Examples of text to speech: How and when to use TTS
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Text to speech has many uses and is rapidly growing in popularity. Learn more about some use cases in this article.
Text to speech is one of the most revolutionary digital technologies to hit the market in recent years. It can convert written language into human speech for easier consumption, improve learning capabilities, and unlock multitasking.
This innovative software can use a wide range of artificial intelligence or machine learning algorithms to improve its accuracy and narration speed and make corrections to texts in various languages.
While technology is a core element of personal assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, and others, today, it accomplishes more than simplifying how people use smartphones and smart home devices.
Traffic control and monitoring
Text to speech software has seen increased use in traffic control over the past couple of years. As TTS technology became more accurate, its integration into control and monitoring systems was a no-brainer.
Text to speech technology can help traffic authorities send important notifications to drivers and even offenders. It also helps traffic controllers automate repetitive tasks and ease their work.
TTS, combined with speech recognition technology in the airline industry, simplifies communication between pilots and control towers. This helps facilitate more effective communication, especially in potentially dangerous situations.
Voice messages from businesses
Another excellent use for TTS is automating communication from businesses to their customers and employees. Vocal reminders are more personable and appeal more to customers. Besides, not everyone has the time to go through walls of text every day. In addition, the natural-sounding voice can almost make it feel like a personal assistant taking care of the customer.
This is why TTS can have excellent bookkeeping, invoicing, and scheduling applications. The potential for voice message customization is limitless.
Using TTS and speech recognition helps convert speech to text. In some cases, this is preferable as it allows for filtering important information without listening to an entire conversation.
A TTS application that reads back written messages offers a great way to catch up on important notifications while performing other tasks. It keeps the workflow efficient.
This can be invaluable to employees with heavy workloads who start their day with messages and tickets that need resolving early.
Narrating audiobooks
The invention of eBooks made reading more accessible than ever before. People can take entertainment with them everywhere, pay less for their favorite books, and learn on the go.
However, reading isn’t the only way someone can get information. The fast-paced digital environment can make reading inefficient as more people must become adept at multitasking. This is where TTS technology comes in.
Text to speech applications can process written language and transform it into natural-sounding speech and audio files of various formats. Realistic playback helps people go through their book lists while performing other tasks. For example, students may listen to audiobooks while driving to class.
People listen to narrations during their commute to work and send last-minute emails. Listening to an audiobook can be a great way to pass the time in the kitchen while making dinner for the family. And there are many more examples.
But here’s a general idea. Narrating audiobooks enables people to use their eyes and hands to perform additional tasks. Moreover, due to the accuracy of the narration, realistic voices, and level of emotion transmitted, listening leads to a more immersive and empathic experience.
Assistive devices
Despite its many benefits, text to speech probably sees the most use in the assistive devices niche. Early TTS app developers aimed to help people with visual impairments use digital technology.
TTS narration has become an essential assistive device for students with reading disabilities and focus problems. ADD and dyslexia are not as troublesome as they were in the past due to how narration assists students in assimilating information.
Studying for a test or simply ensuring a child doesn’t fall behind their classmates is possible when using TTS software to go through classroom materials. The educational system stands to benefit a lot as speech synthesis advances.
One of the best parts about TTS web-based software as an assistive device is its interaction level. For instance, students can follow the narration at their desired pace. Platforms like Speechify come with adjustable speed control and real-time word highlighting.
This combination of visual and hearing assistance can improve focus and make assimilating information more straightforward.
Learning and translating new languages
TTS software often comes with multilingual support. It understands different languages and can read content in multiple voices and dialects. TTS is more valuable to foreign language students when combined with realistic voices than traditional educational materials.
Speech relays rhythm, pronunciation, inflection, and other aspects, making it easier to identify and learn to use words correctly. Again, it gets even better when combined with a text highlighting feature.
Another best-use scenario is in multilingual families. TTS can bridge the gap between generations of different speakers. For example, children may understand the native tongue of their parents and grandparents.
But without studying, they may lack the confidence to speak or write in that language. TTS software and speech synthesis can help them identify familiar words and phrases in educational, informational, and recreational materials.
Therefore, they become exposed to the written form of the language. Some TTS applications are even better at this, thanks to their integration of grammar correction algorithms.
Travel and tourism
Travel and tourism also benefit from integrating TTS technology. In recent years, travelers have benefited from more accurate digitally generated audio tours narrated by synthetic voices. The human output accuracy and multilingual support help travelers and tourists from different backgrounds find their way in foreign lands.
Navigating Google Maps in unfamiliar territories is more manageable when people get turn-by-turn directions in a familiar voice and language.
TTS sees plenty of use in business travel and international business meetings, helping people of different backgrounds find common ground.
Speechify TTS for overcoming language barriers
Narrating text in a natural-sounding voice in Chrome on Android and iOS devices is what Speechify does best. The software enhances the user’s understanding of written content in multiple languages and can help them go through content up to three times faster than reading.
Available on the go, Speechify can help you when traveling, studying another language, catching up in class, and trying to familiarize yourself with different dialects. It’s an artificial intelligence reader with extended functionality and an easy learning curve.
FAQ
What is the best text speech?
Speechify is a real-time TTS app with a continually evolving API. Its functionality exceeds that of many competitive apps due to its deep learning algorithms and assistive technology optimization.
It offers high-quality voice-overs and has a fast human voice output in both its mobile device and Chrome web browser versions.
What is the most realistic text-to-speech?
Combining Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) and realistic voice output helps Speechify top the charts regarding narration realism and content highlighting.
What is text-to-speech in the classroom?
TTS in the classroom refers to assistive technology software that enables mobile devices and computers to read aloud words on the screen to the users. Anyone with reading disabilities and impairments can benefit from TTS in the classroom to learn at the same pace as everyone else.
Cliff Weitzman
Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.