Babel Technologies is to provide Microvocal, a manufacturer of IT solutions for the blind and visually impaired, with its BrightSpeech Text-to-Speech (TTS) solution in its automated reading kiosk. The reading kiosk has been specifically developed to grant access to information in public places like airports, train stations, shopping centres, city halls and so on, to people who have difficulties reading standard documentation, leaflets, books and other written material.
Speech technology has proven to have many worthwhile applications. With the introduction of the Microvocal reading kiosk, speech technology is now providing the blind and visually impaired with access to essential information in many public places. Once again, BrightSpeech has shown its flexibility and suitability in an application that will increase the quality of life for millions of citizens across Europe, commented Vincent Fontaine, Babel Technologies CEO.
Microvocals automated reading kiosk enables the blind and visually impaired to easily and rapidly read typed documents, simply by clicking one button. It has been equipped with a customised scanner and a document guide, an audio headset (so as not to disturb others), and a case with a button to activate the reading and anti-theft systems.
The reading kiosk is simple to use and does not require any user-assistance. The Microvocal automated reading kiosk is currently available in French, English, German and Spanish and thus offers extensible opportunities to access sites, places and information, on a Europe-wide scale.
Microvocal already uses various speech technologies from Babel in both its Speakey product (an integrated software package that groups a multitude of information technology functions in one tool) and in Papyrus (a document management solution). The software is completely voice-driven by speech synthesis where users can select their preferred voice, amongst which are Babel s Infovox, Babil and BrightSpeech text-to-speech voices.
Filipe Samora
2003-06-23
Em Foco – Projecto