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| We are piloting a project to
make a new speech synthesizer for people challenged
by the current computer interfaces, and who
are thereby unable to fully leverage the opportunities
presented by Internet-type computing and communications.
The completed solution will be made available
in Open Source(Free Software) . We invite
people to join with us to make this a reality.
The intended beneficiary is Prof. Stephen
Hawking of the University of Cambridge, UK,
but we expect that many thousands of people
will ultimately find it useful and productive. |
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| This developmental project has
been undertaken considering the needs of Professor
Stephen Hawking, who has ALS (MND, also known
as Lou Gehrig's disease). This problem characteristically
leaves persons unable to use their limbs and
voice, hence the need for a more inclusive
interface design to enable a productive life.
The use of readymade computers to generate
voice from text inputs is both inexpensive
and relatively low on maintenance, hence the
decision to develop the application set on
the Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux and MacOS
platforms initially, with subsequent focus
on handheld platforms such as PalmOS and Microsoft
PocketPC. |
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| Currently available versions
of speech synthesizers do not adequately address
the needs of physically challenged users,
who may experience various limitations in
the use of common pointing, clicking and typing
devices. |
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Special purpose pointing devices
do not use standard physical interfaces, thus
increasing the dependence of users upon particular
specialist vendors.
Software interfaces for users who may experience
varying forms of difficulties while using
computers must be developed, so that the maximum
audience can be addressed through an integrated
design. This includes, for instance, pointing
devices with single button, dual button, single
button with full keyboard support(~ with partial
keyboard support, ~ with navigation keys only),
visual aids needed, and so on. |
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| Prof. Hawking currently prefers
a DOS-based solution built sometime in 1987
especially with his problems in mind. It is
very thoughtfully designed, but has some fairly
constraining limitations, given the current
power and capability of modern microprocessor
based computers. Chief among these is the
fact that it does not support Cut-and-Paste
and Undo. As can be well understood, this
can present serious difficulties for anyone
trying to work at a tolerably acceptable speed
with limited control.
He also has a Windows based solution, but
has found this difficult to work with and
does not use it much.
Finally, he has an independent cursor control
software that enables him to use other Windows
applications such as Eudora, Mathematica
and PCTex (LaTex for Windows), which are
very important in his work. This is a pretty
useful utility, but works by emulating the
various point-and-clickable options of a
standard mouse. Quite probably, some fresh
thought applied to this are may result in
a better solution, one that does not set
limits by presupposing the user is familiar
with a mouse.
He does not have access to the source code
of any of these solutions. We must develop
a system design keeping in mind the working
of the software that he has grown used to
and get his feedback before undertaking
actual development. This will be an iterative
process, but one that he is keen to help
in, with whatever time he has available
from his schedule. |
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| Following the first round of
discussions between the volunteers, a broad
description of the solution has been documented,
together with a detailed description of the
device interface manager. The complete document
is linked from here. |
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| Dr Mehta has written the first
solution in VB6, for alpha testing by target
users as well as software experts. The description
of this solution and instructions to download
are linked from
here. |
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| 1. Join the discussion list
at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radiophony
2. Join the working group at
http://sourceforge.net — The Hawking
Communicator
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| Exclusive
report at tehelka.com Stephen
Hawking's new software (tehelka.com)
The
Master's voice (Business Today)
Indians
poised to create... (Times Computing) |
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