FAQ

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It’s the artificial production of human speech. The computer system used to achieve this is called a speech engine.

Acapela Text To Speech (TTS/Speech synthesis) transforms any text into speech in real time. It literally reads out loud any written information with a smooth and natural sounding voice. The automatic intonation reflects the meaning of the text, with respect to pauses, breath groups, punctuation and context.

The most important qualities of a speech synthesis system are naturalness and intelligibility + expressiveness.

DNN (Deep Neural Networks)

A deep neural network (DNN) is an artificial neural network (ANN) with multiple hidden layers between the input and output layers. DNNs can model complex non-linear relationships. We use them in Text-to-Speech to learn the relationship between a set of input texts and their acoustic realizations by different speakers.

Neural networks are a set of algorithms, modelled loosely after the human brain, that are designed to recognize patterns. They interpret sensory data through a kind of machine perception, labelling or clustering raw input. The patterns they recognize are numerical, contained in vectors, into which all real-world data, be it images, sound, text or time series, must be translated.

Neural Networks have revolutionized artificial vision and automatic speech recognition. This machine learning revolution is holding its promises as it enters the Text to Speech arena. Acapela Group is actively working on Deep Neural Networks. With Acapela DNN, we create a voice using a limited amount of existing or new speech recordings.

Basically, anywhere where voice makes sense.

Historically, voice solutions were initially developed to allow people suffering from visual impairments to access written information. They are now a standard component in applications and services and the new interface revolution with the voice-first.

We provide companies with digital voice solutions that are extensively used by everyone, changing the way we access content and information in our daily lives.

• Ease life for visually and speech impaired users: screen and web page readers, reading machines, communicators and navigators.
• Move: listen to your favourite podcast or audio book on the go, keep track of the news, traffic status, pedestrian navigation, sports results or your e-mails.
• Drive safely: voice guidance, traffic information, e-mail reading, onboard alerts and diagnostic systems, on-line reservations, Internet access and more, keeping hands o the wheel and eyes on the road.
• Autonomous vehicles: voice is the more relevant interface to guarantee real time passenger information for a safe and pleasant journey.
• Public Transport: easy integration in the information systems to deliver real time, personalized and accurate information to the passengers.
• Learn and play: language learning and e-learning, edutainment, talking characters proof reading and productivity tools, talking characters, online talking assistance, talking browsers and more.
• Access information: SMS and e-mail reading, voice servers and call centres for services 24/7, passenger information systems, public address.
• Robots and smart toys : voice is essential to turn companions and humanoids conversational.

An A to Z of all the application fields that benefit from speech

AAC solutions (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) allow users with impairments or restrictions related to the production or comprehension of spoken or written language to live and communicate with their environments with more autonomy. Acapela voices enrich AAC solutions and communicators turning any written words into spoken messages.

• ATM AND TCIKETING
  ATMs and Ticketing systems are made more ergonomic and user friendly thanks to speech solutions which provide end users with on the fly information, vocal feedback about ongoing navigation and help with transactions through vocal support.
• AUDIO BOOKS
  The naturalness of speech synthesis lends itself perfectly to the production of audio books, simplifying the process of turning a printed version into a digital one, in many languages, with a choice of genders and voice persona.
• AUTOMATION AND PRODUCTION LINES
  Automation and production lines make use of speech solutions to provide real time audio information or voice guidelines to operators, to help improve productivity and ensure safety and comfort at work.
• AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
  voice is the more relevant interface to guarantee real time passenger information for a safe and pleasant journey.
• DYSLEXIA AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS
  Speech solutions help people with dyslexia and cognitive impairments to accomplish daily life tasks, assisting them in communication, education, work or recreational activities. Speech support helps end users to operate with more autonomy and with increased self-confidence using simple and user-friendly interfaces.

• E-LEARNING
  Training courses for employees or on-line university study can both benefit from the vocal dimension. The synchronized use of visual and audio content offers an attractive, balanced flow of information, helping students memorize the course through effective multimedia-based learning tools. The content can be easily localized and personalized, saving time and cost while offering convivial and interactive e-learning.
• IVR, CALL CENTER
  Speech solutions allow companies to smoothly inform and guide the caller, providing real time personalized information, with natural voices and high intelligibility, for advanced and efficient phone services, available 24/7. Services can be vocally signed by a custom voice persona: an exclusive voice which acts as the company spokesperson and contributes towards building an audio brand.
• LANGUAGE LEARNING
  Speech synthesis enriches language learning tools with an immediate vocal support of the requested text or words to help students with pronunciation. The learning program is boosted by the speech dimension, providing users with constant, interactive vocal support, whether in a learning, travel or work situation.
• NAVIGATION
  The popular use of navigation systems– for car, bike or pedestrian use – on inbuilt systems, personal navigation devices or PDA has radically changed the way users undertake their journeys. Advanced services and features now include speech capability which vocalizes any information in real time and provides precise navigation instructions such as street names, POI details or real time traffic information. E-mail and SMS messages can also be read aloud. Speech capability helps provide a safe, efficient and comfortable navigation experience.
• NEWSPAPER READING
  Newspaper information can be vocalized into pleasant tones to provide audio access to the written content. Content analysis and conversion expertise enable information initially conceived for the written word to be turned into easy-to-listen-to news.
• PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY
  The daily use of computers and the immediate access to a limitless world of information have radically changed the way users interact with content, leading to more user friendly and intuitive computer processes. Voice solutions have become the user’s team-mate, allowing the optimisation of the functions a computer can provide, freeing the user from dependence on the screen and inspiring new interactions to better work, check, understand, share, learn, etc.
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT
  Easy integration in the information systems to deliver real time, personalized and accurate information to the passengers.
• READING ASSISTANTS
  Speech synthesis allows any written information to be turned into speech, providing access to written information for people living with reading difficulties such as dyslexia or illiteracy or those with sight impairments.
• ROBOTS
  The upcoming generation of robots, designed for home or non-industrial environments, have to deal with non-specialist users. This means that intuitiveness and ease of use are paramount.Speech solutions are the most natural communication interface, enabling robots to communicate with humans and set up a real dialogue. They help create a robot’s personality, providing it with natural language and a voice persona.
• SCREENREADERS
  Speech synthesis gives a voice to your favourite screen reader. Your world of information is brought to life with male, female or kids’ voices.
• SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
  Voice solutions help users of all ages with writing and editing. They help students learn new languages or alleviate problems linked to dyslexia and learning disability. Students receive immediate vocal feedback of letters, words and sentences. The immediate benefits for the students are more autonomy, enhanced self-confidence and an immediate increase in motivation.
• SERIOUS GAMES AND ENDUTAINMENT
  New innovative tools have allowed the invention of new ways to train, educate, advertise or simulate, smartly mixing entertainment and education. Programs look like games or multimedia based friendly content, designed to provide an engaging context to motivate and educate the players through full interactivity and individual knowledge acquisition.
• SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS
  These miraculously concentrated pieces of high-tech challenge the user interface issue. Speech solutions turn written content into an easy-to-listen-to audio result.
• SMART TOYS
  Voice solutions naturally speech animate smart toys to turn them into smart interactive companions for talkative amusement, at any age, from kids to seniors.
• TALKING WEB
  Speech synthesis allows the vocalization of any content featured on webpages providing straightforward access to information to anyone, including Internet users living with sight difficulties, dyslexia or illiteracy issues.
• TRAFFIC AND PASSENGER INFORMATION
  ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) and passenger information systems help make transport more efficient and environmentally-friendly. New and sophisticated technology, open platforms and new business models are boosting solutions development.Speech solutions provide the voice, significantly helping to make transport more safe and secure, delivering real time reliable information to users, reducing costs and streamlining logistics, with multilingual natural voices.
• UNIFIED COMMUNICATION
  Unified communication helps businesses to streamline information delivery and ensures ease of use, for faster interaction and more direct collaboration between people, wherever they are located. Speech solutions come in to facilitate access to written information, such as messages, from anywhere, any phone, making written content audible, improving communication modes and enhancing reactivity.
• VOICEBOTS
  A VoiceBot is a conversational interface using voice to interact. The visual web we have known since the early 1990’s is now complemented by the emerging voice web. The new interface revolution is that we call Voice-first.
• VIRAL MARKETING
  New marketing techniques increase brand visibility and awareness, message association and purchase intent through self-replicating viral processes with campaigns that can be easily traced and measured. After seeing, playing and participating in a viral campaign, enhancing its effect, consumers are more likely to remember not just the brand or product itself, but also associate specific brand attributes with it. Speech synthesis vocalizes any message, turning user-generated content into powerful marketing tools that people will remember and talk about.
• WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT
  Speech solutions allow the development of an eyes-free/hands-free method of working, improving productivity in the supply chain, providing real time vocalization of the information and instructions available in the database directly to the operator, for optimal efficiency.
• WEBPAGE READING
  Web pages can be easily read out loud to Internet users, making the content easy to access, avoiding the need to read long pages and helping users enjoy websites. Natural voices make Reading simple !