Whispp, the AI-powered speech technology that converts whispered and impaired speech into a person's natural voice in real-time, today announced the public alpha launch of its new speech app.
Available now for download on iOS, the alpha launch of the Whispp AI-powered speech app coincides with World Voice Day on April 16, an annual event that raises awareness about the importance of the human voice and its role in communication, culture and society. People with a voice impairment — as well as those without — are invited to contribute their voices and use the alpha version of the Whispp speech app to help improve Whispp's AI models and also raise awareness about inclusion and the importance of being heard.
More than 50 million people worldwide have a speech impairment — including two million in the U.S. — and voice contribution is an easy, free way to foster inclusion and make a difference in their lives. View a short video about Whispp here. Whispp allows people with voice impairments to maintain their identity and sense of self, even if they cannot speak clearly. "Losing one's voice due to illness, trauma or old age presents a challenging and isolating experience. Individuals who have lost their voice may feel frustrated, anxious or depressed, and it's crucial to provide them with support, encouragement and tools that empower them," said Joris Castermans, CEO and founder of Whispp. "As someone who stutters, I understand firsthand the impact of being unable to say what you want. People can fully express themselves with Whispp and once again be understood. Whispp's proprietary AI-powered speech technology will help create a more inclusive society for people who deal with speech issues and give millions worldwide their voices back. It's something every human being deserves."
How the Whispp App Works.
Whispp converts whispered speech and vocal cord-impaired speech into a natural voice, with the intonation and emotion the speaker intends. Users with a speech impairment download the Whispp app onto their phone, select the male or female voice of their choice, tap the record button, speak into their smartphone approximately two to four inches (five to ten centimeters) from their mouth and then press the record button again to end the recording. Whispp instantly plays the recorded message back. Those who wish to contribute their voice to Whispp select the "Contribute" icon, tap to start recording, read the prompted sentences, and submit. Ultimately, Whispp foresees a future where its AI model is trained on an individual's voice to create a personalized Whispp voice they use. People who have lost their voice can utilize older recordings of their voice when it was not impaired to train the Whispp algorithm.
The alpha launch of the Whispp app is one of the company's initial milestones as it works to create Whispp-enabled phone calls and face-to-face conversations that use the smartphone for recording and playback for people living with speech impairments. In the future, Whispp plans to introduce new apps that will benefit consumers who do not have a speech impairment but want to speak quietly on a phone or video conference to keep their conversation private or not disturb others around them.
Additionally, speech therapists can use the Whispp app as a stimulating and supportive tool for their patients. At the same time, their patients can take pride in knowing that by doing their daily speech exercises, they are also helping others — which may make it easier to do their speech exercises consistently and make it a point of pride to persevere.Download the Whispp iOS app via the Apple App Store or the Whispp website. Sign up via the Whispp website to be notified when the alpha version of the Whispp app for Android launches in mid-May.