Rupal Patel
Speech scientist
People relying on synthetic speech use the voice they’re given, not their own. Rupal Patel created the vocaliD project to change that.
Why you should listen
Northeastern University computer science professor Rupal Patel looks for ways to give voice to the voiceless. As founder and director of the Communication Analysis and Design Laboratory (CadLab), she developed a technology that combines real human voices with the characteristics of individual speech patterns. The result is VocaliD, an innovation that gives people who can't speak the ability to communicate in a voice all their own.
"There's nothing better than seeing the person who's actually going to use it, seeing their reaction, seeing their smile," says Patel.
What others say
[My daughter] is going to have a full life because of people like Rupal, who really want to help.
Rupal Patel’s TED Talk
More news and ideas from Rupal Patel
Technology
Everything you need to know about donating your voice: Why you should help The Human Voicebank Initiative
February 13, 2014
At TEDWomen, I introduced the audience to VocaliD — a project aimed at designing personalized synthetic voices so that people with severe speech impairments can use a voice that fits their body and personality. This is a project that I’ve been working on for several years, along with my students and my collaborator, Dr. Tim […]
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Job jars, synthetic voices and dream catchers: A recap of TEDWomen 2013 session 2
December 6, 2013
By Helen Walters and Kate Torgovnick TED Fellow Meklit Hadero kicks off the second session of TEDWomen 2013. Her sultry singing, backed by a trumpet, bass and drums, is just the right way to get the room back, focused and in gear for a packed session. It’s (sadly, still) rare enough to find a female CEO. […]
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