Voice banking
Voice banking is the recording of your natural voice while it is still natural and strong, for the possible eventuality of losing your speech. Software may then use these recordings in a speech-generating device or on a computer, rather than producing a computer-generated voice.
You can voice bank on a mobile phone, computer, or digital voice recorder. As long as the recordings are produced in MP3 format, they can be used later within a speech generating device.
You may wish to include these categories when phrase banking:
- Greetings
- Feelings
- Food and Drink
- Places
- People
- Questions
- Likes and Dislikes
- “Favourites”
- Other (pet commands, swearing, “X-rated”, specialist language)
- Non-English languages
You can get started straight away. Simply record words and phrases you may need in the future on your phone, computer or other voice recording device.
The ModelTalker project under Useful Equipment can help you through this process, and supply a synthetic voice based on your own voice, or a 'donor voice' such as a friend or relative.
Talklink Trust (Wahanga Tū Kōrero) has been operating since 1991 and specialises in assessment, support and Communication Assistive Technology / Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Find out more information: Talklink Trust.