Jessica Cardona, 

Title:

Creating the Northern Arizona Voice Bank

Abstract:

Neurodegenerative diseases can severely impact communication and even prevent speech communication. However, technological advances have led to the availability of high-tech augmentative and alternative communication devices that are helping mitigate communication challenges. More specifically, voice banking allows individuals to record their speech before losing the ability to speak, for later use in the creation of a synthetic voice. At Northern Arizona Speech Communication Laboratory (NASCL), we are creating a voice banking service for Northern Arizona’s Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic. Commercial voice banking services like ModelTalker, Acapela, and TheVoiceKeeper are commonly used among individuals seeking to create a synthetic version of their voice. However, creating high-quality recordings requires high-quality equipment like microphones and audio recording devices, which individuals may not have access to. The facilities in NASCL can provide individuals with high-quality speech recordings for later use. Through voice donations, we evaluated commercial voice banking services to assess various protocols necessary for voice building. Additionally, we compared each service across protocol used, time needed, cost, and synthesis quality. From our evaluation, we determined the best process for creating NASCL’s very own voice banking service. By utilizing available resources, we aim to offer an accessible and cost-effective alternative to these commercial services.