The is it possible to mimic the online article submission web site genre with audio files or audio articles with text to speech enabled devices. The reason I ask is that recently on a blog I had a conversation with Mr. Ed Howes who suggested such a business model. Consider if you will the number of people who are blind, partially sighted or who cannot read.
We could connect the unconnected and ensure no child or adult for that matter was left behind. He would be the ultimate information highway across the digital divide chasm. In fact the idea is brilliant and it is totally possible with current technology or technology, which is on the cutting edge presently and being funded right now.
You see, with all the new Software out there it could be translated into other Languages and dialects. Oh speaking of which SpeechTEKI 2006 convention this year ought to be awesome. I am quite impress with all the new stuff due to DHS funding thru DARPA and In-Q-Tel and what it is doing for Speech Technologies. Also with Microsofts Speech Server and Nuance commercial and personal computing software upgrades it appears things are really cooking along from when Gates at the CES Show started sending emails thru his wristwatch via Voice Technology. Great stuff.
I am an avid reader of Speech Tech Magazine, stemming from an interest in automated call-centers, customer ordering and scheduling before retirement. Non of it was ever good enough to use back then, but someday in the future it will be, as Venture Capitalists, Government, Investment Banks and Large Corporations are funding the research and development forward now. It is the next step in computing and communication, and really it is the natural way humans like to communicate; via vocal cords. So, let's consider this in 2006.
