A global consortium to give expressive human voices back to those forced to use speech synthesizers

Yes. The Voice for Purpose project was founded to offer people who have lost their voice a wide selection of voices donated by volunteers. Register for an account at https://library.voiceforpurpose.com and listen to the donor audio samples uploaded to the library.

Once you have created your account at https://library.voiceforpurpose.com, you will be able to listen to the audio samples provided by potential donors. You will then be asked to select up to three profiles from those uploaded to the voice library. Your potential donors will be contacted, and the first one to sign up for the donation will then record their voice in order to generate the synthesized output that will be made available to you.

The generated speech output can be used by means of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices equipped with Grid 3 software. If you are recording your voice for personal use, we recommend informing your clinical center so that the staff there can take this into account when assessing and prescribing AAC devices.

Yes. As well as on AAC devices, the synthesized voice can also be used with the aid of everyday technology: smartphones, PCs, and tablets.

Yes. If you record your voice and do not need to use the recording immediately, but after a period of time you encounter communication difficulties that mean you can no longer use your voice, contact Nemo Lab at the email address voce@nemolab.it to request the activation of your synthesized voice. Once your synthesized voice is generated, you will be provided with the credentials to use it.

The voice recording service and the use of the synthesized voice are free of charge.

No, you don't have to be a patient at a particular clinical center. If you are being monitored by a specific health facility, we recommend that you inform them that recording is being carried out. This way, the team responsible for you will be aware of the possibility of you using a personal or donated synthesized voice.

We are currently working to provide a voice to as many people as possible, so we do not envisage providing more than one voice to any one person. However, you can contact Nemo Lab (Voice Lab) and request a different voice. If possible, we will try to accommodate your request.

Create your user account by logging in to https://library.voiceforpurpose.com. Nemo Lab will contact you to proceed with the self-donation process. You can also contact Nemo Lab directly by emailing voce@nemolab.it.

At a Nemo Lab center or at home.

The time needed to record a voice may vary from 60 minutes to 180 minutes; this variability can be due to a number of factors. To generate a natural and representative synthesized voice, at least 45 minutes of speech must be recorded at an absolute minimum. For example, if an individual's pronunciation is clear but liable to fatigue, it is likely to take longer to put together a voice sample that can be used to generate the synthesized output.

Once you have finished recording the voice, send the generated audio file to the Nemo Lab Voice Lab at the following address: voce@nemolab.it.

To record your voice (i.e., make a “self-donation”), your speech needs to be fluid and understandable. To make a self-donation, you will be asked to read a series of sentences in a natural, spontaneous manner. The more similar the voice is to how it was before the onset of the disease threatening to take it away, the more the personal synthesized voice generated will be representative of the person's unique identity.

Yes, recording is also available to people who have a disease other than ALS and are exposed to the risk of losing their voice; this allows them to preserve their voice to ensure the opportunity for a personal synthesized voice in the future.

This is not currently possible. However, the necessary assessments are already underway for this feature based on the needs and requirements that have been encountered so far and that may arise during the course of the service.

Voice donations are anonymous. You will not find out the name of the donor, and donors will not know the identity of those who use their donated voice.

No. Only you can use the output generated from the recording of your voice.

All voices have a personality. If you want to donate your voice, your speech simply needs to be fluent and understandable.

Create your account by going to https://donate.voiceforpurpose.com. When you choose to donate, you will be asked to record a short default voice message. Your profile will be uploaded to a library of potential donors; only when it is selected by a person who needs it will you be contacted and asked for your availability to carry out the full recording of your voice. This process takes about 60-120 minutes depending on the individual.

This is not currently possible. However, the necessary assessments are already underway for this feature based on the needs and requirements that have been encountered so far and that may arise during the course of the service.

To record your voice, all you need is:

1. a) a PC with free audio recording software installed, plus a separate microphone suitable for recording. We will provide you with instructions and a list of set messages. The recorded audio will be used to develop the speech synthesis model.
2. b) a quiet space with no echo – ideally a bedroom or living room.

Yes, you must be over 18.

The time needed to record a voice may vary from 60 minutes to 180 minutes; this variability can be due to a number of factors. To generate a natural and representative synthesized voice, at least 45 minutes of speech must be recorded at an absolute minimum. For example, if an individual's speech production is clear but liable to fatigue, it is likely to take longer to put together a voice sample that can be used to generate the synthesized voice.

Voice donations are anonymous. Donors do not find out the identity of those who use their donated voice, and vice versa, those who use the voice do not find out the identity of the donor.

Yes. The contract agreed between Translated and the donor (the “Voice Provider”) sets out that Translated, as the Data Controller, will process the personal data of the Voice Provider pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for purposes related to the execution of the contract governed by the Terms and Conditions of Use and for the other purposes specified in the Privacy Policy provided pursuant to Article 13 of the Regulation. When registering on the Platform, the Voice Provider must read the Privacy Policy on the processing of personal data provided by Translated. By accepting the Terms and Conditions of Use, the Voice Provider confirms that he/she has read the Privacy Policy on the processing of personal data provided by Translated when registering on the Platform.

One of the guarantees set out in the Contract agreed between Translated and the donor is that Translated can suspend voice generation at any time if the voice is used in breach of the permitted uses. Commercial uses of the voice are expressly excluded from the usage Authorization, as are so-called deepfakes (replacing a person) and content that is defamatory, detrimental to the dignity of others, pornographic, or incites hatred or discrimination. Commercial use and the replacement of people are not permitted. If a voice is used in breach of the permitted uses, Translated can suspend voice generation at any time.

Voice for Purpose employs a team of AI scientists and software engineers who conduct research on the latest voice synthesis and text prediction algorithms. We test new synthesis methods to replicate speech inflections across different emotions and regions, ensuring accurate reproduction of voices from limited audio recordings. Additionally, we develop language models to predict conversations based on the environment and individual user habits.

Each registered user is profiled to determine how voice technology can best assist them. If their original voice can be preserved, they are guided through the process of self-donating their voice and installing it on their communication devices. For donated voices, we support donors throughout the recording process to ensure the highest quality results and facilitate the adoption of the donated voice by the intended user. These activities require the careful work of specialized technical and healthcare personnel, and their costs can be covered through financial contributions.