Re: FN-FORUM: Voice synthesizer

date posted 28th January 2008 09:54

Aidan wrote:
> I've got a client who has given me a very strange request.
>
> I'm helping them setup a learning resource center for special needs people.
> Part of the spec is to setup a bunch of applications they bought for blind
> people to use computers via voice recognition software. I know a bit about
> that side from when I had time to play games using Voice buddy and other
> similar apps.
>
> Thing is, the client wants me to look into a voice synthesizer package for
> reading text on the screen. They want to know if there are any packages out
> there that will allow the computer to speak in a more human voice instead of
> the default Microsoft Sam/ Stephen Hawkins and buddys responses. Also how
> do they fair with multi language setups?
>
>
>
Hi Aiden,

Festival is a very good voice synthesizer, it's free and supports
multiple languages (english & spanish at the moment, but other languages
can be found online). I used it on an asterisk phone system (one of
those premium rate competition lines) a few years ago. Have a look at
www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival/

Best Regards,

Steve