Attitudes Towards Customized vs. Generic Synthetic Voices on Speech Generating Devices

Abstract

This study examined the attitudes of undergraduate students towards a peer who use speech-generating devices (SGDs) with synthetic voices. Participants’ attitudes toward a customized synthetic voice were compared to their attitudes toward a generic synthetic voice used by a female peer who is characterized as having a degenerative disorder in which she needed to use a talking computer to communicate. The study also examined ease of understanding, willingness to interact, and preferences regarding synthetic voices. The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: a) Do reported attitudes toward and individual who uses an SGD to communicate vary as a function of synthetic voice type? b) Does reported willingness to socially interact with and/or reported ease of understanding an individual who uses an SGD to communicate vary as a function of synthetic voice type? c) Do preferences for self-use or use by others vary according to synthetic voice type?