Awesome! Try this demo of animated text to speech technology!

[Radio_Lady]

Steve Fleischman, author, producer, and writer, who spent thirty years in network news at CBS and ABC -- (See information below) -- sent me this fascinating link to a TTS (text to speech) demo from Oddcast.com.

CLICK ON THE URL BELOW.

When you move the mouse around, her eyes follow. When you write something in the left space and then click on "Say it", she says it! You can also change persons doing the talking, etc. You can change to other languages!

http://vhost.oddcast.com/vhost_minisite/demos/tts/tts_example.html

Radio_Lady's comments: Awesome. Big Sister is talking to you, and she's speaking YOUR language! Actually, some of the blind staff members at Oregon Public Broadcasting have a program called JAWS that produces very mechanical sounding speech from on-screen text. Also, this reminds me of the 2002 science fiction movie "S1m0ne" or "Simone" with Al Pacino. Movie info is at: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0258153/

Thanks for the link, Steve. You can visit Steve at www.aredinthehouse.com and learn more about a "leftie" who managed to stay in the mainstream media despite his political beliefs.

"My Thirty Years in Network News: The Unauthorized Memoir of S.E. Fleischman"

"What did CBS and ABC not know about Producer Stephen Fleischman during his thirty years in Network News-- and why did they not know it? "A Red in the House" takes personal history to a new level of daring, filled with revelations that once were too dangerous to publish involving the best in broadcast journalism. 'A Red in the House' portrays a graphic picture of how the mainstream media arrived at the sorry state it is in today."

In peace,

Radio_Lady in Oregon

[Radio_Lady]

1. Attention Lounge Lizards! I'm lonely and I'll move this to GD if you

don't look at this post. This is a threat.................

What are you doing today? Shoveling snow in the mid-West? Soaking up sun in southern California? Out on the trail somewhere -- or still in bed?

GET UP! I woke up at 5:30 AM and have a million errands, but here I am.

[no name no slogan]

2. I have JAWS at work

I work in web development for a public agency, and we are mandated that all our sites work in JAWS and other assistive technology. Fun stuff.

[Radio_Lady]

3. What do you think are the practical applications for TTS?

Let's say -- over the next ten years.

What about the addition of an animated character? Aside from the novelty of this, that is.

(Type in something really salacious and sleazy -- and turn up the volume! My husband almost fell out his chair!)

Warning: Do not attempt "Delbert" type cubicle or anywhere near your boss!

I'm going to try and learn more at www.oddcast.com -- maybe invite someone from the company to discuss this on my audio show.

Thanks for your post.