Voice banking solutions for all speech needs.
In your own words.
What does SpeakUnique do?
SpeakUnique develop voice banking technology, that allows people to create a personalised synthetic voice for use in communication aids. This means people can retain their identity and communicate in a voice that sounds like their own, even when natural speech is not possible.
Who can SpeakUnique help?
SpeakUnique’s technology allows them to create high quality synthetic voices simply and quickly, for people who are at risk of losing the ability to speak through illness, and also for those with impaired or unintelligible speech. SpeechUnique work with people living with conditions such as MND/ ALS, MSA, Cerebral Palsy and head and neck cancer.
SpeakUnique Options
Voice Build
A replica of your own voice.
Intended for those who are able to speak freely.
More Details
Voice Build will create a synthetic replica of your own voice that can be used in your communication aid. This is for individuals who have a medical condition that will affect their speech but have not yet experienced any speech symptoms. Your synthetic voice can be used on Apple, Android or Windows devices.
SpeechUnique can build your synthetic voice from just a short recording of your speech. All you need to get started is a computer or laptop, an external microphone (not the one built into your computer) and a quiet room.
Voice Repair
Healthy sounding voices, even if your speech is already impaired.
Intended for those who have mild to moderate speech impairment.
More Details
If you’ve already noticed changes in your speech, for example, you struggle articulating words or you sound more breathy than normal, SpeakUnique can repair this damage in your synthetic voice. Traditional speech synthesis technology will replicate and exaggerate these changes in your voice, but we have developed state-of-the-art technology to repair synthetic voices.
SpeakUnique are able to repair speech that is mildly to moderately impaired using SpeakUnique’s novel Voice Repair technology.
They ask that you record as many sentences as you feel able to, with a minimum of 125 sentences. Your recording can be done across a number of sessions if you find the process tiring. SpeechUnique will then create 5 different versions of your repaired voice. You will be able to listen to each voice and decide which is your favourite, before purchasing and downloading one of the options.
All you need is a computer or laptop, an external microphone (not the one built into your computer) and a quiet room.
Voice Design
Truly bespoke synthetic voices.
Intended for those who have no speech – either recovering their voice through old voice recordings or through a designed donor voice.
More Details
We offer two different ways to access our Voice Design service.
The first way is to use old recordings of your voice. If your recordings meet our quality criteria, we can recreate your speech in a synthetic voice. There must be at least 5 minutes of you speaking however higher quality voices are created with 15 – 20 minutes of speech. There must not be any loud background noises e.g. music playing, and there cannot be multiple people speaking over each other. Our Voice Design service can also use message banked recordings and phrases recorded through other voice banking providers, including Apple’s Personalised Voice offering.
The second way to use SpeakUnique’sVoice Design service is through Voice Donors. SpeakUnique can create a bespoke voice for you, that matches your desired accent, age and gender by blending together two donor recordings. This will create a bespoke voice that will not sound like either one of the donors: instead it will be a voice just for you. You can either nominate your own voice donors or get in touch with SpeakUnique and they might be able to use one of their existing donors.
Register for a Voice Design account with SpeakUnique and then select which method you would like to use to create your voice
You will then be able to upload your old audio for SpeechUnique’s team to review or you will be giving instructions on how to ask your voice donors to register.
Once SpeechUnique have received the recordings, they aim to generate your Voice Design in 3-5 days. Given the bespoke nature of this service, SpeechUnique’s team will work closely with you to create a voice you are happy with.
How Can I Use My SpeakUnique Voice?
Your SpeakUnique voice can be used on a range of devices, through different software. The exact method for using your voice will vary depending on your communication needs.
You can use your voice through:
The SpeakUnique app
The SpeakUnique app is a text-to-speech app that allows you to enter text and have messages played aloud in your SpeakUnique voice. You can input text through the keyboard, including using switch access, or select pre-set phrases. There is an option to message bank your important phrases in the app.
Grid for iPad app
Grid for iPad is a communication app developed by Smartbox. SpeakUnique have partnered with Smartbox to allow you to access your SpeakUnique voice through Grid for iPad.
Also compatible with Grid 3 for Windows.
Predictable app
Predictable is a text-to-speech app, developed by Therapy Box and used by people with little or no speech around the world.
SpeakUnique have partnered with Therapy Box to integrate our personalised voices into their app for iOS (iPads and iPhones). Please note SpeakUnique voices cannot be used through Predictable on Android devices.
Smartbox Devices
Grid Pads
Liberator/PRC Devices
Accent 800/1000/1400
How to create a SpeakUnique voice.
Click the sign up link to register and record your voice through the SpeakUnique website using a computer and headset microphone. Once recorded you can then listen to samples of your voice before completing a purchase through us to allow downloading your SpeakUnique voice to be used in a range of apps and/or devices.
SpeakUnique can build your synthetic voice from just a short recording of speech. All you need to get started is a computer or laptop, an external microphone (not the one built into your computer) and a quiet room.
How it works – Your voice
- Sign up for a SpeakUnique account and record your voice.
- Submit your recording when you have completed between 125 and 150 sentences.
- Listen to samples of your synthetic voice.
- Once happy with your synthetic voice, reach out to us to receive a quote to cover payment, once paid we’ll provide access to your voice.
- Please email us once you’ve reached the payment part – [email protected]
- Download your voice onto as many devices as you need.
How it works – Client’s voice
- Either the client can or someone assisting the client can sign up for a SpeakUnique account to record their voice.
- Submit the client’s recording when they have completed between 125 and 150 sentences.
- Listen to samples of the client’s synthetic voice.
- Once happy with the synthetic voice, reach out to us to receive a quote for when applying for communication application funding, once funding has been approved we’ll provide access to the client’s voice.
- Please email us once you’ve reached the payment part – [email protected]
- Download the client’s voice onto as many devices as they need.
