In the late 1950s, the first speech synthesis systems were created. Synthetic speech allows people to get more done in less time, and can be useful in a variety of settings, from video game creation to helping people with language processing differences.
First speech synthesizer online software#
The software also allows students and others with heavy workloads of reading to listen to their information via human speech when they’re on the go.
Text-to-speech technology can help people who are visually impaired and live with other disabilities get the information they need to thrive at work and to communicate with others. A high-quality text-to-speech program offers natural-sounding voices with real-life inflection and tone. It can be tough to pin down exactly what makes a good text-to-speech program, but like many things in life, you know it when you hear it. This kick started a rapid evolution of articulatory synthesis tools and technologies. In the early 1800s, Charles Wheatstone developed the first mechanical speech synthesizer. The device was tough to play–Dudley had to control the fundamental frequency using foot pedals.
Two decades later, the VODER (Voice Operating Demonstrator) made big headlines at the New York World’s Fair when creator Homer Dudley showed crowds how human speech could be created through artificial means. In the 1700s, Russian professor Christian Kratzenstein created acoustic resonators that mimicked the sound of the human voice. Here, we’ll take a look at how text-to-speech processing works, and how the assistive technology has changed over time. Whether you currently use text-to-speech services to listen to books, study, or proofread your own written work, there’s no doubt that text-to-speech services have made life easier for people in a variety of professions. Speech synthesis, or the artificial production of the human voice, has come a long way over the last 70 years.