New tools, including generative AI sentence completion, are designed to create smoother phone conversations for users with hearing loss or speech disabilities who type to communicate.
InnoCaption, a provider of real-time call captioning, has announced new Text-to-Speech (TTS) features for its mobile app. The features are designed to assist users with hearing loss or speech disabilities who have difficulty speaking or being understood during phone calls.
The new capabilities integrate into the InnoCaption app and are intended to improve the efficiency of typed communication during calls. The key features include:
- QuickSpeak: Allows users to select pre-written phrases, such as greetings, that are voiced aloud immediately.
- Saved Phrases: A personal library where users can store and categorize commonly used phrases for quick access and editing.
- AI Refine: Uses generative AI to expand short typed inputs (eg, “make appointment”) into complete, natural-sounding sentences with a single tap.
- AI Practice Calls: A simulation feature that allows users to practice using the TTS tools in various scenarios, such as ordering a pizza or calling a doctor’s office.
“We are constantly striving to build solutions that meet the needs of our user community,” says Paul Lee, InnoCaption’s chief operating officer, in a release. “AI Refine is a prime example of how we can responsibly leverage cutting-edge AI to create a positive impact. Our commitment is to break down communication barriers, and these new features are the latest step in making every conversation more authentic and accessible for our users.”
The InnoCaption app offers users the choice of AI-powered captioning or live human stenographers for each call. User feedback indicates the AI Refine feature improves the flow of conversations by allowing users to communicate complex thoughts without focusing heavily on typing.
“With AI Refine and text-to-speech shortcuts, InnoCaption has given me the right tools to help me be heard – one that doesn’t change who I am but changes how clearly I am being understood,” says Hayden Daum, an InnoCaption user.
The new TTS features are now available in the InnoCaption app for iOS and Android. The service is FCC certified and available at no charge for eligible individuals in the US with a hearing loss or speech disability.
