Northeastern University computer science professor Rupal Patel looks for ways to give voice to the voiceless. As founder and director of the Communication Analysis and Design Laboratory (CadLab), she developed a technology that combines real human voices with the characteristics of individual speech patterns. The result is VocaliD, an innovation that gives people who can't speak the ability to communicate in a voice all their own.
"There's nothing better than seeing the person who's actually going to use it, seeing their reaction, seeing their smile," says Patel.
“[My daughter] is going to have a full life because of people like Rupal, who really want to help.” — Ruane Grimaldi (mother of Samantha), quoted in "Cutting-Edge Tech Gives A Synthetic Voice To The Voiceless," Huffington Post
At TEDWomen, I introduced the audience to VocaliD — a project aimed at designing personalized synthetic voices so that people with severe speech impairments can use a voice that fits their body and personality. This is a project that I’ve been working on for several years, along with my students and my collaborator, Dr. Tim […]
Continue readingBy Helen Walters and Kate Torgovnick TED Fellow Meklit Hadero kicks off the second session of TEDWomen 2013. Her sultry singing, backed by a trumpet, bass and drums, is just the right way to get the room back, focused and in gear for a packed session. It’s (sadly, still) rare enough to find a female CEO. […]
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