Text-to-speech (TTS) is a technology that converts text to natural-sounding voices. Text-to-speech technology was introduced in 1968, but it was not widely adopted until recently. It was only available on expensive hardware devices in the past, but now it can be found on most computers and smartphones.
TTS uses the power of voice generation. It takes text files and turns them into speeches. It can also use custom voices.
TTS programs usually come in the shape of web applications. They are available online on the web and on mobile devices. So, downloading mobile apps on android or iOS devices is an easy way to start. The apps are easy to use, and you can start turning speech to text without tutorials. Whatsmore, the backend supports different languages and voices from all over the world, such as English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, etc.
How to use TTS?
It is possible to use text to voice on many platforms. It’s available on many platforms and apps such as TikTok, Discord, Google Docs, Instagram, and many more.
After determining the platform in which you need to convert text to voice, you need to follow simple instructions to start doing so. The instructions will change depending on the platform, but they are alike.
The vast majority of platforms have an accessibility section on their settings page. Upon entering it, you may see a setting by the name of “Select to speak,” “Enable text to speech”, “Enable sound of text” or “Speech synthesis.” From here, you can change the TTS settings as you like and as the platform permits you to do so.
Who Uses TTS?
Text to Speech was first developed to help people with difficulty reading print texts, but it has since been adapted for many other uses.
TTS can be used as:
- an accessibility aid for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties
- a voice assistant for visually impaired users of computers or mobile phones
- an educational device for children learning to read or learn another language.
Text to speech technology was used to be something that could only be used with the help of technical information. But nowadays, TTS applications generally provide an excellent customer experience. This enables more content creators, multilingual students, and dyslexic people to create high-quality audio files on demand.
TTS is used by different groups of people, such as:
- People suffering from visual impairments and learning difficulties
- Students
- Audiobook listeners
- Speech impaired people
People suffering from visual impairments and learning difficulties
The early adopters of TTS were people with visual and reading impairments and low literacy readers. These people had to rely on the assistance of a human to read out what was on their screen. The advent of TTS changed this. With TTS, they could use a computer to read out text for them. The conversion from text to speech is done in real-time and can be used as an alternative to screen readers.
Businesses
One of the main advantages of using tts software is its increased responsiveness to customers. Unlike humans with limited availability for customer service over the phone, businesses get 24/7 interactions with customers through the automated program. In many cases, advancements with tts technology have been well ahead of expected timelines for when this technology would be able to compete with human jobs in speaking scenarios.
Many companies are adopting this technology to automate their customer interactions. This technology’s high performance and scalability make it so appealing to businesses. All they need to do is connect their customer service interface with a TTS API of their choice.
Students
Students retain more information when presented in audio and visual formats. This is because the brain processes information better when it perceives it differently.
In the classroom, TTS can help students with disabilities learn new material or review old material. Students who are blind or have low vision can use TTS to access written materials they may not be able to read in Braille or large print. For example, if a student has dyslexia and is reading aloud from a book, the teacher can play the book’s audio version through TTS, and the student will be able to follow along as they read aloud. This also helps students with autism who may have difficulty reading social cues from their classmates.
Students learning English as a second language do not often learn how to speak or read. They can learn better with text-to-speech because they can practice their pronunciation and learn how to read simultaneously.
Using artificial intelligence like TTS, students can learn how to pronounce new words more accurately. Scientists say that this audio method may help you remember the information for longer, allowing your brain more time to process the data and improve your pronunciation simultaneously.
Audiobook Listeners
It is hard to keep up with the latest global happenings or the newest developments in technology. So, many people choose to listen to audio news and articles instead of reading themselves. In some cases, they can listen while they are at work or multitask at home.
Some people also prefer listening to reading because it feels like a more passive activity and doesn’t draw as much mental energy. Though some people still want to read for themselves!
Different TTS tech companies such as Speaktor and Read speaker provide affordable levels of quality.
Technology that engages them fully in listening is excellent for busy people.
TTS has grown in popularity more and more, as people catch up with news that may be of interest to them, into the traditional medium of reading through various channels. This is where subscriptions come in – you get your podcast TTS through a simple subscription at a monthly fee.
How does Text to Speech work?
Text to speech takes any text file as input and returns a speech file as a result. Text-to-speech technology can convert written text into a synthesized voice. The result is a computer-generated speech output that sounds like a real person speaking the same words.
The most common use for natural-sounding text to voice is in the form of an online service that reads web pages and documents for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties. TTS is also in various software applications and video games, as well as in mobile phones and other portable devices such as tablet computers or e-book readers.
What is the purpose of text to voice?
Text to speech is a machine learning tool for people who need to learn a language and those with a disability. You can also use it to automate and add functionality to tasks. It can convert the written text into audio so that people with disabilities or learning difficulties can read and hear the content. Text-to-speech software is assistive technology for blind, deaf, or otherwise disabled people.
Text to voice can be used in various ways, such as automated systems, e-learning, and open source projects. These are some of the many use cases of this technology.
This is a great way to automate processes and deploy templates for e-learning and open-source projects. Text-to-speech can also be an effective tool for teaching English pronunciation and intonation.
What are Different Types of Text to Speech Tools
There are a lot of different options for text to speech tools. They’re available in many different formats, including built-in text to speech on your phone and web-based tools like Google Docs, which can read aloud anything you type. You can also download an app for your phone that will read aloud any article or text that you select:
Built-in text-to-speech
Many devices have built-in TTS tools. Some popular text to speech tools includes Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.
Web-based tools: Various web-based tools can help us convert text into audio files or read-aloud content through voice synthesizers such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online.
Text-to-speech apps: Kids can also download TTS apps on smartphones and digital tablets. These apps often have special features like text highlighting in different colors and OCR. Some examples include Voice Dream Reader, Claro ScanPen, and Office Lens.
Chrome tools: The Chrome Web Store has a variety of extensions that can help convert websites into speech and read them. These chrome extensions could be perfect for you if you have a lot of reading and don’t want to strain your eyes.
Text-to-speech software programs
Text-to-speech software programs are a great way to convert text into audio files. There is also a variety of software tools that can help us convert text into audio files. Speaktor is a free, web-based saas (software as a service) that can create audio files from written text. It comes with other tools like transcription and speech recognition as well.
What are the Most Common Uses of Text to Speech
TTS technology helps people with reading disabilities and visual impairments, increases comprehension and engagement, and facilitates language learning.
Virtual assistants
Smart speakers and virtual assistants are among the most common uses of text to speech. These include Siri, Cortana, and Amazon Alexa.
E-book readers
Some best-selling ebook readers have text to speech capability. Not only is this a good feature for visually-impaired users, but it can also be an effective way for readers to train vocabulary and speak to those who want or need the ability. Text to speech technology has been around for decades, but it’s only recently become popular with the advent of audiobooks and digital readers like the Kindle.
Word processors
Often, it helps writers “hear” their content aloud. Text to voice functions can be a worthy addition to any word processor. Microsoft Word is widespread, and with the “Read Aloud” function, this word processor allows you to create artificial content.
Computer Operating systems
Advanced voice recognition software continues to improve, so laptop and phone manufacturers equip their models with on-screen text readers or assistants. You can turn on Narrator in the “Ease of Access” settings menu in Windows. With this feature turned on, it will read texts to you while your device’s audio is on.
Now you can easily convert text to speech with Speaktor. Get started for free!
Further Reading About Applications of Text to Speech
Frequently Asked Questions about Text to Speech
What is the technology used to convert written text into speech?
TTS (Text to speech) is the name of the technology that converts text to speech.
What is the difference between text to speech and speech-to-text?
Text to speech uses speech synthesis to create a speech file from written text. On the other hand, speech to text uses speech recognition to transcribe speech files and turn them into text.
