62, +1.51%) and an industry leader in real-time, embedded OS technology, together announced that Nuance Voice Control for Automotive is powering the connected speech capabilities of the QNX(R) CAR application platform. Drivers will be able to speak text messages and emails, enter navigation commands, and access the Web for sports, news, traffic, and more, powered by Nuance's connected speech capabilities working seamlessly with the QNX CAR platform.

The QNX CAR application platform, which provides the software foundation for the LTE Connected Car from the Alcatel-Lucent ng Connect Program, offers a new approach to prototyping and productizing in-vehicle systems by pre-integrating QNX products and third-party technologies as a set of reference implementations. With Nuance, QNX Software Systems seamlessly integrates advanced speech recognition capabilities based on Nuance's trusted core Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech technology and advancements in natural language understanding to provide drivers the ability to find directions, music, and other Web-based information just by using their voice.

"To play in today's highly competitive market, automakers and their Tier One suppliers need to integrate a variety of connectivity and multimedia features while ensuring drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road," said Sebastien Marineau-Mes, vice president of engineering, QNX. "By integrating intuitive speech technology from Nuance, the QNX CAR application platform can help drivers access a variety of connected services with simple voice commands. Voice enables highly intuitive user interfaces, ultimately driving adoption of connected car services and minimizing manual and visual distractions."

Nuance Voice Control Automotive leverages the same speech technology found in the successful Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search Apps for iPhone to provide a safer connected car experience that allows drivers to say a variety of spoken commands. In fact, it's the industry's first solution to provide one-button, seamless access to all services leveraging Nuance's advancements in natural language understanding and mobile speech applications.

"We've worked closely with QNX to ensure that the many automotive manufacturers and Tier One suppliers they serve can provide their customers with an amazing connected car experience powered by speech," said Arnd Weil, general manager, Nuance Automotive. "We continue to focus on making strides in flexible natural language understanding technology, as it not only provides our partners and customers with the ability to further differentiate in a competitive market, but also to ensure that the innovations shaping today's connected in-car experience aren't creating increased distractions behind the wheel."

Availability

The version of the QNX CAR application platform featuring Nuance Voice Control Automotive's innovative speech capabilities is scheduled for release to auto manufacturers and suppliers in April 2010.

QNX Software Systems brings industry-leading production experience and a 30-year track record of cutting-edge technology and innovative programs to Nuance Communications solutions. This combined with Nuance's automotive solutions, which power the speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities of more than 25 million automobiles and 20 million personal navigation devices from the world's leading brands, creates a compelling integrated platform for today's leading auto manufacturers.

Samsung Electronics Unveils Its New eBook Reader with WiFi Connectivity

2010-02-09T17:59:00.003-05:00

From http://www.koreaittimes.com/node/7239

In the midst of growing interest in eBooks, fueled largely by the launch of Apple's iPad (a tablet PC with a built-in eBook reader), Samsung Electronics is about to launch its new WiFi eBook reader, creating a buzz in the market. On February 2, Samsung Electronics announced that it would launch its new 6-inch eBook reader (model: SNE-60/60K), with WiFi connectivity. SNE-60/60K, Samsung Electronics' second eBook reader, features WiFi connectivity that the first one did not have. Since WiFi connectivity is considered as a must in the promotion of eBooks, the world's largest electronics maker is set to vigorously market its WiFi enabled SNE-60/60K in both online and offline stores in order to take on the eBook reader market.

The newly released WiFi eBook reader is designed to allow users to download eBooks at 50-60 percent of general print book prices in chain bookstores - such as Kyobo Mungo, the largest and most famous book store in South Korea. On top of that, Samsung Electronics has already forged partnerships with major Korean newspapers to enable their subscribers to automatically download and clip news articles of their choice through its eBook reader SNE-60/60K.

Samsung Electronics' new eBook reader comes with 2GB internal memory, which is about 1400 books or more than 24,000 notes. The new eBook reader, with an e-paper display similar to real paper, adopts chic slide-up design so as to make reading and writing more convenient. When the front slide of the new eBook reader is rolled up, users can read books and use other functions without using the built-in stylus; when it is rolled down, the stylus will give users access to all of the functions. Free and open eBook standard ePub, PDF, and TXT are all supported to provide an effective reading environment. In addition, when users come across a word they do not understand, they can click on them with the built-in stylus and look them up immediately in on-board Korean-English and English-Korean dictionaries. Furthermore, Samsung Electronics' new eBook reader, equipped with a TTS (Text-to-Speech) engine, can read audio books aloud with accurate pronunciation, thereby allowing users to listen to audio books through their earphones on the bus or subway. The new eBook reader also features a built-in MP3 player. In addition, thank to the paper-like protection sheet on the screen, users can feel as if they write something with a normal pen on real paper. With the built-in stylus, users are able to make annotations in their reading sections, news articles, and images. Also, they can insert notes onto their reading sections and news articles. In a strategic partnership with Kyobo Mungo, Samsung Electronics came up with its second eBook reader - which is scheduled to sell online and offline bookstores of Kyobo Mungo, starting on February 8.

Google to Break the Language Barrier With Android Translator

2010-02-09T17:53:00.002-05:00

From http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-to-break-the-language-barrier/17385/

Google has (possibly) done it again! Word on the street says that Google engineers are working on a translator for the Android smart phone that will translate one language to another- almost completely in real time. Now, there’s a few problems in the past that have appeared when trying to do anything involving voice translation. First off, the pronunciation problem. Everybody has different ways of saying things and often times it doesn’t translate correctly.

Ever use those voice to text translators? If you say “the fish is in the lake bed” it translates it to text and says something like, “the dish is in the cake head”. What?! The other problem is that the dictionaries are so limited that often times it can’t even keep up with the human language. Throw slang and a foreign language into this and it spells trouble.

I used Babel Fish one time to translate a Japanese message that was saying “I’ll call you tomorrow” and the translation came out to say “tomorrow I will use the telephone on you!!” Something innocent turns into somewhat of a threat when a literal word by word conversion is used without artificial intelligence.

Google has come up with a few solutions to these pesky problems for its up coming Android translator. It will be crawling through various web pages and documents in different languages so that it can get an artificial grasp on the human language. The translator will also be able to view the words as part of a whole; fully understanding the complete sentence rather than each word separately.

This tool is expected to support a 52-language text translation, along with voice recognition and text to speech capabilities.

Communication is a vital part of everything we do. We need it for everything, including sitting down with the CEO of a Japanese company via video conference with your corporation. While the internet allows communication overseas and makes business easier, the language barrier that accompanies this freedom often stands in the way. If all goes well, this tool could be utilized by individuals and businesses to bridge the gap in culture and language.

Prompt # 4: People of all ages, abilities, and needs may be able to benefit from assistive technology.

2010-02-08T14:46:00.003-05:00

From http://kleeuwe7.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/prompt-4-people-of-all-ages-abilities-and-needs-may-be-able-to-benefit-from-assistive-technology-everyones-needs-are-different-understanding-and-meeting-the-needs-of-the-individual-are-critic/

Prompt # 4: People of all ages, abilities, and needs may be able to benefit from assistive technology. Everyone’s needs are different. Understanding and meeting the needs of the individual are critical. There are many technology solutions available.

Technology has great potential in providing access for all learners. Through the use of a variety of assistive technologies, students with disabilities can have the ability to access the general curriculum. When assistive technology is appropriately integrated into the regular classroom, students are provided with multiple means to complete their work.

Technology helps students with disabilities on many different levels. It can help them accomplish tasks like:

Master grade-level content. Technology presents the material in different forms (visually, auditorily, etc.)
Improve writing and organizational skills. Technology can enable students with learning disabilities or autism to do such things as develop a concept map for a research paper and write using grade-level vocabulary words they wouldn’t use without a computer due to poor spelling skills.
“Read” grade-level text. The computer either reads the text digitally or presents it at a lower grade level for students with reading disabilities or visual impairments.
Take notes. Many students with disabilities have difficulty taking notes in longhand because of poor spelling, writing, and/or eye-hand coordination skills.
Master educational concepts that would have been beyond their reach. Students can experience abstract concepts such as the metamorphosis of a flower through 3-D simulations.
By making a student more independent, assistive technology allows teachers to spend more time on group activities and one-to-one with students. Assistive technology can provide a teacher more options in addressing different learning styles for individual students, using visual, auditory and tactile approaches. A student who is more fully integrated into the classroom is less of a distraction to other students. A student who is fully included into the classroom can interact with and help other students, facilitating a more positive classroom atmosphere. Being in a classroom with a special needs student who is fully included and using assistive technology effectively is an educational experience in itself, for other students.

When reviewing the Americans with Disabilities Act I have found examples of assistive technology that helps individuals with everyday tasks that many without disabilities fail to recognize:

Toilets and showers equipped with grab bars for persons who may fall easily or require supports
A computer that can be programmed to talk for individuals who cannot speak
Wheelchairs, both manual and power, for individuals who cannot walk due to paralysis or weakness in their legs
Hearing aids and other amplification devices for individuals with hearing loss
Large screen computers for individuals with visual problems
Devices that operate lamps, radios and other appliances through a remote control switching device, that might be attached to a person’s wheelchair
These are just some examples, and I am sure that many people think that assistive technology only refers to those educational devices for learning. Assistive technology also includes devices that help those with disabilities to function in society, their own lives, and ensure independence. As I have been walking around my school and public places I find myself more aware of the entrances, bathrooms, counters, and tables for those that have disabilities. Can an individual with disabilities access these areas independently? This is a question that I have asked myself quite frequently since our last class. I find that many places are not under compliance. There have been doors in public places that are difficult for me to open independently, and I could only imagine the stress and frustration for someone that cannot physically complete these everyday tasks independently. Looking at my school and my classroom I have found that an individual with disabilities cannot attend. There are not elevators to each floor, they cannot access the lunch room, they cannot get to my classroom, there are no ramps, and there is no access to special subject classrooms.

7 Ways to help dyslexic children succeed

2010-02-08T14:27:00.004-05:00

I've seen many comments that TextAloud really seems to help dyslexics with reading improvements.

From http://everydaypsychology.co.cc/?p=24934

By: Robert Langston
February 7, 2010

7 Ways to help dyslexic children succeed

1. Full discloser is the order of the day

It has been my experience that children want straight answers to what is happening with them and why. Educate yourself on dyslexia, and then share what you have learned with the child. If a child is left to his or her own devices to figure out what is wrong, the chances are what he or she comes up with will be worse than what is actually happening (i.e. ‘I’m just stupid’ or ‘my brain is broken’). Educate yourself and your child to demystify the situation.

2. Reinforce strengths

The average child spends a tremendous amount of time mastering how to read and write. If a child has learning challenges, this time can become associated with struggle and defeat. It is critical that you find alternative ways for this child to experience success. Be attentive and aware; seek out the child’s strengths and magnify them. Keep in mind that a child may look to you as a barometer of their overall worth. Remember that a child’s strength may not always be a traditional strength like sports. It may be more unique, such as Lego construction or being a good friend to others.

3. Reading is hard work– at least make it interesting

Dyslexic children might not like the reading process but they can really like the content. Finding passages that relate to the child’s interests can make the experience more enjoyable. For example: If a child has an affinity for All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) then take pages from ATV magazines and watch the motivation levels rise.

4. Provide current role models

Everyone has seen the black and white picture of Albert Einstein with his hair standing on end that has been associated with dyslexia. I feel it is harder for children today to draw self-confidence from someone who died in the 1950’s, even though he is a great role model. Give them modern-day dyslexic role models: Orlando Bloom, Jackie Chan, McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, and don’t forget some ladies too: Selma Hayek, Jewel, Whoopi Goldberg. Keeping it current can keep it real for children.

5. Assistive technology

Buying a child with dyslexia a computer is not giving them assistive technology. Adding Dragon Naturally Speaking or Kurzweil 3000 and working with them until they master using the voice recognition software is a step in the right direction. Let’s face it. For dyslexics, the ability to have your computer read an email aloud and transcribe your response is an assistive technology home run. I’m not saying to stop trying to teach your child to read. A good balance of hard work and help can ensure better productivity in school and life.

6. Multi-sensory approach to learning at school or home

There are schools which I refer to in The Power of Dyslexic Thinking as ‘pockets of greatness.’ These are schools around the country that use a multi-sensory approach to teach children with learning challenges. If you cannot afford to send a child to schools such as Churchill Center & School in Missouri or Currey Ingram Academy in Tennessee then maybe you can find local tutors trained in the same methods that these schools use. Some of these methods include the Orton-Gillingham, Slingerland Approach or Wilson Reading System. Look online for local tutor-locating search engines.

7. Provide accommodations

Early intervention provides the greatest chance of success in reading fluency. Remember that preserving a child’s self esteem intact is the most important factor in his or her surviving and thriving in the classroom and life. For this, I offer the accommodation list I used myself: Oral test-taking, classroom note-takers, people reading written assignments onto a recorder, audio books and un-timed test-taking. Focus on what it will take for a child to learn in his or her class tomorrow and you both will live to read another day.

New Uses for Text to Speech: Acapela Group Changes the Image of Voice

2010-02-05T08:34:00.005-05:00

From http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-uses-for-text-to-speech-acapela-group-changes-the-image-of-voice-82774792.html

MONS, Belgium, January 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Acapela Group, expert and inventor of innovative vocal solutions, is creating a vocal world accessible to anyone, whatever the size of their project, in all fields, and positions itself as a key partner, giving its customers a powerful voice, helping them successfully take the floor.

Acapela is continuously reinforcing its strong commitment to the market while introducing numerous innovations to promote the use of text to speech for offline and online solutions, aimed at both professional developers and a wider public.

Owner of its technology, offering bespoke solutions, chosen by over a thousand customers and adopted by millions of users throughout the world, Acapela has considerably evolved since its creation in 2004. Acapela has harnessed its know how as a technology provider to become a Voice expert, ideally placed to answer all vocalization needs, at all levels.

New vocal developments

With over 50 million talking e-cards sent around the world since its creation in November 2008, the success of acapela.tv - Acapela's online sparkling laboratory- confirms the enormous interest of a non-specialist audience. Acapela VaaS, the online voice generation cloud computing service, Acapela TTS for iPhone, in the highly creative appstore world, Acapela Kiosk, which allows the easy vocalization of newspapers or the upcoming Acapela Box, for online and on demand voice file production, are the latest developments demonstrating Acapela's determination to provide efficient and simple solutions, across a wide range of environments and uses.

'Acapela is dedicated to improving the quality of voice synthesis through R&D and creates new opportunities for its use, inventing new vocal solutions and business models to provide highly natural voices to all users' says Lars-Erik Larsson, Acapela Group CEO.

New uses are being introduced offering solutions which open the vocal universe to a wider public. To help guide everyone, Acapela has grouped its products and services into four main families, featured on the new corporate website (http://www.acapela-group.com):

- Integration and development of text to speech engines, which remains its core activity, - Production of sound files, to allow easy generation of files from any computer, without the need for any technical knowledge, - Accessibility solutions to answer specific user groups needs, for whom text to speech is essential to gain in autonomy and access information, - Tailor-made voice creation, to meet a growing trend for the use of personalized voices in corporate marketing activities, helping create a company or brand audio strategy.

The growing speed with which companies are adopting 'tailored-made' voices thanks to 'Acapela Voice Factory' is another strong market signal validating Acapela expertise and capacity to help its customers with their audio marketing strategy. Developed on behalf of prestigious customers such as Accor or Banverket (Swedish railways), exclusive voices created by Acapela shape the customer's charter and enrich its image with a full vocal dimension. The Voice becomes one of the company's spokespeople, delivering and promoting a consistent and identifiable voice to distinguish the application or service.

25 languages and 50 voices are already available in the Acapela repertory. New ones are under development. Acapela vocalizes many services and applications throughout the world and is at present particularly talkative in e-ducation, books, mobile internet and cloud computing to keep facilitating content access for all. R&D teams are actively working on new and upcoming innovations, to create and produce more emotions, reflect all accents and come ever closer to the natural voice.

Google Nexus One's text to speech function censors swearing

2010-02-05T08:19:00.005-05:00

From http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/01/25/google-nexus-one%E2%80%99s-text-to-speech-function-censors-swearing/

Published January 25, 2010 12:00 pm by Mic Wright

Google’s Nexus One features built-in voice recognition but don’t expect it to join in with your Malcom Tucker-esque foul-mouthed ranting. It seems Google’s voice tech takes a hard-line on swear words, censoring them outright…

Reuters discovered that the Google Nexus One’s voice-to-text transcription feature replaces ‘offensive’ words with strings of # symbols. The censorship seems to apply to all the most common four letter words.

Google says its not about censorship but more to do with protecting Google Nexus One users from unintended profanity. It claims that replacing potentially offensive words with # symbols means that if the phone get confused by your speech, it won’t accidentally offer up swear words.

Google’s spokesperson said: “We filter potentially offensive or inappropriate results because we went to avoid situations whereby we might misrecognize a spoken query and return a profanity when, in fact, the user said something completely innocent…our goal is to return results that show exactly what you said and we’re constantly working to improve the technology to better fit our users’ needs.”

Nuance Voice Control Automotive Brings the Power of Dragon to the Car

2010-02-04T12:37:00.002-05:00

From
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100201006108&newsLang=en

Auto Industry’s First Integrated Speech Interface for On- and Off-Board Services Powers the Connected Car, Leveraging Renowned Dragon Speech Capabilities

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced the availability of Nuance Voice Control Automotive, an innovative mobile platform that enables drivers to take advantage of today’s most popular connected services with simple, easy voice commands based on the popular Dragon NaturallySpeaking core speech technology. Nuance Voice Control Automotive is the industry’s first solution to provide one-button, seamless access to all services —on-board and connected — via a single, consistent voice user interface that leverages advancements in natural language understanding and mobile speech applications.

“Internet in the Car: The Future of In-Vehicle Connectivity”

Nuance Voice Control Automotive provides drivers around the world with a safer connected car experience through interaction with online services using remote speech applications based on Nuance’s robust Dragon core speech technology. Dragon is already used and trusted by millions globally via its PC-based dictation software, and the popular Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search Apps for iPhone. Now manufacturers can harness the power of Dragon in their cars to allow drivers to access dynamic real-time information and services including:

SMS text messaging and email capabilities, allowing drivers to simply speak and send messages while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road;
Interaction with social networks such as Twitter and Facebook;
News, weather and traffic updates and the latest sports scores and stock prices;
Movie theatre locations, film listings and times;
Dining options in current area or point of destination; and,
Price comparisons for hotels, fuel, etc.

According to a recent 2009 iSuppli report entitled, “Internet in the Car: The Future of In-Vehicle Connectivity,” Egil Juliussen, PhD., Principal Analyst and Fellow, Automotive Business Unit states that “The communication-based applications that use the Internet are currently the most useful for car use. This is due to the user interface need for communication applications, which can be served by speech recognition and text-to-speech.” Juliussen’s report also notes that “Mobile search for internet content is emerging for mobile phones and will see strong growth in the car in the next five years. To minimize driver distraction, mobile search will need a speech [input/output] interface.”

The Nuance Voice Control Automotive in-vehicle head unit serves as “mission control,” tying together all solution components to enable high-performance speech interaction with all services available in a connected car environment. The embedded in-vehicle head unit leverages the Nuance VoCon 3200 speech recognition engine and Nuance Vocalizer text-to-speech (TTS) solution to enable direct speech interaction with on-board applications, while Dragon technology is used for connected capabilities. These proven solutions allow drivers to use speech for controlling in-vehicle systems, including mobile phones, entertainment systems, navigation devices, and more.

“Automakers around the world are deploying in-car connected services that give drivers access to traffic reports, local business search, weather reports, and even the ability to send and receive text and email messages. However, it’s critical that these experience-altering services are accessible to the driver without creating heightened distraction behind the wheel,” said Arnd Weil, General Manager, Nuance Automotive. “Our Nuance Voice Control Automotive platform enables manufacturers to voice-enable every aspect of the in-car infotainment system, providing drivers with the ability to take advantage of these amazing connected services while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. It’s part of our larger mission to reduce dangerous driver distractions.”

Nuance’s 2008 In-Car Distraction Study implemented by the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany, revealed that voice commands help drivers keep their eyes on the road, reducing driver distraction by as much as 100 percent depending on the task.

Nuance’s automotive solutions power the speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities of more than 25 million automobiles and 20 million personal navigation devices from the world’s leading brands – including the recently unveiled MyFord Touch direct connect technology powered by Ford SYNC. Nuance offers a complete, integrated suite of technologies and services enabling voice-activated dialing, destination entry for navigation systems, and control of in-car infotainment systems.

NextUp Talker vs. Expensive Devices

2009-09-16T07:16:00.001-05:00

We run into this issue all the time with our NextUp Talker Product.

Insurers Fight Speech-Impairment Remedy

Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times

Kara Lynn, with her 5-year-old son, Aiden, uses an iPhone to run text-to-speech software.

By ASHLEE VANCE

Published: September 14, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — Kara Lynn has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or A.L.S., which has attacked the muscles around her mouth and throat, removing her ability to speak. A couple of years ago, she spent more than $8,000 to buy a computer, approved by Medicare, that turns typed words into speech that her family, friends and doctors can hear.

Under government insurance requirements, the maker of the PC, which ran ordinary Microsoft Windows software, had to block any nonspeech functions, like sending e-mail or browsing the Web.

Dismayed by the PC’s limitations and clunky design, Ms. Lynn turned to a $300 iPhone 3G from Apple running $150 text-to-speech software. Ms. Lynn, who is 48 and lives in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said it worked better and let her “wear her voice” around her neck while snuggling with her 5-year-old son, Aiden, who has Down syndrome.

Medicare and private health insurers decline to cover cheap devices like iPhones and netbook PCs that can help the speech-impaired, despite their usefulness and lower cost.

Instead, public and private insurers insist that, if Ms. Lynn and others like her want insurance to pay, they must spend 10 to 20 times as much for dedicated, proprietary devices that can do far less.

The logic: Insurance is supposed to cover medical devices, and smartphones or PCs can be used for nonmedical purposes, like playing video games or Web browsing.

“We would not cover the iPhones and netbooks with speech-generating software capabilities because they are useful in the absence of an illness or injury,” said Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Private insurers tend to follow the government’s lead in matters of coverage. Two years ago, iPhones and netbooks barely existed, so it may not be surprising that the industry has yet to consider their role as medical devices.

But the health care system has long had trouble keeping up with Moore’s Law, the principle that computing power rapidly increases even as costs fall sharply.

Doctors must still bring a patient into their offices instead of, say, inspecting an e-mailed photo of a rash if they want most insurers to pay for the consultation. Digitizing medical records is such a vast undertaking that the government is now spending billions of dollars to jump-start it.

In the case of A.L.S., also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, advocates spent years fighting to have any speech-specific devices covered by insurance, finally succeeding in 2001.

For the millions of Americans with A.L.S., Down syndrome, autism, strokes and other speech-impairing conditions, the insurance industry’s aversion to covering mainstream devices adds to the challenges they face. Advocates say using an everyday device to communicate can ease the stigma and fear of making the adjustment.

At the same time, current policies mean that the government and private insurers may be spending unnecessary dollars on specialty machines.

Dr. Stanley E. Harris, who helps set device coverage policies for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, said that if enough patients requested new types of devices, the insurer would study their usefulness. “We’re looking for evidence-based data to support the effectiveness of whatever is being requested,” he said.

In the meantime, people with speech disabilities have a choice: pay for a cheaper product from their own pockets, try to borrow one from a private assistance group or spend their insurer’s money on a specialty device from a company like DynaVox Mayer-Johnson or Prentke Romich.

DynaVox, a leading maker of devices for the speech-impaired, has computers that start at $8,000 and run Windows, just like 90 percent of all PCs. To meet insurance rules, DynaVox disables the general computing tools. After the insurer pays, customers can pay $50 to DynaVox to reactivate the full functions.

The proprietary devices have some special qualities. They are sturdier than typical computers and have better speakers and links to support services.

But the prices may seem hard to justify based on components alone. One $5,000 DynaVox product is essentially the speech software bundled with a two-pound keyboard that has a six-inch screen. And the manufacturers mark up standard accessories by as much as 2,000 percent. Prentke Romich, for example, charges $250 for a Bluetooth wireless adapter similar to those that cost $20 in stores.

Jim Shea, vice president for marketing at DynaVox, says his company’s prices run high because it must do a lot of custom work and research to serve a niche that mainstream companies ignore. “We are not riding the wave of consumer electronics in terms of cost,” he said. “We’re building the devices here in Pittsburgh from scratch.”

In addition, the do-it-yourself approach isn’t for everybody, he said. “You have to be somewhat savvy, get the software and set it up,” he said.

Disease experts say companies like DynaVox and Prentke Romich make many sophisticated, helpful products. Still, advocates argue, advances in computing and easy-to use speech software have opened doors to use cheap mainstream alternatives. Indeed, the price drops have made it possible for A.L.S. assistance groups to buy dozens of netbooks, install specialized software like Proloquo2Go and lend them to clients.

Betsy Caporale, a speech language pathologist in Danville, Calif., has tested various devices and software with children who have Down syndrome and autism.

“The iPhone has been a runaway success with these kids,” she said. “It takes them about 10 minutes to learn how to use the iPhone, and there is this cool factor for them.”

Ms. Lynn, from Poughkeepsie, would like to see insurers loosen their rules to accommodate general-purpose devices and give people like her more financial flexibility. Since insurers will typically cover only one device every five years, people with degenerative conditions like A.L.S. often hold off any claims until their condition worsens, and they really need an expensive specialty product that can track their eye and head movements.

Perhaps the government could set a certain dollar limit and then let patients find the products that fit their needs, Ms. Lynn suggested. “I really would like to see Medicare do away with the dedicated-device rule and the one-device limit,” she said by e-mail.

But so far, government and private insurers are not swayed. “We look at determining the effectiveness of the technology — and not the cost — first,” Mr. Harris said.

For Ms. Lynn, the iPhone, with the special software, is cheaper, more effective and essential. “Technology has become as important to me as air, food, water,” she wrote.

Military Instructor Learns On the Go with TextAloud

2009-07-24T10:53:00.001-05:00

The versatility of Text to Speech technology makes it ideal for supporting a variety of tasks and professions. However, the program excels most in its multitude of uses for students and educators, as discovered by Tom Jensen, a civilian instructor and trainer for military and civilian personnel for the U.S. military. Tom discovered just how valuable the technology could be when he began to use TextAloud in pursuit of his degree.

With a busy schedule that includes training civilians in the areas of security, law enforcement, and combat skills, Tom first discovered TextAloud in 2004, during his online studies for a B.S. degree in Criminal Defense. While pursuing his degree, Tom found that, like many people, he actually learns better by listening, than by reading, and this made TextAloud the perfect tool for him while pursuing an intensive course load. "TextAloud is a helpful learning tool - especially for people like me, who learn better by hearing over seeing," he comments. Tom then converted his online books from PDF to text, then straight to portable audio files, which freed him to listen to lectures on the go, instead of trapping him in one place to sit and read printed material.

When Tom discovered TextAloud, he was already a fan of Text to Speech, and he soon found that TextAloud was a considerable improvement over the other Text to Speech programs he had first tried. "The quality and functionality of the program are much better," comments Jensen. "First, the runtime was much quicker for the conversion of text to speech, and there was a real improvement in pronunciation with TextAloud, such as in sounding out possessive cases (such as the apostrophe 's') - it sounded proper with TextAloud, as opposed to the previous program, which would pronounce a word like 'it's' as 'it-ehs', which was quite irritating."

TextAloud soon became a regular and helpful tool during Tom's online studies, especially since almost all of his materials were provided in the form of online PDF files. TextAloud allowed him to take those PDF files, copy and paste all text from the documents, and convert to audio. "While other students were burning through tons of printer ink and paper," he comments, "or tiring and burning their eyes trying to read from their computer screens, I was able to turn my PDF files into lectures for listening while driving in the car, cleaning or doing laundry, watching my children swim in the pool - you name it." TextAloud enabled Tom to walk and work, listening to his lectures "hands-free" rather than being stuck reading for hours on end. Tom also used TextAloud to "read back" his own written papers to himself - an approach he found a tremendous help for editing, as well as in further saving time in editing and review.

TextAloud has ultimately proven to be a cost-effective, highly valuable asset to Tom in his learning environments, both as student and teacher, as well as maximizing his ability to take his reading on-the-go. He is currently pursuing Graduate work for a Masters of Divinity in preparation for Army National Guard Chaplaincy, and will continue to use TextAloud throughout his Graduate work. Adds Tom, "And probably on to a Ph.D.!" He even anticipates being able to share the program with his kids. "TextAloud will benefit their academic experiences, too as they progress in their studies," he adds. "I highly recommend it -- it's a great product."

You can download the demo of TextAloud at

http://nextup.com/TextAloud/download.html

For more information about TextAloud and its features, visit

http://nextup.com/TextAloud/index.html

and you can purchase TextAloud at

http://nextup.com/purchase.html

Mechanical Engineer Earns MBA, Avoids Eyestrain with TextAloud

2009-07-24T10:52:00.001-05:00

As any student knows all too well, the intense and repetitive visual concentration required by the quiet act of studying can be a tiring experience, especially over prolonged periods, which can also add eyestrain into the equation. When he encountered severe eyestrain in his recent grueling studies for his MBA degree, mechanical engineer David Grove turned to TextAloud.

A busy professional by day, David earned his MBA online while also working a demanding full-time job as a senior engineer. "I'd gotten to the point where if I had to read another text ROI, I thought my eyes would explode!" he comments. "TextAloud allowed me to transfer the text to my MP3 player so that I could listen to the books in the gym, saving time -- and some pretty severe headaches. I wish I had found TextAloud sooner."

Online courses in particular require a tremendous amount of reading - an amount that increases exponentially for MBA studies. Navigating that sheer volume of reading required to maintain studies and attain his degree was a huge challenge, so David devoted every possible moment to study. However, even with reading glasses, his eyes physically could not handle the strain. Luckily, TextAloud enabled him to find a study solution that would ease his tired eyes.

To achieve his degree, David used TextAloud for study and memorization, and he also used the program to proof his papers and written reports, catching errors aurally that he would have missed visually.

In his day-to-day use of TextAloud, David praises TextAloud's built-in voices, but prefers its premium voices for high-volume usage. He also took advantage of TextAloud's powerful customization features to personalize his library and correct TextAloud's pronunciation of the technical or more obscure words and acronyms he used or encountered most often in his papers and studies. The program's versatility and ease of with a variety of portable electronic devices allowed David to use TextAloud with his MPIO, Creative Zen MicroPhoto, and LG Dare.

Thanks to the power of Text to Speech, David completed his studies. "TextAloud made all the difference in completing my MBA," he comments. "I would not have been able to complete my studies at the pace I did without it."

You can download the demo of TextAloud at

http://nextup.com/TextAloud/download.html

For more information about TextAloud and its features, visit

http://nextup.com/TextAloud/index.html

and you can purchase TextAloud at

http://nextup.com/purchase.html

NextUp.com releases new Nuance RealSpeak Voices

2009-07-24T10:47:00.001-05:00

New TextAloud Voices Available from Nuance RealSpeak

Since their introduction, the TextAloud voices from Nuance RealSpeak have been very popular. We are excited to add 17 new voices in several languages including UK British, Irish, Scottish, Taiwanese Mandarin, Spanish, Danish, Italian, Basque, Catalan, Hindi, Icelandic, Czech, Norwegian, Swedish, Finish, and Turkish.

You can sample and purchase these at

http://www.nextup.com/nuance.html

As you likely know, these Nuance RealSpeak voices work only with TextAloud and our other Aloud products.

Kindle Competition

2009-07-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.phoric.cn/viewthread.php?tid=399565

Kindle 2 vs. Sony PRS-505?

Kindle 2 vs. Sony PRS-505? I was about to buy the kindle 2, but then I heard about how they could take books back anytime they wanted. I then turned to the sony PRS-505. The sony is about $40 less than the kindle. I dont need the wireless whispernet technology the kindle 2 has to offer, but it would have been nice to have. In the sony book store books cost more than they do in the kinle store, but with the kindle you are limited to only kindle 2 ebooks. I like that i get to save the $40 with the sony.... but which one should I get? Sony PRS-505 or the Kindle 2?

Best Answer

Recently, Amazon take back the Kindle books "1984" and "Animal Farm" just because they are pirate version. The publisher indeed doesn't have the right to publish the book. So personally I think it is quite reasonable for them to take the book back and issue a refund back to the book buyers.

I'm a Kindle 2 owner. I don't think Amazon can take any book back if there aren't any good reasons. I personally have bought over 20 Kindle books, and a number of my friends also have the Kindle, but we haven't met such a problem so far... I'll say it is just some exceptional case. More...

SBA sued on accessibility

2009-07-24T10:44:00.001-05:00

Virgil Stinnett, a Honolulu resident who owns a Good News HI, and the National Federation of the Blind have filed an administrative complaint with the Small Business Administration saying the SBA's Web site is inaccessible.

The action claims the site can't be used by blind people who use text-to-speech screen access technology or Braille displays to access information on the Internet. It claims blind people cannot fill out forms on the site because of this or take online courses offered by the SBA. More...

Apple Patent on TTS

2009-07-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/07/23/new_apple_patent_filings_cover_device_ejection_text_to_speech.html

Text message to speech

While this patent filing centers around multimedia data transfer, the most interesting part of the summary deals specifically with text messages.

"The reading of text messages can be troublesome due to, in part, the small size of the typical display screen or the inability to control ambient light conditions," the patent states. "This is particularly troublesome to those users having impaired vision where reading a text message, of any reasonable size, for example, is difficult."

Filed for on March 27, 2009, this patent, revealed Thursday, describes the transmission of vocalized multimedia data to a "receiver unit by way of the voice channel without the use of a backend server." Essentially, it would directly transmit the audible interpretation of a text message to an independent receiver.

Authors' greed denies blind the right to read

2009-05-04T09:54:00.001-05:00

From Pocono Record:

Editor, the Record:

In February, Amazon released the E-Book reader, the Kindle 2. A feature that seemed insignificant for many was a potentially empowering tool for millions of readers. Text to Speech (TTS), a computer voice that reads the text of a book aloud, providing access to people considered print impaired. People with visual impairments, dyslexics, quadriplegics, people with severe arthritis, and those with various learning disabilities are all considered "print-impaired."

The Authors Guild immediately began protesting the Kindle's ability to read aloud, asserting the device violates copyright. The Guild essentially said Amazon did not pay for audio rights, usually associated with professionally narrated audio books. Amazon quickly gave in to the Guild's demands and made the TTS feature controllable by the publisher.

Screen readers, software enabling people who are visually impaired and blind to independently use computers, have used synthetic speech for years. I have read books both using TTS and those read by professional narrators; there is absolutely no comparison. Computer voices offer very little in the way of voice inflection and no emotion whatsoever. However, for millions of people it is the only method of accessing information, making TTS the equivalent of a sighted person using their eyes to read.

The Reading Rights Coalition, a group of organizations contending the Author's Guild is restricting access to more than 250,000 books, has started an online petition encouraging the Guild to reverse its position. Amazon is currently working to make the Kindle 2 a device fully usable to all, by enabling sightless navigation. A fully accessible mainstream device providing immediate access to more than 250,000 books will be a historic milestone in the fight for accessibility. Help stop the Authors Guild from restricting equal access to content and our right to read. Sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/We-Want-To-Read.

Amazon Kindle and TTS

2009-02-11T09:15:00.002-05:00

If you haven't heard, the amazon Kindle 2.0 includes RealSpeak TTS. Interesting idea, no idea yet how well they did with it. In looking at the number of new stories about the kindle, I'm pretty sure this is the single biggest story in history that mentions TTS.

Anyway, not everyone is happy about the TTS.

Book publishers object to Kindle's text-to-voice feature

Was your mother a lawbreaker when she read you The Little Prince or Green Eggs and Ham?

That's the question raised Tuesday by the Authors Guild, an advocacy group for writers. Paul Aitken, the group's executive director objects to the text-to-speech feature on Amazon's Kindle 2 digital-book reader. Aitken told The Wall Street Journal: "They don't have the right to read a book out loud. That's an audio right, which is derivative under copyright law."

Wow. If a computer can't lawfully read a book out loud, do human beings have the right? Amazon and Aitken could not be reached for comment.

Well, mothers of America, never fear. You most certainly do have the right to privately perform copyright work, says Ben Sheffner, a copyright attorney. Sheffner, a well-known copyright advocate, says the issue of whether Amazon's Kindle infringes on intellectual property is not as cut and dry.

Amazon's technology enables a computer voice to read text aloud to owners of the Kindle 2, the next-gen version of reader.

Sheffner said it's unclear whether the text-to-speech feature could be considered a public performance. Under copyright law, if someone profits from, say, a public reading of a copyright work without authorization, they are breaking the law. Someone could argue, said Sheffner, that the Kindle's speech feature is a public performance because it enables scores of people to receive audio of a book. Sheffner added that the counter argument would be that the feature is only enabling lots of different private--and therefore legal--performances.

Jonathan Zittrain, a professor at Harvard Law School, said he doesn't see how the speech feature violates copyright law if no recorded copy of the book is created. Book publishers often license audio books separately than the text versions.

"The only right really that might be implicated is the so-called public performance," Zittrain said. "But what I want the thing to do is to read to me in the car. I don't see a copy being made so I don't see how this can be Amazon's problem."

The debate could be academic. If the book publishers don't like the feature, they can refuse to renew their licenses with Amazon in the future. And my colleague Ina Fried raised another point. Why would Kindle owners choose a computer voice when they can hear a recording of the author or a professional actor reading the book?

Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. He is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg.

Really old TTS

2009-01-26T14:44:00.002-05:00

From SpeechTech:

Volume 2: Synthesize it Loud, Synthesize it Proud

This installment of our ongoing series in the history of speech is sure to bring nostalgic remembrances to all you Speech Heads born in the late 70s to early 80s. Just a little more than thirty years ago, Texas Instruments brought us an important development would change many a childhood. No. I’m not talking about the TI-89 calculator with your copy of “Drugwars” surreptitiously installed so you could slack off in the back of pre-calculus. I’m talking about the Speak & Spell.

Speak & Spell

I can see some speech-eyes rolling. “Really, Eric?” you’re asking, but hear me out. Despite it’s humble size, The Speak & Spell played an important role in Speech History. It was one of the first highly accurate and widely available text-to-speech products—really one of the first practical applications of speech synthesis for a consumer market.

The toy was a direct outgrowth of Texas Instrument’s bizarre 1970s experiments in speech synthesis. The world had just seen man create the tech required to reproduce human speech with tuned voices stored on ROMs. Seeing the potential of those speech fruits, Paul Breedlove, a TI engineer, began development of the Speak & Spell in 1976 with a paltry $25,000 budget. Yes, even then it seems that the world callously and stupidly turned a cold shoulder to speech. Breedlove, however, would be vindicated. Within two short years, the Speak & Spell was flying off the 1978 shelves.

Breedlove’s completed proof incorporated TI’s trademarked Solid State Speech technology, which stored full words in solid state the way calculators of those halcyon 1970s days stored numbers. The Speak & Spell even had a slot for “expansion module” cartridges, which could be inserted to beef up the onboard vocabulary. O’ the foresight of those Texas men! You can see the very same principles at work at today’s speech solutions, like with Nuance and their specific expansion vocabularies for radiology, or orthopedics, or (hopefully in the future) trucking—Nuance, if you’re reading this, I know that there’s at least one boy who’d like to see a CB trucker vocabulary for his Dragon Naturally Speaking rig next Christmas. ...

More...

Hypnosis through TTS

2009-01-26T14:42:00.002-05:00

Portable Virtual Hypnotist 5.6.700

An application that can simulate a hypnosis session

Virtual Hypnotist an interactive, open source hypnosis software.

Virtual Hypnotist includes features such as voice recognition, speech synthesis, subliminal messages, completely customizable scripts (featuring a unique scripting language), videos, audio, and lots more.

Virtual Hypnotist has the sole purpose to simulate a real hypnosis session.
More...

Interesting Experiment

2009-01-26T14:28:00.003-05:00

From
Herald

Dozens of Dixon Middle School students wearing white masks bumped into each other in the hall, fumbling to adjust to their morning routine through pinhole eye slots.

"Dude, this is, like, weird," one boy remarked to another as he clung to the straps of his backpack for direction. "I can barely see."

"There was a door coming to hit you," cried a girl guiding her disoriented and frustrated friend through the crowded hallway. "I was trying to be nice."

One small boy appeared to take the lesson to heart, even as others threatened to mow him down in the frenzy.

"Luckily, I have some vision," he declared.

It was part of an object lesson hosted Friday morning by Foundation Fighting Blindness, a Maryland-based nonprofit that works to raise awareness of and sensitivity for degenerative eye diseases. The organization was visiting Dixon as part of an educational campaign called Students for Sight. Earlier in the morning, two successful blind men spoke in an assembly about the realities of living in a sightless world.

"The greatest fear a blind person has, as far as mobility is concerned, is trying to cross the street," said Lynn Boulter, a Salt Lake City resident who traveled with his guide dog, Mariah. "The real problem with blindness is getting around. It isn't some of the other things."

Boulter explained that his dog has been trained for "intelligent disobedience" -- that if he walks into oncoming traffic, for example, the dog will stop leading him. He said he's been committed to using guide dogs ever since a previous one, Park, kept him from walking into a crowded street. Now he relies on his dog as he would his own senses, he said.

"Besides being beautiful, she's my eyes," he said.

Boulter explained how he first experienced vision problems on a Scout trip 45 years ago. His disease, retinitis pigmentosa, progressed over time, first taking his peripheral vision. But he said it pays to focus not on the handicaps it brought, but the abilities he yet retains.

"It isn't what I can't do that matters; it's what I can do," he told the assembly. "We all have different limitations."

Rhett Jones, a mobility counselor for the Utah Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, was born completely blind. He encouraged students not to feel threatened by their own challenges, but to work through them. He shared his personal experience as testimony: In addition to gainful employment, Jones is currently working toward his second master's degree.

"Try to figure out how to use what you have to accomplish what you want to do," he counseled. "I'm figuring out how to do things other people with sight are able to do."

Jones talked about how technological advances like text-to-speech software have enabled him to read textbooks without the delay blind people once suffered. But more than fancy equipment, he said he's learned depending on others is the most helpful tool in his toolbox.

"I don't think there's a lot of really successful people who do it on their own," he said. "One of the key things to success is to ask for help when we need it."

Text To Speech Gift Cards

2008-12-09T12:55:00.002-05:00

After years of people asking at this time of year, we've finally launched NextUp.com Gift Cards. There is one that gives TextAloud and AT&T Voices, and another for people who already own TextAloud that you want to give some new voices to. You get to put a personal note printed right on the back of the gift card. The person you give the card to gets to decide whether they want to download or get the products on CD when they come to our site to redeem the card.

You can learn more and purchase NextUp.com gift cards at
http://nextup.com/giftcard.html

Open Source TextBooks

2008-08-11T08:02:00.001-05:00

For sight impaired users and poor readers who wish to use Text To Speech with school materials, finding accessible textbooks is always a problem. This looks interesting...

Open source approach to textbook publishing

Textbooks have long made up an all-too-significant proportion of college students' annual costs, currently approaching an average of USD 1,000 per year in the US, according to Make Textbooks Affordable. General outcry has ensued, but a new experiment from publisher Flat World Knowledge just may provide a new—and ad-free—solution.

Beginning this month and continuing through the Fall 2008 semester, Flat World Knowledge is conducting a beta test in which it is offering four different textbooks online for free to hundreds of students at 15 colleges and universities across the United States. The texts are from the areas of business and economics, and will replace traditional textbooks in a single class or class section at each participating institution. Not only will students have free online access to the expert-written, peer-reviewed and professionally edited texts, but the texts will be open as well through a Creative Commons licensing scheme, giving faculty the ability to customize them as they wish for their classes.

Unlike other free text ventures out there—such as US-based Freeload Press and Danish Ventus Publishing, both of which have been covered by our sister site trendwatching.com—Flat World's business model doesn't depend on advertising. Instead, it offers affordable supplementary materials to students beyond the free online book, including printed, on demand textbooks for around USD 30; audio books for around USD 25; and downloadable and printable files by the chapter. Also available are low-priced study aids like podcast study guides, digital flash cards, interactive practice quizzes and more.

Eric Frank, Flat World's cofounder and chief marketing officer, explains: “The time has come for open textbooks. This new model of textbook publishing will result in increased choices and dramatically lower costs for students. It can enhance learning by giving instructors more control over content, and by leveraging the power of social learning networks around content. Between the oligopolistic practices of the big publishers on one end of the spectrum—and piracy on the other—lies a better solution: open textbooks." Flat World plans to collect feedback over the course of this semester-long test, and then commercially launch its concept worldwide in time for the Spring 2009 school period. The launch will feature an expanded product roster of eight textbooks, all focused initially on business and economics subjects. A total of 15 textbooks are currently under contract and in Flat World's pipeline.

Free and open software is already gaining ground in the world of technology, and now we have the possibility of a similar pattern in textbook publishing. There's no doubt cash-strapped college students love free love, as has already been shown with photocopies, notepaper and notebooks. Will this one take hold? You can bet there are countless students hoping so. One to watch! (Related: Textbook rental for college students.)

Creating your own voice

2008-07-30T06:48:00.003-05:00

This idea has been one of the Holy Grails in TTS, letting you easily create new TTS voices based on your own voice. Nobody has it right yet, it just isn't simple. The efforts I know of are
http://www.modeltalker.com which I've tried. I was able to create something on par or slightly worse than Microsoft Mary, but you could sort of tell I was in there.

Cepstral has a project underway at
http://www.voiceforge.com

and now this coming from OKI
OKI Brings a Unique Voice to TTS (from SpeechTEK)

By Leonard Klie - Posted Jul 25, 2008

Print Version

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Japanese telecommunications firm OKI Electric Industry yesterday launched Polluxstar, a text-to-speech (TTS) software solution that allows users to reproduce their own voice.

Using Polluxstar software on their computers, individuals can communicate through TTS in their own voice, complete with their unique tones and inflections, rather than a computerized, non-human voice.

To recreate the individual’s voice, OKI requires users to submit prescribed voice files or go to an OKI-approved recording studio. Once the company has the recorded audio it needs, it enters the individual’s voice information into a database that is included with the software package he buys.

The technology is only available in Japan right now, but the company has not ruled out the possibility of taking it to other markets. "At this point, we think the overseas market is a good possibility, but we don’t have any immediate plans," says Naomi Takeuchi, OKI’s U.S. spokesperson.

Takeuchi adds that the product is currently being targeted to consumers, especially those who have illnesses that could result in the loss of their voices. One of the first users of the technology was Izumi Maki, a computer science professor at Osaka University of Arts. Prior to undergoing surgery to remove his vocal chords, OKI recorded his voice data and installed it in Polluxstar for him to use. Six months after his surgery, Maki returned to the university to give lectures again, using his real voice through the computer. More...

Text to Speech Software Wins the Race for Motorsports Editor

2008-06-11T07:27:00.001-05:00

As the editor of a popular Canadian motorsports website, Kate Shaw's job often requires meticulous attention to visual detail, as well as long hours reviewing industry racing articles, news, and more. With impaired vision and an inability to focus in her left eye (the result of sudden dry macular degeneration), reading or long hours of staring at a computer screen are no longer possible for her. "It really puts a strain on my right eye, and after two hours of computer work that eye too can become woozy and does not focus properly," she comments. To assist her in meeting deadlines and handling heavy reading loads, her tech-savvy sister recommended that Kate begin to utilize Text to Speech (TTS) software TextAloud instead.

A leader in Text to Speech PC software from NextUp Technologies (http://www.NextUp.com), TextAloud is priced starting at just $29.95 and allows users to simply and easily export their text from books, websites, or e-mail, and to then listen to their reading aloud via computer, iPod, or other portable audio device.

"We're always privileged to hear from users like Kate, as they highlight the versatility and popularity of TextAloud with the visually impaired," comments Rick Ellis, President of NextUp Technologies. "There are a variety of listening technologies available, but so many of them are prohibitively expensive, and worse, offer poor voice quality and selection," he adds. "TextAloud provides many users with visual disabilities an affordable, alternative PC software solution."

The software's effect on Kate's work and routine was immediate, allowing her to comfortably listen to reading material aloud, without the fatigue, headaches and eyestrain she otherwise endured through visual reading. "I had tried other Text to Speech software titles and found them overly complicated, with dozens of features I would never use," she comments. "But TextAloud was easy, straightforward, and simple to install and set up."

The program quickly became a mainstay, providing daily and ongoing support that Kate found especially helpful in her review of massive amounts of information as a popular news source. "During a racing weekend, I receive between 50 to 100 team releases and stories from reporters who work for me, that have to be reviewed both for stuff used in my own writing, as well as for editing and corrections," she says. "In addition, some writers may rely a little too heavily on spell-check so TextAloud is also valuable at finding incorrect words as well." By using TextAloud, even with a daunting number of high-octane stories and releases to review, Kate is able to do so in a way that saves her from her previous and all too constant eyestrain.

For a premium voice, Kate chose the AT&T Natural Voices™ 'Mike,' and the voice continues to be her choice on an ongoing basis. "It's so nice that he doesn't sound like a robot," she comments. She had also thoroughly enjoyed using one of the British-accented Premium Voices for awhile, referring to it humorously as 'the butler voice.' She adds, "It made me feel like Bertie Wooster!"

For Kate, TextAloud is not just a regular source of assistance in writing, editing, or news evaluation, but also on such common aspects of daily computer life as e-mail and web surfing. "I have my computer set up so that when I open an e-mail, it copies to the TextAloud reader and 'Mike' reads it to me," she comments. She subscribes to a Daily Gospel mailing, which TextAloud reads to her in the morning while she's making her coffee. "I also rely on it to read long, chatty e-mails from my family and friends, who have just about given up writing letters," she adds.

Kate runs TextAloud easily on a Dell laptop, and has also made extensive use of the NextUp team's support staff as she became familiar with the software. "They are easy to reach and have always solved my problem promptly -- without the seemingly obligatory 'GeekSpeak,'" she comments. "In today's world, this is very rare, and when one depends on a product like this, its value is far above rubies."

TextAloud has become an integral part of Kate's work and routine. "It's made it possible for me to do my work the day it comes in, and to keep working much longer than I would be able to work if I had to read all the material visually," she adds. "It's saved my eyesight and my time."

TextAloud Helps Professionals Succeed, Despite Dyslexia

2008-06-11T07:26:00.001-05:00

Dyslexia is a reading disability suffered by millions of all ages, professions, and walks of life. Recent statistics indicate that as many as one in nine schoolchildren suffers from dyslexia or a related learning disorder. Characterized by problems with reading, writing, and spelling, this makes it especially challenging for those afflicted to read, learn or retain information. However, Text to Speech (TTS) tools like TextAloud from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com) can allow many dyslexics to bypass the visual components of dyslexia by instead listening to their reading aloud via computer, iPod, or other portable audio device. The program is priced starting at just $29.95 and allows anyone with a PC to simply and affordably export text from books, websites, and other documents into natural, truly human-sounding speech.

Many individuals who overcome dyslexia on a daily basis to succeed in high-stress careers have done so by directly utilizing TextAloud as a powerful tool for both reading and comprehension:

Shannon (Bay Area Lawyer)

Shannon is a successful Bay Area lawyer who is also dyslexic. "I have a visual short-term memory deficit," she comments, "so I can spend hours trying to read the same thing over and over again, while this way TextAloud gives me the continuity I need for good comprehension much more quickly." She adds, "I often take cases home because of the volume, tidy up the DOC files, and then save them to audio files that I can listen to on my iPod while looking over the cases visually at the same time."

She also uses TextAloud to read the opposing side's briefs and memoranda. "I'll get a 50-page lawsuit, scan it in, OCR it, and put in on my iPod." She also uses the program to proof her own briefs by ear, listening to the drafts to make sure they properly respond to the opposition.

"If I put in the time to use TextAloud even on handwritten or faxed documents (which can be more time-consuming due to OCR), it's still worth it, as I know I'm going to understand what I read," Shannon comments. "It makes me a lot more sure of myself when it comes to writing my responses, and talking to a judge (or my superiors). TextAloud itself is very useful for my type of learning disability - for someone with visual problems, but great listening skills."

For others with dyslexia using TextAloud, Shannon recommends that they take the time to use the program's useful pronunciation editor, for fine-tuning pronunciations to the user's own individual specifications (especially useful for vocations involving complex or unusual words). She also recommends using TextAloud in conjunction with iTunes, as the program offers the option of viewing the text as 'lyrics.' "It's a great place to put the text in so you can refer to it if you need to while you listen," she adds, choosing Crystal from AT&T Natural Voices™ as her Premium Voice of choice.

Overall, TextAloud has enabled Shannon to succeed in a highly demanding career despite her dyslexia. "I really, really, really couldn't function in my current setting without TextAloud," she says. "I'd read aloud to myself, use a crazy amount of highlighters, maybe record myself or whatever, and still not be as successful." Thanks to TextAloud, Shannon's dyslexia is a nuisance, not an impediment to her success. "You can be dyslexic and a good lawyer," she adds, "thanks to TextAloud."

Sal (Wisconsin Electrical Engineer)

Sal is another successful professional -- an Electrical Engineer in Appleton, Wisconsin -- who successfully overcomes his dyslexia every day thanks to TextAloud, and who has also used the program to pursue his goals in graduate studies, as well.

Sal first discovered TextAloud when taking graduate classes online via the University of Phoenix. "My apprehension with starting an online course was due to the fact that it was heavily dependent on reading," he comments. "A great majority of the information in the UOP (University Of Phoenix) system is electronic text documentation. My Dyslexia limits the amount of information I can read and comprehend while still maintaining an effective time schedule." But then came TextAloud. "TextAloud allows me to copy and paste text from an electronic document and listen to what is written," he adds. "I can also increase the reading speed so that I can listen to written information faster. I've adapted to listening more than visual reading, and my rate of audio processing and comprehension is much better."

As he started writing papers for his MBA courses, Sal found it increasingly useful to have TextAloud read his paper out loud so he could hear poorly written areas of the paper as well as misspelled or incorrect words. "Another aspect of my dyslexia is my spelling," he comments. "I depend heavily on the spell checker, but it does not assure you that your choice is the correct word, only that it is spelled correctly. Listening to my paper read aloud quickly highlighted these problems." He soon began to use the program on a routine basis, and thanks to TextAloud has completed eight of his fifteen chosen online graduate courses.

"To me, the most useful part of the software is how easy it is to highlight and copy information to the clipboard, then have TextAloud automatically start reading," says Sal. In addition to listening to online articles, he also uses the program to listen to e-mails and class discussion threads.

For Sal, a natural-sounding voice and intonation are crucial for comprehension and here TextAloud really delivers (he chooses NeoSpeech for his favorite Premium voices). Another advantage to TextAloud, and to simulated reading in general over an audiobook for Sal, is the fact that speeding up the rate of reading does not increase the vocal pitch.

Most of all, Sal points out that TextAloud offers those with dyslexia an added advantage when it comes to the Internet. While the Internet offers a wealth of content, information, and opportunity for communication, it can be an especially frustrating and stressful experience for those suffering from dyslexia. "The ever-expanding Internet has created an additional gap between those that can read well and those that cannot," Sal comments. "TextAloud helps to close that gap."

About TextAloud
TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced at just $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000, XP and VISTA. The program is available for fast, safe and secure purchase via http://www.nextup.com/purchase.html.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices™, NeoSpeech®, Nuance®, Acapela® and Cepstral® for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian Accent English, Scottish Accent English, Arabic, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Latest GhostReader Release

2008-05-17T12:56:00.001-05:00

GhostReader is a text to audio utility for Mac, available at
http://www.nextup.com/mac.html

msterdam - 14 May 2008 - ConvenienceWare(TM) / AssistiveWare(R) today announced the release of GhostReader(TM) 1.5, which adds new voices, enhanced iPhone/iPod export, a pronunciation editor and much more. GhostReader is a powerful, yet easy to use multilingual text-to-speech solution for Mac OS X that reads aloud PDF, Word and other documents as well as selected text in any application. It can also convert any text to audio files, MP3s, or bookmarkable audiobooks for playback on iPhone and iPod. Sit back and relax while GhostReader reads for you!

GhostReader 1.5 is a major update with the following new features and enhancements:

- Adds new natural sounding voices for Czech, Polish, Swedish and Finnish while existing voices have been enhanced.

- Adds a pronunciation editor, which can be used to modify the way a word is pronounced or to add new abbreviations.

- Adds direct export to iTunes of documents and selected text for playback on iPhone or iPod.

- Adds user-selectable encoding for export to iTunes (AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless).

- In Leopard now also reads DOCX and ODT documents.

- Export to iTunes now runs in the background.

- Enhanced responsiveness when speaking selected text or text below the cursor.

- Speaking selected text now also works in floating windows such as those of the Leopard Help Viewer.

- Speak Text Below the Cursor now speaks the alt. tags for images and buttons in web pages, Mail and widgets.

- Speak Text Below the Cursor now also speaks just the paragraph below the cursor in Mail, TextEdit and Pages 2008.

- Many other enhancements and fixes.

GhostReader can be used by anyone who prefers to listen to text rather then read it. Many professionals, writers, educators and students use it on a daily basis to save time, to proof read their own writing or to learn the pronunciation of foreign languages or to improve their reading and listening comprehension.

GhostReader 1.5 is a free update for existing users. It is a Universal Binary requiring Mac OS X 10.4 or later and provides full Leopard compatibility. Voices are currently available for the following languages: American English, British English, Czech, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, American Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Norwegian, Turkish and Swedish. GhostReader itself is localized in English, French and German.

Pricing for GhostReader starts at 39.95 Euro/USD excluding VAT for a single-user monolingual version (includes all voices for a language of choice). Multilingual licenses, household licenses, classroom licenses and school licenses are also available. GhostReader is also available as a bundle with Infovox iVox for system-wide high quality voices that can be used with practically all Speech Manager compatible Mac OS X applications. Pricing for this bundle starts at 109 Euro/USD excluding VAT for a single user license.

A boxed edition of GhostReader is distributed in Europe through Application Systems Heidelberg and available in selected European countries from Apple Stores, FNAC, Amazon and many Apple Resellers throughout the continent.

For more information, a fully-functional downloadable demo and to listen to samples of the voices please consult the product page:

GhostReader: http://www.convenienceware.com/ghostreader.php

Listen to samples: http://www.convenienceware.com/voices.php

AssistiveWare (http://www.assistiveware.com/) is the worldwide leader in innovative assistive technology software for Mac OS X that gives people back their lives. This includes award-winning KeyStrokes(R) and TouchStrokes(R) virtual keyboards, SwitchXS(R) scanning on-screen keyboard, LayoutKitchen(R) panel editor, and Proloquo(R) multi-purpose speech solution. The ConvenienceWare product line (http://www.convenienceware.com) makes the advanced technologies developed by AssistiveWare available in cool and convenient applications that can make the life of Mac users easier.

AssistiveWare and ConvenienceWare are trade names and trademarks or registered trademarks of Niemeijer Consult. VisioVoice, SwitchXS, KeyStrokes, TouchStrokes, LayoutKitchen, GhostReader and Proloquo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Niemeijer Consult. Infovox iVox is a trademark of Acapela Group. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Textbook extinction.

2008-05-17T12:55:00.001-05:00

http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1386424/are_textbooks_becoming_extinct_welcome_to_the_age_of_the/

Are Textbooks Becoming Extinct?

Posted on: Thursday, 15 May 2008, 03:00 CDT

IMAGINE

if textbooks were alive ... living, changing, evolving, and improving ... never out-of-date!

a textbook that would give students images, videos, and interactive tutorials about a subject, a vocabulary word, or a topic.

a digital textbook that would be student-driven, a model for differentiated learning, and geared toward helping all students learn through visualization, interaction, and simulation.

In the age of Web 2.0, all this and much more is possible. And it's all at our students' fingertips with just a click of a button. Welcome to the "Age of the Wikitext!"

The Problem

By 2008, most school librarians have become aware of Web 2.0. Some of us have more experience than others, but we all know that we are several years into the age of the Read/Write Web (aka the Participatory Web). Unfortunately, the majority of us are digital immigrants, so our depth of knowledge on Web 2.0 technology and social software is rather superficial.

One thing that is consistent for all educators is the proverbial tightening of the belts. As school systems' budgets shrink, there have been a growing number of teacher layoffs. School systems in my state have slowly begun to integrate and mainstream all the students with learning disabilities, eliminating some special education teachers and maxing-out class size caps. This has had a domino effect.

With the increase of heterogeneous grouping, the skill level among students in the same class has grown wider and wider. This has cascaded into a major problem for subject-specific teachers. In order for them to be able to reach, and teach, students of all levels, they have had to differentiate their instruction. One of the positives to come with all this change has been its confluence with Web 2.0 and the tools of the participatory web.

Training teachers in differentiated learning-also called differentiated instruction-has helped alleviate some of the issues, but the educational community then found another major obstacle to instruction. The lessons in schools had changed, but the textbooks they used had not.

Textbooks have been another casualty of budget cuts. Many schools are being told, "Don't even consider ordering new textbooks for next year-the funds just aren't there." If only there was a cost- effective supplement. Hmm ...

Some Perspective

Now let's get some perspective. Let's say you were in college in 1978. When you received an assignment, you would use reference books and journals in the library to do your research. You would then handwrite your notes and use a typewriter for your final draft. You used a slide rule to work on your discrete math homework. Sometimes you called your parents from a telephone booth to beg them to mail you pizza (aka beer) money. Not to mention that your biology textbook was a 6-pound, 700-page tome that took 3 years to get published and was already out-of-date.

Now, 30 years later, your son is entering his second year in college. He takes class notes on a laptop and does his research with online databases and (of course) Google while using a free Wi-Fi hotspot at Starbucks. He gets help with his math homework by contacting classmates through Facebook, and he forgets to call you from his cell phone because he doesn't need money for pizza-he just uses his credit card.

But you don't worry about him too much. His phone is practically a part of his body, so you subscribe to an online service that uses the GPS locator to sync it up with Google Earth, so at least you can see exactly where he is at all times.

Only one thing hasn't radically changed-his biology text, which has now grown into a 12-pound, 1,000-page mammoth of a book that still takes 2 years to get published and is already out-of-date. What's wrong with this picture?

"Textbooks have yet to respond to changes in technology, teaching philosophy, and student life," says Paul Bierman, a professor at the University of Vermont. He made this statement at a workshop he initiated of 54 leading scientists, educators, and technology experts at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. They met under the theme "Reconsidering the Textbook."

"There was broad agreement at the workshop that the role of the textbook is going to change," Bierman says. "They are going to be the integrating force between all these different digital technologies and show you where to go for more depth."

The Solution

This led to my thoughts on how to best address this problem. If textbooks are static and unchangeable, how can I, as internet librarian at Middletown High School in Rhode Island, help? Could this be the age of the wikitext?

My idea to build and create a wikitext gradually came into focus after attending a presentation by Will Richardson during the Internet@Schools conference in 2005. We've all gone to presentations where we have heard our peers speak about the benefits of Web 2.0 in education. It's also become painfully obvious that our students, across nearly all grades, have become well-versed with Web 2.0 tools, so it's not a passing fad.

Richardson once blogged that "Teaching is a collective effort, not an individual accomplishment." This resonates with those of us teaching toward the future. Student input is imperative! If we are to prepare young minds for the creative thinking their futures will certainly require, then it is our obligation to use every tool in our toolbox to effectively impart that knowledge.

In the modern-day working world, quick answers are at our fingertips. Students don't need teachers to give them the information. Anyone can type in a search on their smartphones, send it to Yahoo! or Ask.com, and get an immediate answer sent back to them.

But they do need teachers to give them the skills to evaluate, organize, and apply that information-that's information literacy. Imagine moving from the traditional teacher-directed model of instruction to a student-centered model. Together, both the teacher and the students can use the group's collective intelligence to collaboratively build a wikitext.

The wikitext has the potential to become an integrating force that merges Web 2.0 tools for the betterment of education. By embedding audio, video, interactive tutorials, simulations, and edu- games, the students will have almost limitless depth on curriculum topics. If you add screencasts, podcasts, and text-to-speech widgets, you'll have the potential to differentiate instruction to reach every student across the entire intellectual spectrum.

Collective Intelligence: Wnen tne Wnole Exceeds tne Sum of Its Parts

Let us start by clarifying the meaning of "collective intelligence." There are many variations on the definition, but essentially, collective intelligence is defined as the capacity of human communities to cooperate intellectually in creation, innovation, and invention.

In the Information Age, our society has become more and more knowledge-dependent-knowledge plus information equals power plus influence. It is therefore imperative that we understand (among other things) how collective intelligence processes can be encouraged and expanded in classrooms through the use of Web 2.0 tools such as the wiki. Harnessing a group's collective intelligence is one of the keys to success for modern societies. It is a tool and skill that the students of today will need to be the successful employees of tomorrow.

This vision is also supported by several decades of educational research and a growing body of teaching approaches-sometimes called constructivist or inquirybased learning-where instruction is driven by students' own questions. It adapts to their various learning styles and levels of understanding.

Another approach is called "Backwards Design," where the goals of what should be learned are established first and then the tools- such as digital resources or interactive tutorials-are selected to meet those goals. For example, a teacher can now begin by posing an open-ended problem such as "Explore the origins of the solar system," and give the students a WebQuest of online resources so they may find their own answers. Studentswith strong guidance from the teacher-could then use wiki software to compile their answers. They would embed different resources that they have found to help convey the concepts to their peers from their perspective. Students often learn more quickly from a peer than from a teacher. Most educators can recall a moment in class where a child doesn't fully comprehend a concept from our explanation, but then something amazing happens: A neighbor leans over and whispers a few words and you can see the light bulb go on above the student's head.

The students' additions will become a new chapter in the wikitext. Through student and teacher input, this chapter will perpetually evolve. This living, breathing document will constantly change, grow, and improve-with each and every edit-continuously benefiting from the insights, perspectives, and collective intelligence of the group.Now, this isn't meant to replace the classroom text completely. As long as the digital divide separates students from accessing the internet at home, a wikitext will probably remain a supplement rather than the primary text. But the potential and the benefit to instruction are undeniable. The traditional strengths of the textbook remain: They gather an established body of knowledge within a discipline, present a consensus overview, and filter information through peer review. However, this can also be the downfall of traditional textbooks. The very qualities that give them their weight and authority are often their biggest flaw. Your students are not the peers in "peer review." The peer reviewer-discipline specialists have perspectives that are usually light-years removed from the frame of reference of a 21st-century student. This flaw is compounded by the economics of the publishing industry. The generalized market that publishers seek to tap makes the text barren of any local detail, current relevance, or context from the students' lives. If, through the use of "place- based curriculum," these wiki texts were personalized for a school, and if they were constantly updated through the input of both the faculty and the students, then the benefits would be astounding!

During the past year I have been instructing teachers from different school districts on how to get started creating a wiki text. Getting new projects off the ground is the most challenging part, but they soon snowball and begin to take on a life of their own. After the staff has been trained, they quickly become vested in the project. Soon after that, parents get involved (more so at the elementary level) and these projects grow even faster. It takes a lot of hours and a big commitment by the administration for training, but feedback from students, parents, and teachers has shown that it is worth it. Most wikitext projects may take up to a full school year to get developed, so Fm looking forward to seeing some of these finished projects this summer. I'll report back soon ...

---

Dow Jones Talks

2008-03-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

http://visualvoicemail.tmcnet.com/speech-technologies/articles/22267-new-text-to-speech-capability-turns-written-news.htm

New Text-to-Speech Capability Turns Written News into Spoken News

By Susan J. Campbell

TMCnet Contributing Editor

Dow Jones & Company has introduced a new capability to enable users to listen to the news that drives their business. This new “text-to-speech” capability in Dow Jones Factiva needs only one click to allow users to listen to a news article rather than read it.

The “Listen to Article” link is currently available in beta format and the link appears at the top of any full-text article with fewer than 4,000 words. Listeners can select English, French, German, Italian and Spanish languages and the application can automatically default to reading in the interface language previously selected.

To test the Dow Jones Factiva listen capability and hear this press release, click here.

“Dow Jones Factiva continues to set itself apart from the competition by being the first to offer text-to-speech technology in the current awareness, news and research market,” said Dennis Cahill, senior vice president and chief product officer of the Dow Jones Enterprise Media Group, in a Wednesday statement.

“This new capability builds on our commitment to provide customers with relevant news when, where and how they need it and to reinforce our No. 1 position in the marketplace.”

Provided by VoiceCorp, the listen capability is a Web-based service that converts text into speech on the fly. It is available to users wherever full-text articles are found, including alerts, search results and newsletters. Once the link is clicked, the listen capability uses a Flash player to read the article.

The addition of text-to-speech is meant to further build on Dow Jones’s goal of integrating various forms of multimedia content into Dow Jones Factiva.

In our multi-tasking society, we are constantly on the look-out for solutions that can make our day a little less hectic by combining tasks. Why not try out a solution that reads an article to you so you can catch the important news, while also skimming e-mails, looking at reports, or finishing that paperwork?

While multi-tasking may not be the end goal, this solution can provide a great tool for those individuals who are concerned with the issues, yet lack the time to sit down and reach about them. Such a solution can also have even broader applications and could find another niche in which to market the solution.

TTS helping homeless

2008-02-29T10:04:00.001-05:00

Google Pushes GrandCentral to Help the Homeless

Google announced that it is offering its GrandCentral service to homeless people as a means of helping them get their lives back in order. A good number of homeless Americans (those not suffering from mental illness) are just in need of assistance getting their lives back in order, a difficult prospect when a possible employer can’t even call you, because you don’t have a house to have a phone in.

Google is encouraging the homeless to use GrandCentral and enabling them to get into the sorta-private beta. Even without a computer or phone, the homeless person will be able to have a phone number that always works and never changes (as opposed to handing out payphone numbers) and receive voicemail they can listen to whenever they get to a phone. The GrandCentral number, with its local area codes and permanent status, won’t carry the stigma associated with pooled 800 numbers with temporary access codes.

It’s good of Google to see the potential in GrandCentral to help fix a few lives. The next step: Letting GrandCentral users receive email messages in their voicemail, so the homeless can hand out a Gmail address and listen to a text-to-speech system read them their emails over the phone.
(via DVICE)

Good Daisy description

2008-02-29T08:12:00.001-05:00

What is a DAISY Digital Talking Book?

Today, I have just googled the web and found some useful information for getting stated about DAISY Digital Talking Book from Tim Evans & Andrew Furlong. This document was written in year 2005 which is almost 3 years from now but it is still valid. Let’s see why DAISY is make sense? In this post you will found some abbreviations, but don’t worry I will explain some of them later in this blog.

Cheers,
Tanakom.

DAISY makes sense!

Presentation

Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities
2005 National Conference
Introduction

This presentation will inform you of the features and benefits of DAISY, and will focus on four main advantages.

1. Portability
2. Accessibility
3. Useability
4. Compatibility

What is DAISY?

DAISY is the acronym for Digital Accessible Information System.

The DAISY System is transforming the reading and learning experiences of people who have a print disability in over 30 countries around the world.

There are currently more than 125,000 DAISY books already produced worldwide.

Limitations of Audio Books today

Typical audio talking books do not allow the reader to move through the book easily. You can listen from beginning to end, but not much more, resulting in frustration and wasted time.

What is a DAISY Digital Talking Book?

A traditional talking book is an analog version of a print publication. A DAISY Digital Talking Book (DTB) is a multimedia version of a print publication. In both instances the rendering of the audio is usually in human voice.

During the development of the DAISY standard, talking book readers from around the world were consulted regarding their reading requirements and needs for a fully accessible audio book. It was very clear that analog recordings did not meet their reading and information needs.

Access to places within the book, difficulties using the medium itself, quality, preservation of content and numerous other issues indicated that producers of talking books had to begin the move to a digital platform. However, a digitally recorded human voice in itself would not resolve all of the issues, particularly the issues of accessibility and navigation from point to point within the book.

DAISY DTB’s do meet talking book reader requirements by providing access to the talking book that has never before been possible, giving the talking book reader instant access to any part of the book, including chapters, and pages.

Why Choose DAISY?

The DAISY standard provides flexibility and options never before possible. You can listen to a DAISY book on a desktop computer or laptop, or you can listen to a DAISY audio book with a portable hardware player at home or when travelling.

1. Portability

The average book is contained on 10 cassettes or 12 CD’s. DAISY is a compressed format that can be put on a single CD and easily used.

Up to 50 hours of audio may be contained on one DAISY CD - the equivalent of more than 30 standard cassettes. It is also possible to place more than one book on a CD.

2. Accessibility

DAISY allows the reader to navigate around the book in the same way they would access a print book, if not better.

The book has a structure that allows the reader to easily navigate around the book to locate specific content.

Typically, the structure would be headings like chapters and subchapters, footnotes and announcements, as well as page numbers.

The navigation of the book starts with the reader understanding the structure of the book, usually by reading the table of contents. This is the same way we would use a print book.

3. Useability

Using a portable hardware player as an example, it is possible to go directly to the table of contents. Once a heading is found, it is possible to go directly to the corresponding page, the same page as in the print book.

The player has all the usual features such as play/stop, volume, tone and speed controls.

Other useful features include a “bookmark” feature, with the ability to place multiple bookmarks, a “where am I?” button to find your location in the book,

I can also find out information about the book – how many pages it has, how long it is, and how long I may have to go before the end of the book – it may be the difference between going to sleep now, or listening to the climax.

All functions of the player are self voicing.

A DAISY player is also a fully accessible CD player. It will also play music CD’s and commercial audio books on CD. While it does not allow me to navigate around the book like a DAISY book, I can at least listen to it with all the features of a standard CD player.

The DAISY player remembers where it was previously stopped, whether it is a DAISY or not.

DAISY playback software has the same functionality as the portable player, with some additional functionality.

If the book contains text or pictures, this is displayed on the screen. This is very useful for people with some sight, who are able to follow the text in large print, while listening to the audio. It also allows advanced word searching.

4. Compatibility

DTB’s produced to the DAISY standard are independent of the distribution medium and fits current as well as future distribution models, whether that be CD, flash memory or even the internet. More importantly, as technology advances and digital distribution methods evolve, these same books can be distributed via the newly developed media or system.

There are over 125,000 DAISY books now available wordwide, growing daily.

Some of the major English speaking organisations that have adopted DAISY include: CNIB, RNIB, RNZFB, RFB&D, the Library of Congress in the US, and NILS.

Many non-English speaking organisations in our community have adopted DAISY including Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Japan, Spain, and many others throughout Europe and Asia.

Associated with the development of DAISY are some major commercial enterprises including: Microsoft, Telex, Visuaide, Plextor, Dolphin, Duxbury and many others.

Costs of DAISY players are falling, and there is now a range of players to suit every user.

About the DAISY Consortium

The DAISY Consortium was formed in May, 1996 by leading talking book libraries to begin the worldwide transition from analog to Digital Talking Books.

The Consortium’s vision is that all published information be available to people with print disabilities, “at the same time and at no greater cost, in an accessible, feature-rich, navigable format.”

There are more than 70 members and friends of the DAISY Consortium.

Technically speaking

The first DAISY standard was proprietary, originating in 1994. The idea was to use digital recording and introduce some document structuring that would allow easy navigation by the user. In its short history, the DAISY specification has evolved considerably.

In 1997, the DAISY Consortium decided to adopt open standards based on file formats being developed for the Internet (HTML, SMIL, etc). The DAISY 2.0 specification was released in 1998, and the 2.02 specification 2001. DAISY 3, the ANSI/NISO Z39.86 standard was made official in 2002, and production tools for this new standard are being developed now.

A DAISY book contains a set of digital files that includes:

• One or more digital audio (WAV) files containing a human narration of part or all of the source text.
• A marked-up (HTML/XML) file containing some or all of the text.
• A synchronization (SMIL) file to relate places in the text file with corresponding time points in the audio file, and
• A navigation control (NCC) file that enables the user to move smoothly around the book while synchronization between text and audio is maintained.

The DAISY standard allows the producer full flexibility regarding the mix of text and audio ranging from audio-only, to full text and audio, to text-only.

DAISY is a better way to read books.

Please contact NILS or visit the DAISY Web site for more information: www.daisy.org

Tim Evans & Andrew Furlong
4 May, 2005

Australian Entrepreneur Ends Headaches with TextAloud

2008-02-26T18:43:00.001-05:00

Clemmons, NC and Newcastle, Australia (PRWEB) February 26, 2008 -- As a successful 42-year-old Australian builder, pilot, and entrepreneur, Alistair Mills has accomplished remarkable things -- in spite of the visual impairment that led to lifelong difficulties in reading. However, with a successful (and correctable) diagnosis of Dual Astigmatism at age 21, and Text to Speech tools like the TextAloud software program from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com), Mills quickly found an enjoyable and alternative way to listen to his reading material, and to do so without the eyestrain, eye fatigue and headaches he experienced by reading visually.

"I was dismissed as a poor reader and student until the age of 21," comments Mills, "when a doctor discovered that I suffered from Dual Astigmatism and Dual Misalignment. I was physically unable to read, because my eyes were not able to track words sequentially." Instead, his eyes 'machine-gunned' parts of words, guessing at most of them yet only getting about three letters of any one word at a time. "My condition also meant that, if I tried to read for any length of time, I would suffer excruciating headaches and extreme eye fatigue," he adds. Luckily, TextAloud provided Mills with the perfect solution: Mills could now read for study, entertainment, and more, by listening to text converted into spoken audio (for use on a PC, laptop or other mobile device) and by an easy PC program that installed in minutes.

Mills immediately began using TextAloud for his business studies and courses. "When taking a course, I would take my laptop computer with me, and whenever possible, would get the course syllabus on disk. Using TextAloud, my grades went from barely passing to average 95%!" Soon, Mills was using the program for all his reading. "Professionally, I need to read copious amounts of highly technical text, so for the last five years now, I'll buy two copies of the book I want to read, cut the spine off one, and scan it into my computer. I process it with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software, save it as a PDF, import it into Microsoft Word, then drop it into TextAloud. Working this way allows me to read whole books in just a couple of sessions." On one recent evening, using TextAloud, Mills was able to listen to over sixty (60) pages of highly complex information in a single session, and he has had many sessions where he was routinely able to listen to as many as 240 pages, as well. "My favorite aspects of TextAloud include the user friendliness of its software interface, the program's flexibility, as well as its easy compatibility with other software outputs," he comments. Mills uses the program with Acapela (R) Premium Voices, and especially enjoys any of the voices in 22 kHz.

Since he began using TextAloud, Mills has found "a significant increase not only in comprehension and productivity, but also in the quality of my concentration." He adds, "It's easy to enter what I call 'The Zone' where you are powering easily through work for significant periods of time. I love getting that feeling of higher concentration with no noticeable increase in effort when I'm using TextAloud, and you're in that zone before you even realize it." Mills also likes the fact that, in order to utilize the software efficiently, "you have to address and file your documents accurately, which promotes good 'housekeeping' on your PC." As the head of his own Investment Business, on any given day there are always an unlimited number of reports Mills may need to read, as well as newspaper financial sections, industry articles, and more.

"I never get tired of using TextAloud," says Mills, "and it gives me a blast when I see how much work I've been able to achieve. My reading study is now headache-free. I enjoy reading by listening now. My productivity is high. And my business and my profitability are all increasing, and that's partly due to the increased capacity I've uncovered via TextAloud."

About TextAloud

Highly useful for students, scientists, writers, business people, students and people from all walks of life -- TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced from $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000, XP and Vista. The program is available for fast, safe and secure purchase via http://www.NextUp.com.

State Employees CU upgrades ATM network for visually impaired

2008-02-21T11:51:00.002-05:00

http://www.finextra.com/fullpr.asp?id=19939

I've got a friend who manages one of these branches.

State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) announces the completion of an upgrade to their Cash Points Automated Teller Machine (ATM) network with Voice Guidance technology to benefit its visually impaired members.

The upgrade, which was completed in mid-January, makes SECU the first major deployer of ATMs to convert all machines on its network - a total of 975 no-surcharge ATMs throughout North Carolina - with the "Text to Speech" technology. This technology provides a "talking" ATM, allowing SECU members to plug in their headphones and listen to step-by-step instructions for conducting transactions at any Cash Points ATM.

James Benton, Sr., Community Employment Specialist for the Division of Services for the Blind Serving the Governor Morehead School Transition Program states, "State Employees' Credit Union's Cash Points ATMs offer a great voice guidance system that is very simple to use. The technology provides visually impaired members complete and private access to account information without the assistance of a third party, which is extremely important. Having this system available through a statewide network is tremendously beneficial. There are many advocates who are blind or visually impaired who have led the way and worked tirelessly with State Employees' Credit Union to make such a network available, and their hard work is richly appreciated."

Leanne Phelps, Senior Vice-President of SECU's Card and Record Services department comments, "Since State Employees' Credit Union always strives to make services convenient for all members, the voice guidance ATMs were a logical solution. We are proud to add this service to our list of other special needs benefits, including Braille and large print statements, TDD services (a telecommunication device for the hearing impaired), web accessibility and mobility accessible vehicle loans. And, with 975 no-surcharge ATMs in North Carolina, SECU is not only providing access to all North Carolinians, but also helping the citizens of North Carolina keep money in their pockets!"

AT&T Small Biz Site using TTS

2008-02-21T11:50:00.001-05:00

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/02/18/daily23.html

AT&T Inc. is beefing up its free online small-business portal to include more resources to assist owners and executives.

First launched last February, San Antonio-based AT&T's (NYSE: T) Onward Small Business Web site (www.att.com/OnwardSmallBiz) has been upgraded to allow for greater feedback from the business community.

The main enhancement is that AT&T's site is now giving visitors the ability to listen to content via text-to-speech technology, including news information, customer stories and case studies.

The upgraded site also is giving small-business owners the ability to rate, share and tag articles in the news and insights section, recommend customer stories and case studies to include on the site, grade Web-based courses offered through the site, suggest topics for new online courses and receive customized content.

AT&T provides IP-based business communications services, wireless, high-speed Internet, voice services and directory publishing and advertising services. The company also is a growing provider of digital television entertainment through its U-verse TV service.

Web site: www.att.com/OnwardSmallBiz

I tried to go verify and checkout what they were doing, but the site was almost completely unresponsive.

Who doesn’t like being read to?

2008-02-17T07:56:00.000-05:00

From
http://amperzen.com/blog/?p=92

I review books. I, therefore, read a lot of books. That means taking time to hold a book in my hands, turning pages, and reading. I prefer reading paper to reading on screen because, well, I don’t care to sit at my desk with my laptop for hours and hours — I do enough of that with writing, email, blogs, etc. And, no one has seen fit yet to let me have a Kindle or other handheld book reader to review … yet … I live for hope.

Anyway, some of the publishers have been asking about sending pdf files rather than the book for review. I certainly understand that need — it saves a trees. Since I live on five wooded acres and garden in my few spots of sunshine, I’m concerned with the environment. But most of the other reviewers on the pubs aren’t keen on reading full books on screen anymore than I am. But, it’s these little challenges that spur Google searches — and Tor is giving away pdfs of books — so a couple of items came together and I found TextAloud.

I downloaded the demo version and got it installed. Downloaded the first Tor book Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. The installation of TextAloud went very smoothly. Then because, after all, why would I read directions, I found that it can’t read a pdf directly, you have to open it with the TextAloud program — minor inconvenience. Then the demo has a voice called Sam. Sam is like being read to by the computer in the film War Games or Stephen Hawkings. So then I downloaded a demo voice from Cepstral called Lawrence. Lawrence is British and reads with a bit more inflection than Sam but he nags you to buy him every few sentences.

However, while I haven’t really run the program through to many paces yet — I’m seriously considering shelling out for the full version of TextAloud. I mean if the book is a file and TextAloud can read it to me — I can knit or spin while listening to a book — multi-tasking is a good thing. Besides, I love being read to and if I can choose accents well that just adds to the pleasure. Check it out yourself, it seems a really decent program.

Cellphone can read to you from pictures it takes

2008-02-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

The Nokia N82 with knfbReader Mobile lets you take a picture of a page, then hear the printed words.
Enlarge image Enlarge
The Nokia N82 with knfbReader Mobile lets you take a picture of a page, then hear the printed words.

THE BOTTOM LINE

knfbReader Mobile (installed on Nokia N82)

Site: www.knfbreader.com

Price: $1,595 for software; "unlocked" Nokia phone costs $500 to $600.

Pro: Reads text aloud from pictures of items you have taken with pocket-size camera phone, including pages from books, menus, forms, letters and business cards. Can figure out denominations of U.S. currency.

Con: Expensive. Accuracy is good but not perfect.

READ ALL ABOUT IT, FOR FREE

A blind person might use the knfbReader Mobile software to have newspaper articles read to them on a Nokia N82 cellphone. But because of the different way papers are laid out, it may not be the best solution.

Instead, they can use the Nokia or any other telephone to call the NFB-Newsline. The service free to anyone who cannot read papers due to blindness, dyslexia or other physical disabilities can read daily articles over the phone from more than 250 newspapers.

Participating national and local publications include USA TODAY, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The New Yorker and AARP The Magazine.

When someone first calls, they'll be asked to enter an ID number and security code; they won't have to re-enter those codes if they continue to call from the same phone. They then navigate through a touch-tone menu with prompts to pick the articles they want to hear.

Go to www.nfb.org or call 866-504-7300 for more information.

By Edward C. Baig

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Even those of us who don't gab on cellphones appreciate having one for an emergency. For a blind or visually impaired person, the Nokia N82 promises much more: It's a liberating day-to-day tool that grants access to printed materials not otherwise easily available.

A sightless person can use the phone to snap a picture of a menu, book, printed receipt or business card. Software on the phone processes the words on those items and reads the text aloud in a synthesized voice. The device can even let a blind person know if paper currency is a $5 or a $20 bill.

TALKING TECH: Baig and Graham shows off cool gadgets from recent trade shows

As you might expect, the candy-bar-shaped Nokia houses an extremely capable digital camera — 5 megapixels, auto-focusing, high-intensity flash. But it's the character-recognition and text-to-speech software from KNFB Reading Technology that makes it so powerful. KNFB is a joint venture of the National Federation of the Blind and Kurzweil Technologies.

A brief history: In the 1970s, noted inventor Ray Kurzweil developed a machine that could scan text, convert it to audio and effectively read ordinary books out loud to a blind person. It was the size of a washing machine. By 2006, the technology harnessed a digital camera and could fit into a commercially available $3,500 personal digital assistant. The PDA was portable but not pocket-size like a cellphone.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Graham | Braille | Preparing | National Federation | Ray Kurzweil | Kurzweil Technologies

Late last month, the knfbReader Mobile was launched with the N82. It's currently the only cellphone to work with KNFB's software.

The cellphone reader is less expensive than the PDA version. But the software alone will still set you back $1,595, and the Nokia phone an additional $500 or so. (You'll also need thin, plastic filters, or polarizers, that reduce glare on the phone.) You can find a dealer at www.knfbreader.com.

There are other potential constraints beyond the size of your wallet. The list of items the Reader can't decipher includes handwritten text, street signs, vending machine buttons and scrolling text or text wrapped around soup cans or medicine bottles.

Moreover, surface glare, wrinkles and creases, shadows and ambient lighting can affect its accuracy, though it is very good.

It's hard not to come away impressed. While I cannot pretend to know what it is like to be blind, I'm convinced the phone can provide a huge benefit to those with poor vision. KNFB's vice president for business development, James Gashel, who is blind, says it can enhance a person's independence. Among the ways he uses his is to distinguish between the caffeinated and decaf packets of coffee in a hotel room. And Gashel says blind people learn to compensate for any of the Reader's shortcomings.

More about how the Reader works

Preparing to shoot.

There's a bit of a learning curve to figure out which of the Nokia's keys snaps a picture and performs other functions. Audio cues come in handy.

You may wonder how any blind person figures out where to aim the reader relative to the page or item they are taking a picture of.

Ideally, you want to place a book or the text on a flat surface in front of you and hold the phone in the middle, about 10 inches above. But how do you know where that is?

One way is to take advantage of something called a "field of view" report. Pressing the appropriate key triggers the flash as the camera determines the page alignment.

It doesn't matter whether a page is right side up or upside down. A few seconds later, the voice clues you in along these lines: "Bottom, left and top edges are visible; 9% filled, rotated 3 degrees counterclockwise."

The goal is to have all four edges visible and have at least 70% of an 8½-by-11-inch page filled. Some trial and error before coming up with an acceptable position is likely.

Not everyone will need the field of view report. People with limited vision or dyslexia can switch on the phone's view finder to see how much of a page fits the screen.

Taking a picture.

There's about a two-second lag between pressing the button to take a picture and the time it takes for the shutter to snap. If all went well, the phone will process the text and start reading aloud within about 20 seconds. The synthesized voice is robotic but generally clear. You can alter the volume and playback speed.

The phone can also highlight spoken text on its large screen, useful for those with limited sight or who are learning disabled.

You can save text once it has been processed. Stored pages can be transferred to computers or Braille note-takers.

I snapped pictures of insurance forms, art books (it reads around pictures), paperbacks and business cards. Occasionally, spoken words got clipped or mumbled because of the layout of a page or the position of the phone. But the overall accuracy was quite decent. I was impressed that the device was smart enough to read the words in one column before the text in another.

I wish the technology were cheaper and available in more than one cellphone model. But it's difficult to put a price on a product with the potential to improve your own life or that of a loved one.

E-mail: ebaig@usatoday.com

Apple seeks patent on "podmaps" concept

2008-02-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

By Katie Marsal

Published: 01:00 PM EST

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A new software concept proposed by Apple Inc. would merge visual maps and spoken driving directions into an advanced form of on-demand podcast known as a podmap, a recent company filing has revealed.

The software-driven concept would consist of four core components that would let users request directions from a starting location to a destination location and have the results of that request returned in the form of a podcast media file that includes visual maps and spoken step-by-step driving instructions.

The GPS alternative of sorts would function as such: users would request a set of driving directions, which would then be sent to a remote map server. In turn, the map server would return textual based directions and pass them through a text-to-speech conversion engine that would return audible equivalents.

According to Apple's filing, made January 2007 and published for the first time on Thursday, the textual and audio directions would then be sent to a "podmap creator" which would piece them together alongside visual media items (map images) into a video podcast file that would then be stored on an RSS server.

"In this regard, the application server can reply to the client program to notify the client that the requested podmap is now available from the podmap RSS server. The client program can then interact with the podmap RSS server to retrieve the requested podmap," Apple said.

"Furthermore, once the client program includes the requested podmap, the client program can transfer or copy the podmap to the portable media device," the company continued. "In any event, once the requested podmap is resident at the client or the portable media device, the podmap is able to be played on such devices. Due to their support of media playback, the client and the portable media device can also be referred to as media playback devices. When being played, the podmap presents to the user of the device the voice directions and the corresponding images so that the user is able to successfully navigate from the start location to the destination location. It is particularly useful to play on the portable media device because it can be easily carried or transferred by the user."

Each podmap, Apple adds, would likely be segmented into "episodes" or segments, where each step in a set of driving directions could be accessed separately, paused, played, or repeated.

The filing is credited to company employee Ellis Verosub of San Francisco, Calif.

The Rise of Speech-Based IVR

2008-02-15T16:27:00.000-05:00

By Brian Solomon, TMCnet Web Editor

IVR systems vendors in the United States have been facing challenges in recent years stemming demand saturation in traditional end-user verticals such as telecommunications, financial services, insurance and travel. Vendors have been hard at work restructuring their product offerings to suit the changing preferences of customers. As a result, the bulk of sales has been in the form of replacements or upgrades, as the majority of enterprises are expected to step up the incorporation of speech-based IVR systems that are rapidly gaining in popularity.

A recent report from Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) examined the current and future prospects of the U.S. IVR systems market by analyzing the significant challenges, drivers and restraints faced by participants.

The advent of advanced speech technologies such as automatic speech recognition, 'text to speech', and speaker verification provides complete automation of customer-centric business processes and is gradually dispelling the apprehensions associated with the earlier IVR systems. Driven by these technological advancements, the IVR market has begun to live up to the initial expectations.

"Speech-enabled IVR systems have a flat menu structure and callers are spared from the painful experience of traversing through hierarchical touchtone menus to access information," said a Frost & Sullivan analyst. "This has reduced the 'opt-outs' for a live agent during a caller-system interaction, while increasing overall enterprise productivity."

In many cases, enterprises have managed to increase return on investment (ROI) and productivity within a year of deployment of speech-enabled IVR systems. This is mainly because of the fact that call centers could engage their agents in more meaningful functions.

"The quickness of ROI has been directly proportional to the complexities of applications and it has been generally more in case of composite functions," said the analyst. "To put it in a nutshell, providing hosted IVR systems with speech functionality could prove to be decisive in increasing the revenue flow of IVR vendors."

Brian Solomon is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Brian Solomon’s columnist page.

Don't forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.

InventHelp® Client Invents "E-Z Read" - An Alternative Invention To Today's Books

2008-02-15T16:26:00.000-05:00

nventHelp®, America's leading inventor service company, announces that one of its clients, an inventor from Erie, Pa., has designed a portable electronic book. InventHelp® is currently attempting to submit the invention to companies for review

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) February 15, 2008 -- InventHelp®, America's leading inventor service company, announces that one of its clients, an inventor from Erie, Pa., has designed a portable electronic book. This invention is patented.

The "E-Z Read" could enable readers to store large amounts of written material electronically. The invention could save students from having to lug a backpack full of heavy textbooks. The unit would mark the last-read page automatically when the reader closes his or her book. The quiet "page turning" feature and screen with soft backlighting could enable users to read in bed at night without disturbing a spouse. The E-Z Read would be producible in several variations and feature a compact, lightweight and fully portable design.

The E-Z Read would consist of a battery-operated textbook with a hinge-open design and dual display screens that are sized to that of full-page text. The device would display text and graphics stored on digital media such as a CD or flash memory card. The electronic book could have its own built-in hard drive for access to and storage of multiple texts. The device would also feature touch-screen operation, as well as a few basic controls for power, page advance and bookmark access. The first variation would be a music-book version whereby the pages could be set to advance automatically and a tempo rate can be set and followed by a musician; or pages could be advanced via a foot pedal attachment. The second version would be a design for magazine downloads from on-line publishers. This model would have internet connectivity features to download online publisher content on a subscription basis. The third model would have a recharging console. A fourth model would have a built-in audio and text-to-speech conversion for audio book playback.

InventHelp® is attempting to submit the invention to companies for review. If substantial interest is expressed, the company will attempt to negotiate for a sale or royalties for the inventor. For more information, telephone Dept. 04-CLC-1233 at (800) 851-6030. Learn more about InventHelp® and their Invention Submission services at http://press.inventhelp.com.

Text-to-Speech Bonanza with Cepstral and Asterisk 1.4

2008-02-14T09:28:00.001-05:00

from
http://nerdvittles.com/index.php?p=205
There's almost too much to celebrate today. It's Valentine's Day, of course. You didn't forget, did you? And PBX in a Flash turns 3 months old with well over 1,000 downloads a week under our belt. Wow! Who woulda thunk? Thanks, Joe! Thanks, Tom! Get the latest scoop on our forums.

We're also pleased to introduce our first hosting provider, Aretta Communications, for those that would prefer to run PBX in a Flash in a secure, hosted environment with regular backups. Your hosted service in Atlanta will be one millisecond away from the Internet backbone. You can't do any better! And, we're excited to welcome VoipQ as our new European gateway host and contributor for PBX in a Flash. You now can access and download all of our resources through their 100 megabit connection in The Netherlands: pbxinaflash.nl. And there are two new European domains that link back to our main pbxinaflash.com site as well: pbxinaflash.eu and pbxinaflash.be. Our special thanks to Dillard and VoipQ for their support! We're also delighted to announce VoxZone as our new MidWest host for PBX in a Flash downloads. Thanks, Dinesh! And finally, we want to welcome Ad Hoc Electronics as our third West Coast host for PBX in a Flash downloads. Thanks, Jeremy! We hope you'll keep all of these open source supporters in mind when you're shopping for VoIP services and hardware.

To celebrate today's events, we thought it'd be a perfect time to introduce five newly customized Nerd Vittles applications for PBX in a Flash to take advantage of the Cepstral text-to-speech engine with Allison that we introduced last month. So today we bring you Weather by Airport Code, Weather by Zip Code, Worldwide Weather, NewsClips, and MailCall. The weather apps are self-explanatory. NewsClips reads Yahoo news feeds on any of 10 different news topics, and MailCall reads you your email by phone for one or many POP3 or IMAP email accounts. Now these new applications support both Flite and Cepstral. Once you hear Allison reading the news and your email, you'll never go back to Egor. And we're pleased to announce that we'll have a web interface to Telephone Reminders in a few short weeks. With the new Cepstral technology, you'll be able to generate single or recurring text-to-speech reminders from your web browser with delivery at the dates and times you specify... to any phone in the world. Whoa!! As a birthday bonus for Nerd Vittles readers, you can email Cepstral for a whopping, once-in-a-lifetime 15% discount code to use on your next Cepstral download and purchase.

For those using PBX in a Flash (and why wouldn't you!), all of these new applications are a 15-second install away using the downloadable scripts from the Nerd Vittles script repository. And, of course, there are dozens of additional scripts available from our PBX in a Flash Script Site which is run by Tom King.

First Install Procedure. If you've never installed an application that's on the menu today, make certain that you have first installed Cepstral. Our tutorial is here, and it only takes a few minutes. Then the process is painless with PBX in a Flash. Just log into your server as root and type the following commands... depending upon the application you wish to install. Do NOT use this procedure if you have previously installed the application on your PBX in a Flash server. We'll get to that in a minute. As mentioned, each install takes about 15 seconds. Then take a look at the instructions by clicking on the application link on the Best of Nerd Vittles site.

Assistive Technology for Communication

2008-02-13T10:59:00.000-05:00

From TeacherLingo

A speech impairment can damper a student's ability to interact with their peers and to learn the topics that are being covered in the classroom. Sometimes students need to be paired up with an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. The augmentative communication systems are used to help students utilize the communication the student has. An Alternative communication system is one in which the oral communication system is bypassed altogether and another form is used.

These devices range from No Tech, Light Tech, and High Tech. The No Tech options are used in the event the student can indicate their needs and wants without the use of a device.

Light-tech devices is a communication system which is designed usually by a staff member at the school and do not require a power source. Communication boards are an example of a light-tech device. These boards show activities that the student will participate in throughout the day. These activities are usually represented by pictures. During the completion of each activity the student can mark each task so they know what to do next. Choice boards are another example of a light-tech device. It is similar to the communication board because student uses pictures to indicate a desired choice activity.

High-tech devices actually require a power source and are usually expensive. An example of such device is the text-to-speech device which allows the student to type words or phrase and the device will essentially speak the word written.

All devices are created to enhance student performance and participation in a general education setting. All the devices should be selected based on the need of the student. No-tech and low-tech devices should be considered first and foremost. An AAC device cannot replace the impact that a teacher can have on the student’s success in communication and language development. Teachers need to encourage students to respond verbally whenever it is most appropriate.

Some links for Keyboards:

http://store.frogpad.com/merchant2/merchant.mvcScreen=PROD&Store_Code=FrogStore&Product_Code=BLMAC2500R&Category_Code=ALL: The FROGPAD encourages children, in a fun and exciting way, to identify and locate their alphabet. It is also known to assist students in improving their typing ability. The goal of FROGPAD, is that students with physical impairments will be able to type 40 words per minute. It allows students with disabilities to keep up at the pace as their classmates eliminating any feelings of isolation. The keys on the pad are full sized and they are arranged to specifically improve typing skills.
http://www.keybowl.com/kb/index?page.how: This keyboard removes the barrier between the typical keyboard/mouse combination. People who benefit from this keyboard includes hand and finger injuries, limited fine motor skills, reduced finger function and other cognitive and physical challenges.
http://www.ergodirect.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=366&HS=1: The keyboard can be adjusted to fit three different angles: 20, 30, or 45 degree angles. The three sections can be spaced up to 6" apart
to meet the specific needs of the individual user.

Some links for AAC devices:

http://www.words-plus.com: This website provides communication devices that are easy-to-use and portable.
http://www.dynavoxtech.com : Retailer provider that provides solutions for individuals with communication and learning challenges.

As an educator, I suggest that if your child has a communication disability that you take these websites provided and search the endless possibilities to help assist your child.

Neat TTS Hardware

2008-02-12T09:10:00.001-05:00

From
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R184-SP03.html

New Acapela Voices for TextAloud

2008-02-08T10:28:00.001-05:00

13 New TextAloud Voices from Acapela

We are proud to offer 13 new voices from Acapela Group, including new High Quality voice in German, British, French, Canadian French, and others. New supported languages include European Portuguese, Mexican Spanish, Danish, Czech, Faroese, Icelandic, Finnish, and Turkish
http://nextup.com/acapela.html

Cancer Survivor Overcomes Voice Loss with NextUp Talker

2008-02-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

http://prweb.com/releases/2008/1/prweb668484.htm

Text to Speech Software Helps May Rone Maintain Everyday Communication

Clemmons, NC (PRWEB) January 31, 2008 -- In April of 2007, husband and wife Chuck and May Rone received the difficult news that May had cancer -- and that the treatment would necessitate the loss of her tongue and voice box to surgery. The couple took the news with courage and optimism, and decided to explore technology options to help speak for May. Most importantly, they wanted something that could also preserve the sound of her voice in memorable phrases and statements.

Their search quickly led them to NextUp Talker (http://www.Talkforme.com), an easy-to-use program from the Text to Speech experts at NextUp Technologies. NextUp Talker offers a unique and affordable software solution for those suffering voice loss to communicate in spoken voice once again, simply by using an ordinary Windows computer or laptop.

Planning ahead for their life after the surgery, Chuck bought his wife a voice recorder, and had her make voice notes of important little phrases such as "Good morning," and "I love you," as well as statements that would be vital in the days to come, such as "I'm in pain." "I never wanted to forget how her voice sounded!" he comments. Working with the voice recorder, Chuck quickly discovered the power of Text to Speech software and chose NextUp Talker to aid May in speech replacement after her surgery.

Unlike other technology products that are often prohibitively expensive for many users, NextUp Talker offers an affordable solution to the voiceless -- and with a free 30-day trial that anyone can download and evaluate immediately, via http://www.Talkforme.com. If users then decide to purchase NextUp Talker, natural-sounding voices are available in a wide range of genders, ages, accents, and approaches, for a Text to Speech solution that's truly "conversational."

"All this was new to me," Chuck comments. Researching as many options as he could, he called on several companies selling Text to Speech devices. "One well-known company took a week to return my call," he adds, "while another demonstrated their products for us but left us unimpressed. The technology was very highly priced, was difficult to operate, and not very mobile." Chuck and May finally decided on NextUp Talker as the best, simplest and most affordable option, choosing the NeoSpeech voice "Kate" from the premium voices available. "We installed the program, and WOW! You could type in the program and it would 'talk!'" he enthuses. "Best of all, NextUp Talker and NeoSpeech are far superior to all the other options we had explored, and there is no comparison to cost, as well."

May's surgery was a success, and during her recovery she quickly became accustomed to using the program on a UMPC (Ultra-Mobile PC) running Microsoft Vista. Easy to install and use with "Kate," the NeoSpeech voice of her choice, NextUp Talker allowed May to supplement her speech loss with computer speech with ease. Chuck, wanting to make sure he used the program to its full potential, also turned to help from NextUp Talker's tech support, and was highly pleased with the process. "I needed help integrating May's prerecorded and predefined phrases, as well as getting used to the shortcut keys and other aspects," comments Chuck. "Here, I have to acknowledge Jim Bretti of NextUp Talker support, who was fast to respond, and very smart. I have never received such support from any company as I have from Jim."

Chuck and May soon began using NextUp Talker on an ongoing basis with extraordinary success. The program empowered May with the ability to continue to speak aloud, and for Chuck to continue to hear her voice every day, even after voice loss.

"My wife can now talk to her doctors, family and friends, make phone calls, go shopping and carry on as close to a normal life as possible," adds Chuck. "We are very thankful for the people who have put so much time and effort into NextUp Talker. I would recommend the program to anyone who has a voice impairment. NextUp Talker has made our lives a whole lot better!"

NextUp Talker was specifically designed for use in conversation, offering pleasant and "conversational" speech and working easily with either mouse or keyboard. Easy-to-use shortcuts for common words or phrases help the user adapt to their own style and speech. The program can even insert actual sound files along with speech, helping to make kids more comfortable in talking with an adult using a computer to speak.

NextUp Talker is priced at just $99.95, and is compatible with Windows (R) Vista, XP, 98, NT, 2000, or Tablet PCs. The program is available for fast, safe and secure purchase via http://www.talkforme.com. NextUp Talker comes with a pair of male and female premium voices from either AT&T Natural Voices (TM) or NeoSpeech (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Additional premium voices offered optionally by NextUp.com include RealSpeak (R) and Acapela (R).

Axistive article on Talking Books

2008-01-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

Nice article at
http://www.axistive.com/a-new-read-on-digital-talking-books.html

Today, digital hardware, synthetic speech software, and powerful standards for digital talking books (DTBs) have dramatically enhanced the accessibility of print-originated material. Many DTB titles, including fiction, non-fiction, and textbooks, are available through nonprofit organizations such as Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic and Benetech Bookshare.org. Serving plate-sized, long-playing records and bulky phonographs have been replaced by CD and solid-state memory media and players for talking books.

The content of many books, articles, and manuals is available as electronic text, enabling text-to-speech (TTS) software to read out the material on PCs. Works only available in print may be converted to electronic text using scanners with optical character recognition.

The Kurzweil Reading Machine, developed in the 1980s, allows virtually any printed text to be digitized and read out on a PC with TTS software. Screen reading interface software for PCs using TTS is widely available. A USB memory module offers TTS access to screen content that can plug into any PC.
The first widely available commercial synthetic speech was DECtalk, developed at MIT in the 1970s. Although it is still preferred by many visually disabled individuals for its high-speed speaking capability, a number of high-quality concatenative TTS engines, like AT&T’s Natural Voice, are now available for screen readers. These systems piece together segments of human recorded speech. TTS systems for multiple languages with different voices have been developed for a variety of computing platforms. Much More...

TextAloud Brings Faith to Life for Listeners

2008-01-19T13:25:00.001-05:00

Text to Speech Brings Comfort and Faith from Printed Page to the Ear

View a PDF file for this press release

CLEMMONS, NC - The greatest power of Text to Speech lies in its ability to bring written words into sound - to entertain, educate, or, as is the case with many users, even to reconnect the listener with his or her faith. When a printed word becomes a spoken one, reading is no longer confined to a chair, but opened up to the world. Through Text to Speech and programs like TextAloud from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com), the Bible, Scriptures or other religious works can now be enjoyed anywhere, bringing comfort and inspiration wherever the listener goes.

"By using TextAloud for listening for listening on a PC, laptop, or other portable device, people with failing or poor vision can now listen to their favorite Scripture or other religious passages read by lifelike and enjoyable human voices," comments Rick Ellis, President of NextUp Technologies. "Others find themselves too busy to enjoy their works of faith as often as they would like, so TextAloud allows the printed page to become a rich and meaningful listening experience anywhere." A popular and budget-friendly program, TextAloud's prices start at just $29.95.

Users of TextAloud to enjoy Bible or Scriptural passages include:

Anthony: At 74 years of age, I have poor eyesight, and discovered TextAloud as a very useful program," he comments. "I now use TextAloud to help teach children how to read the Bible. I am also using it to learn Hebrew and Greek in Holy Scripture study."

William: "I came to TextAloud to see if it would work for church members who were having a hard time seeing to read, and to also see if it could read publications to them, as well. The program was priced right, and performed well."

Eric: "I got TextAloud to read the NIV Student Bible faster and better, and also to get a better understanding of what I was reading. The program was excellent, and very easy to learn, and the AT&T Voices are very nice!"

Joseph: "I got TextAloud for Bible study and lessons. The program is very good, and affordable, as well."

Steven W.: "As a Pastor, I purchased TextAloud with AT&T Natural Voices and was highly pleased. The program is very good, and I also love the integration with Firefox and Internet Explorer."

Winnie: "In a lot of Bible study, most information is only available in printed text. Listening via TextAloud helps me to learn the answers much faster."

In Fall of 2007, in addition, South African missionary Pieter Schutte began using TextAloud Text to Speech to present the Gospel in sound to those with access to modern technology. These users, and many more, quickly embraced the ability of Text to Speech to bring their faiths to them in new ways. TextAloud brings independence and freedom back to the enjoyment of faith-based written works, and to anyone with access to even a basic computer or laptop.

http://www.nextup.com/purchase.html.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices (TM), NeoSpeech (R), Nuance (R), Acapela (R) and Cepstral (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include US English, UK English, Indian Accent English, Scottish Accent English, French, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Castilian (European) Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, Italian, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, and Arabic.

About NextUp.com
NextUp.com, a division of NextUp Technologies, LLC, provides award-winning Text to Speech software for consumers, business customers, educators, and those with visual or vocal impairment, or learning disabilities.

In addition to TextAloud, NextUp.com markets other innovative Windows software designed to save time and deliver vital information. NewsAloud™ is a talking personal "news agent" that finds the stories users want, and then reads them aloud or to portable audio files. WeatherAloud™ is a weather application that lets users select and listen to personalized weather forecasts, while StocksAloud™ reads stock updates and related news headlines aloud for specific companies of interest. NextUp Talker is an easy and affordable program that allows people who have lost their voices to use the latest in high-quality computer voices to communicate with others. Most recently, NextUp introduced a new text reader, AbleReader, available with the AT&T Natural Voices (TM) for use on Mac computers. Information on AbleReader is available at http://www.AbleReader.com.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices (TM), NeoSpeech (R), Nuance (R), Acapela (R) and Cepstral (R) for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian Accent English, Scottish Accent English, French, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Castilian (European) Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, Italian, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish and Arabic.

Listen to Wikipedia

2008-01-19T13:17:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen Wikipedia it is probably one of the most comprehensive information sources on the planet. I've been thinking lately that it would make a lot of sense to be able to listen to that info, and I may still do something with that. But check out
PediaPhon

The voices aren't good, but neat idea. Of course, the best way to listen to articles of interest and actually get decent voices you can stand to hear would be to grab the text with TextAloud and some of the Premium Voices.

PDA Bible with TTS

2008-01-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

I'm sure we'll see more neat stuff out of CES, but this is unique. Expect China to flood the markets with lots of unique, cheap gadgets in the next couple of years.

KingNeed iBible Pro: Yes, it really is an e-Bible

Here's something you don't see every day, to put it mildly. Despite the 'i' in the product name, it's not from Apple -- it's an electronic Bible reader and PDA. No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Someone has indeed invented such a device.

The Chinese-made gadget isn't particularly remarkable to look at, and has most of the functions a normal PDA would. Running specially written software rather than Windows Mobile or Palm OS, it comes with a stylus for you to operate everything via the 81mm (3.2-inch) touchscreen.

It has contacts, task and calendar info, which you can sync with Outlook or Google Calendar, plus it can play MP3s, AVI videos and display pictures. There are USB, miniSD and 3.5mm earphone sockets, with up to 4GB of memory built-in, depending on the version. A cool app lets you draw on the screen and attach an audio recording to your scribblings.

Then it all gets a little freaky. The real point of this PDA is the Bible. It comes loaded with two different versions of the Old and New Testaments, which are fully indexed -- just tap a word from an alphabetised list to see the relevant verse.

A 'wisdoms' button gives you selected important quotes from the Bible, and the text to speech function means you can simply listen to the verse if you so wish through the built-in speaker. It sounds a little odd -- imagine a clipped sat-nav-style voice saying 'In. The beginning. There. Was...' and you'll see what I mean.

It's aimed at older people, so KingNeed has made it easy to adjust the size of the text if you find it hard to read. The company is making them now, and it reckons they will cost around $190 (£95) in stores. We won't hold our breaths for a UK release. -Jason Jenkins More...

Little Robot with TTS

2007-12-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

Check out the Video on Amazon page.

Pay TTS Broadcast System

2007-12-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

Contact Everyone

Let's say you're chairing your company's Holiday party this year and there's a change of venue at the last minute.

Let's say you're the administrator for a school district that's being closed on account of a crippling ice storm and you need to let all of your students know of the closure.

Let's even say you're a hiring manager who has 35 job prospects you're supposed to interview in the next two days but your sister just had an emergency bypass and you need to notify the job seekers that they won't be interviewed until you get back.

In all three cases, it would take forever to call everybody. It would even take forever for a well-organized phone tree to get the word out to everyone involved.

Thankfully, you can get your message out quickly with a Voice Broadcast from CDYNE Notify! (which is sponsoring the content of this post). A Voice Broadcast is a message that goes out to those on your calling list - no matter if you only want a few of the phone numbers on your list called or thousands.

There are several great features to the Voice Broadcast provided by CDYNE Notify! First, you have the option of using sending either a pre-recorded message or text-to-speech Voice Broadcast. That's great if you need to contact a large group of people and you only have five minutes to tap your message into your laptop before your plane starts boarding. Second, it's wildly convenient. There's no software to download and install because you do everything right on their website. And, if you keep your phone list in an Excel spreadsheet, you can easily import those numbers to the website for you to use any time you need them.

Voice Broadcast is a great idea for anyone who needs to contact a large group of people. If you're in business, you may want to check it out. Full

Handheld Translation

2007-12-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

Handheld talking translator on market in 2008

A Korean company is using technology licensed from HP to develop a handheld translator that can read printed text in foreign languages, HP has announced.

“The technology has potential applications as, for example, a reading aid for the blind and visually impaired, a translation tool for tourists traveling in foreign countries and an educational aid for those learning to speak another language,” the two companies said in a joint statement.

Korean developer Mouscan is working on a handheld device, dubbed Voiscan, that it expects to be commercially available worldwide by the end of 2008. Mouscan will pay royalties to HP for each device sold.

“This pioneering handheld scanning technology developed by HP allows us to bring to market a unique device that facilitates communication from text to audio anywhere, anytime and in any language”, said Yang Yu, chief executive officer of Mouscan, which he founded in 2002 to develop translation devices.

Voiscan relies on a scanning technology invented by HP Labs. The handheld device is dragged across foreign language text, recognizes words, and translates them. Text-to-speech software developed by Mouscan is used to convert the translated text into spoken words instantly. As the scanning area is relatively narrow, the device can also automatically stitch together multiple scans to form a complete image of a page before translating the text.

“HP welcomes partnerships with start-ups like Mouscan to help them find capital while giving new life to technology developed in HP Labs,” said Joe Beyers, vice president, Intellectual Property Licensing, HP. “Our IP licensing program is one way HP can help make useful technologies such as Voiscan widely available.”

Mouscan will pay royalties to HP for each device sold.
Full Story...

SpeechTech TextAloud mention

2007-11-28T14:20:00.000-05:00

Presenting the Bible, in MP3 or .Wav

While conducting missionary work in South Africa, Pieter Schutte encountered a problem common among English-speakers wishing to communicate with those whose primary language is not English: how to effectively get a message across in English, without confusion.

Schutte, who has been a missionary since the 1980s, struggled with getting Biblical passages and lessons across to Africans with poor English-language reading skills. After conducting an Internet search for a text to voice program, Schutte found the Web site for TextAloud, a division of NextUp Technologies, that provides both TTS and STT software. Schutte purchased the software for $29.95 and began using it to convert Biblical passages, Bible studies, and sermons for non-native English speakers into audio formats.

According to Rick Ellis, president of NextUp, the software provides further text comprehension when converted into audio format. "A light bulb will go off (in the user's head) if you’re (reading and listening) simultaneously," he states. "To hear it as they’re looking at it; it unlocks the reading."

Used predominantly as an assistive tool for people with various disabilities and English language learners, Ellis says the company has kept track of unique uses of TextAloud by customers like Schutte. Throughout the company's eight years of operation, Ellis states that the software is being used by a wider array of users since its release; including lawyers, court reporters, firefighters, and police officers.

The program is touted primarily as an educational or consumer product, and has the ability to convert text to speech on a PC or laptop, and supports files in text, HTML, and PDF formats. Schutte adds that he has found himself using the software to complete activities related to his personal life, but that his primary use of TextAloud is still for missionary work. Full Story...

SMS to TTS

2007-11-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

This is one of those, Now why didn't I think of this. Our phone rings the other day. Caller ID was the cell phone of one of my daughter's friends. When I answered, I instantly knew it was TTS talking to me. The cool thing was, it was reading a text message (SMS) that her friend had typed on her cell phone.

Embarq Wireless Speaks to Landlines

Embarq wireless has introduced a new text-to-landline service for their wireless customers. The new service will automatically convert text messages sent to landlines into speech, with no extra fees other than standard messaging rates. The competitive advantage of Embarq’s new service is that they have built an entire dictionary of commonly used SMS acronyms and shorthand, which are translated by the system.

For instance, if you texted ‘LOL, Ricky, U R my BFF’ to my landline, I would get a recording that says, “Laugh out loud, Ricky, you are my best friend forever.”

Sprint also has this service, though I have not seen it advertised at all. It is listed as a feature on their text messaging information page, however. Sprint’s service does not appear to have the cool acronym dictionary, and I have not been able to test the accuracy of either system. One thing I can say, however, is that with Embarq and Sprint, in addition to services such as Spinvox, the speech-to-text and text-to-speech arena is getting interesting.

TTS and Animation

2007-11-28T10:57:00.000-05:00

Interesting, this one is in my back yard almost.

The IMS Voice-to-Animation Solution Selected to Power

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.– MakeBeliever Productions, LLC has selected Interactive Multimedia Solutions, Inc.'s IMS V2A MDKTM (Voice-to-Animation Multimedia Developer’s Kit) product for the development of the company’s innovative online personalized video greeting solution. MakeBeliever is an Arkansas-based company that was recently founded to revolutionize and transform the online greeting card market with an unprecedented level of personalization in online video greetings. For the first time ever, consumers can create their own videos and have a real human character say virtually anything you want to anyone you want with an automated process.

“Being part of this next generation of online video greeting cards is exciting and just the type of project that truly demonstrates the capabilities of our core solution offering,” said Donovan Moxey, Ph.D., founder & CEO of IMS. “The IMS team has been involved in every aspect of this project from conception to launch, and we along with our strategic partners are very pleased with the final solution released with the launch of the MakeBeliever web site.”

The IMS V2A MDKTM is a developer kit that takes a recorded voice and automatically creates precise mouth, jaw, and lip position data. The audio files can be in any language, and recorded by a human, or generated by a text-to-speech (TTS) engine. The core voice-to-animation engine is ideally suited for English dialog, and because of its unique proprietary co-articulation algorithm, animation data can be generated for French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and a number of other languages.

In order to assist MakeBeliever in bringing this solution to market, IMS leveraged several of its key strategic international relationships to provide web development, software integration, text-to-speech, texture mapping and other services.

“What is really innovative about the MakeBeliever offering is for the first time ever a consumer-oriented solution that incorporates 3D animation and video compositing on a grand scale is being provided without the need for a post-production environment,” said Moxey. “The MakeBeliever V-Greetings utilize key technology components to showcase the true value of an automated voice-to-animation engine as part of an integrated multimedia solution that focuses on personalization and user-generated content.”

“We are very pleased with the total solution and the role that the IMS team has played in helping to make our vision a reality," says David Wallace, Co-Founder of MakeBeliever. "When we were looking for technology solutions for our product offering, we also wanted a company with innovative thinkers who would be dedicated and could execute; we definitely found this in the IMS team.”

IMS Products and Solutions have been used in a number of other consumer-oriented entertainment products and applications including the Spider-Man series of video games from Activision, Valve’s Half-Life2 game engine, and several game titles including “A Shark’s Tale” from Amaze Entertainment. MakeBeliever’s launch centers around charming Santa video greetings where Santa “knows” each child’s name, home state, favorite activities, nice deeds, what they want for Christmas and more.

“Early testing indicates that children have been mesmerized by the level of personalization in their greetings. Much of this believability is due to the technology and unique expertise IMS provided. It also has allowed us to keep our price below $10”, says MakeBeliever co-founder Ted Taggart.

“We are very excited to be part of this revolutionary change and look forward to continuing to team with MakeBeliever to expand this innovative technology to other applications and other languages, said Moxey. ”We think we are just getting started.”

About IMS
Interactive Multimedia Solutions, Inc. (IMS) is a multimedia software and solutions company focused on developing and delivering innovative software solutions that allow for the seamless integration of interactive animated talking digital avatars as part of multimedia solutions to be delivered via the web or as part of a DVD/CD-ROM. The software solutions developed by IMS can be applied across a number of markets including Online Entertainment, Gaming, Interactive Training, and Interactive Kiosk systems. www.IMS3D.com

About MakeBeliever
MakeBeliever Productions is a multimedia company and the developer of a new online product category: V-Greetings (virtual greetings). Founded in 2007 by longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ted Taggart and David Wallace, MakeBeliever is changing the way people exchange online greetings by enabling customers to create realistic, personalized Flash videos that are delivered via e-mail MakeBeliever fills a distinct void in the Web 2.0 marketplace, offering customers an unmatched opportunity to create video messages specifically tailored to each recipient. www.makebeliever.com

Word plug-in to create Daisy Books using TTS

2007-11-28T10:54:00.000-05:00

This should be great for many sight-impaired users and should also help spurn more TTS Voice sales.

Word Daisy chain to help poorly-sighted

New plug-in saves to format designed to facilitate navigation of documents and web-pages

Clive Akass, Personal Computer World 26 Nov 2007

A new plug-in for Word 2007 will help visually-impaired people navigate complex documents.

The free utility, available early next year, will allow documents based on Microsoft’s new Open XML format to be converted to one called Daisy XML, developed originally to facilitate the navigation of audio books.

It will initially be of most use to people who produce talking books, designed for PCs or specialist devices, in which speech is synchronised wth large-print text, says Rob Longstaff, operations manager at the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

He explained that many partially-sighted people want to be able to see a large-print version of what is being read. “For instance, a student might need to know how to spell a word, and so needs to see as well as hear it.”

But, without the visual cues most of us take for granted, poorly sighted people find it hard to find their way round documents and have to reply on sound cues. Daisy, short for Digital Access Information System, is an industry standard that that helps set these up by flagging features such as headers and footers that can act as navigation aids.

The new Word 2007 plug-in is a joint project between Microsoft and the Daisy organisation, a consortium of non-profit organisations and talking libraries.

Longstaff said it should speed up the production of talking books but in the longer term text-to-speech utilities that read letters and other documents could be made smart enough to take advantage of Daisy XML.

At least 8 million people in the UK are 'print-disabled' and rely on synthetic speech to navigate electronic text, according to Julia Howell director of accessibility at digital design agency Fortune Cookie.

She said the Daisy plug-in will make it easier to make complex timetables and itineraries on travel sites more accessible to “anyone who chooses to navigate the web using sound.”