Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Technology that converts written text into natural-sounding spoken audio, enabling computers to "read aloud" in multiple languages.
Understanding Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis converts written text into spoken audio. Modern TTS systems using neural networks produce remarkably natural-sounding speech that can be difficult to distinguish from human speakers. In the context of translation, TTS is the final stage that converts translated text into audible speech in the target language, creating a complete speech-to-speech translation pipeline. This is particularly valuable for audiences who prefer listening over reading, including elderly attendees and those with visual impairments.
How Selah Translate Uses Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Selah Translate integrates OpenAI's state-of-the-art text-to-speech engine to generate natural-sounding audio output in the target language. Users can choose from multiple voices and toggle TTS on or off. The system streams audio with minimal latency using the Opus codec for shorter text and MP3 for longer passages, ensuring fast playback. Broadcast viewers can also enable TTS on their own devices.
Related Terms
Speech-to-Text (STT)
Technology that converts spoken language into written text in real time, also known as automatic speech recognition (ASR).
Real-Time Translation
The instant conversion of spoken or written language from one language to another as it occurs, with minimal perceivable delay.
Voice Synthesis
The artificial production of human speech from text using neural networks, producing natural-sounding audio in multiple languages and voices.