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Sarah Ezekiel found herself voiceless after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at the age of 34. This devastating condition also took away the use of her hands, leaving her communicating through a robotic voice for 25 years. However, through the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Sarah’s real voice was recreated from just eight seconds of scratchy audio on an old VHS tape.
The miraculous transformation began when assistive technology company Smartbox requested an hour’s worth of audio from Sarah to reconstruct her voice. Despite the challenge of finding suitable audio, a snippet of Sarah’s voice from a wobbly VHS tape of her daughter as a baby was discovered. With the latest technology from ElevenLabs, the AI was able to isolate Sarah’s voice and predict her intonations to breathe life into her words.
Having lost her voice in 2000 and facing the challenges of MND, Sarah’s journey from silence to rediscovered speech has been life-changing. With eye-gaze technology enabling her to communicate, volunteer for the MND Association, and create art, Sarah’s new voice not only surprised and impressed her friends but also deeply impacted her family. Aviva and Eric, her children, describe how their mother’s new voice has brought them closer together, allowing them to feel her emotions and connect with her on a deeper level.
The importance of AI-generated voices in preserving individuality and accent diversity is highlighted by experts like Dr Susan Oman. Voices that resonate with the individual contribute to a sense of identity and connection. Sarah, reminiscing about her old synthetic voice, now cherishes her regained voice, expressing joy at returning to her true self. Through the power of technology, Sarah has reclaimed her identity and overcome the limitations imposed by MND, reminding us all of the transformative potential of innovation
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