Smart phone for dyslexics reads aloud from text files and images of text
19 April 2007 Mons, Belgium. Acapela, a developer of speech solutions,
and Motto – Captura, Danish specialists in the development of mobile
solutions for people suffering from dyslexia, have launched CapturaTalk, a
new device aimed at people with dyslexia and other forms of reading and
writing difficulties.
The new software solution, integrated in the HTC TyTN Pocket PC
Smartphone, reads aloud any text through voice synthesis. Texts can range
from a picture image that the users have photographed themselves with the
integrated camera, or a file that has been saved in the PDA’s memory.
Building on the company’s experience implementing text-to-speech solutions
in various devices for disabled people, Acapela provided the voice synthesis
for CapturaTalk. Acapela’s portfolio comprises 25 different languages with
more than 50 individual voices.
The idea behind CapturaTalk originates from the EU-project MELFO (Mobile
e@Learning for Dyslexics). Lars-Erik Larsson, Managing Director of Acapela
Sweden AB, comments: “We are proud of our collaboration with Motto -Captura
and that Acapela was chosen to voice-enable CapturaTalk, a tool that is
applicable in many different contexts. There is a great level of interest in
tools with integrated speech synthesis on a private as well as professional
level, from schools and work places or indeed for personal use.” More than
2% of the world’s population suffer from severe dyslexia, a handicap that
has a strong impact on daily life. The idea behind this new tool is mainly
to facilitate easy day-to-day activities for people with dyslexia, reading
and writing difficulties and sight problems. You can, for example,
photograph different types of written information, such as a sign or a train
ticket, and have the texts read aloud through speech synthesis. CapturaTalk
also saves any scanned files for possible future use. John Kristensen,
Chairman at Motto – Captura, who has developed CapturaTalk’s software, says:
“The software has been developed to give everyone the same right to access
written information and to enable dyslexic people with reading and writing
difficulties to live more independently. But CapturaTalk can, of course, be
used by anyone wishing to have any text read aloud! It is the user himself
who decides how he wishes to use the device.” Thanks to its smooth size
and light weight (176 g), the device can be put into a pocket or handbag,
and is easily accessible for quick use. CapturaTalk is available with
Danish and English voice synthesis but the company plans to increase the
number of European languages available during the course of this year.
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