2024 update:
We are now focusing on voice banking so that individual's voices can bw recorded before individuals they deteriorate too far. We can transfer such recordings to a commercial partner to create personal Welsh voices which work on AAC devices, computers and mobile phones.
This project is a partnership between the NHS and the Language Technologies Unit, Canolfan Bedwyr which was funded under Welsh Governments Cymraeg 2050 Grant Scheme and ran until March 31 2018 as a pilot.
The aim of the project is to create personal synthetic voices for patients that are about to lose their ability to speak as a result of diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease or Throat Cancer.
The Language Technologies Unit has created a platform that allows patients with the aid of speech therapists to create their own personal authentic voice in Welsh and in English. Usually patients will be referred by their speech therapists to the service, with the patients signing a consent form to enable the project to store their voice and create a synthetic voice for them.
The process is web based and patients need to record text provided for them in the form of recording prompts in each language first. They will then be able to generate their own synthetic voice.
In order to communicate orally in Welsh/English, the user types in the web interface and the interface speaks the words aloud with a synthetic version of the patient's own voice.
Further details are included in the information leaflet given by your speech therapist or medical specialist. A consent form will need to be completed and you will need to register in order to use this service. If you have not been referred by your speech therapist or other member of the health service, contact us directly for further instructions.
Below is a short video explaining how you can register for the service
if you wish to be involved or would like to know more about this project please do not hesitate to get in contact with Stefano Ghazzali (s.ghazzali@bangor.ac.uk)