Text-to-Speech Technology Reaches an Inflection Point

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Text-to-Speech Technology Reaches an Inflection Point

Moore’s Law is a funny thing. Computing gear ticks along, getting faster and often cheaper at a steady rate. But, every now and then, we hit an inflection point where things change in a drastic fashion. Such is the case with the iPhone from Apple and with netbooks -– products that nailed the right recipe of horsepower, size and cost at the right time.

In an article published Tuesday , I took a look at how iPhones and netbooks have disrupted not only the consumer electronics market but also health care.

People with speech-impairing conditions like A.L.S., autism, Down syndrome and strokes have started to discover that general-purpose devices, equipped with downloadable text-to-speech software, can in many cases help them communicate better and more cheaply than the proprietary speech devices covered by Medicare and private health insurance.

Most of the interviews for the article were with people who have A.L.S. or help treat people suffering from the condition, which over time severs connections between the mind and muscles. On average, people with A.L.S., or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, live for two to five years after their initial diagnosis.

About 20 percent to 25 percent of the people with A.L.S. have a form of the illness called bulbar onset. Such people tend to lose control of the muscles around their mouth and throat first, harming their ability to speak and swallow. This group of ...

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http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/text-to-speech-technology-reaches-an-inflection-point/?ref=technology

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/text-to-speech-technology-reaches-an-inflection-point/?ref=technology