Why Choose Voice Banking
People living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration often experience changes in their speech over time. It is one of the most distressing symptoms associated with these rare neurodegenerative conditions, which can have a profound impact on communication, independence and identity.
But there is a way to prepare for these changes. Voice banking offers a way to preserve your speech by creating a digital version of your voice while your speech is relatively unaffected.
PSPA supports people living with PSP & CBD with voice banking through a partnership with SpeakUnique, a voice banking technology that allows you to create a personalised synthetic voice for use in communication aids. It allows you to communicate through an app using a voice that sounds like your own, when speaking becomes difficult in the future.
What Is Voice Banking?
Voice banking is a process of recording your voice and using the recording to generate a personalised synthetic voice. This synthetic voice can then be used on a device, such as a tablet or mobile phone, to convert text to speech, allowing you to communicate with a voice that is identifiably your own.
The communication difficulties or speech changes associated with PSP & CBD may be challenging to navigate for people diagnosed with the conditions, as well as their families and carers. Voice banking is an effective way to maintain a familiar way of communicating with your loved ones and preserve an important part of personal identity when your speech deteriorates.
Voice Banking with SpeakUnique
PSPA can fund one of three different SpeakUnique voice banking services for people living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration based on their speech needs.
These services can help create a personalised synthetic voice, whether your speech is currently clear, beginning to change, or already affected. You will need to discuss voice banking with your speech and language therapist, who will assess you to ensure you are suitable to bank your voice using one of the following three services.
For those who have not yet experienced changes to their speech and wish to create a synthetic replica of their own voice. With under 30 minutes of audio recordings, we can create a synthetic replica of your voice that sounds just like you.
For those whose speech has already started to change, e.g. through slurring or slowness. These changes can be ‘repaired’ in the synthetic voice to create a healthy sounding voice.
For those who have no intelligible speech and wish to use old recordings of their voice to create a personalised synthetic voice or alternatively wish to use voice donors (with matching regional accent, gender and age) to create a bespoke synthetic voice.
How to Get Started with Voice Banking with PSPA and SpeakUnique
The process of voice banking with PSPA and SpeakUnique is quite simple and straightforward.
Create a SpeakUnique Account
Register online and choose the voice banking service most suitable for your speech needs.
Record Your Voice
For Voice Build or Voice Repair, you will need to record a set of sentences using a laptop, tablet or mobile device, and a headset microphone.
Complete the PSPA Funding Application Form
At this point, you will be able to access the PSPA funding application form. You will need your speech and language therapist’s details to complete the form. PSPA will contact you and your speech and language therapist as part of the application process.
Create Your Personalised Synthetic Voice
SpeakUnique processes your recordings to generate several voice options for you to choose from.
Use Your Voice on Communication Devices
Your digital voice can be used on smartphones, tablets or communication aids through compatible apps.
We can also provide additional Support Grants to help with equipment such as microphones, headphones or communication devices needed to use your banked voice.
If you are interested in voice banking for PSP or CBD, the first step is to speak with your speech and language therapist. They can help you decide which SpeakUnique voice banking service is most suitable for your speech and support you through the process.
CONTACT US
For more information or support in accessing PSPA Funding for voice banking, please contact the Helpline.
Telephone: 0300 0110 122
Email: helpline@pspassociation.org.uk
