AI technology is playing a crucial role in empowering people with disabilities today by offering them innovative solutions that enhance their daily lives. With advanced algorithms and machine learning for example, it's possible to assist those with communication impairments express themselves effectively.
Speech impairments can include articulation disorders, phonological disorders, fluency disorders (such as stuttering), voice disorders, and apraxia of speech - making it hard for individuals to communicate effectively, express themselves, and be understood by others.
To provide those attending virtual meetings with speech impairments a voice at the table to also be heard and to level to playing field in the workplace, Voiceitt, a speech recognition technology for non-standard speech, announced it teamed with Webex by Cisco for a captioning and transcription technology that will be integrated on the Webex App Hub and for use in Webex Meetings.
The web-based application from Voiceitt uses proprietary speech technology and makes it possible for non-standard speakers to communicate accurately and flexibly. This can be used during face-to-face conversations, for the dictation of emails and text messages, and meeting transcription.
“Cisco's commitment to inclusive collaboration is aligned with Voiceitt's mission to make voice AI accessible to people with non-standard speech,” says Sara Smolley, Voiceitt co-founder and Vice President, Strategic Partnerships. “The integration with Webex is game-changing because it creates more independence for users with disabilities, while increasing the potential for more collaborative, inclusive work environments. True collaboration means everyone at the table has a voice.”
“We know accessibility can be a huge barrier to adoption of technology and services, but through purpose-built AI like Voiceitt and partnerships with Webex to drive more inclusive collaboration, hybrid work can empower greater communities,” said Amit Barave, Vice President, Product Management, Webex by Cisco.
In addition to this support for individuals with disabilities, the company also offers an API that seamlessly integrates its technology with any voice interface. This integration ensures that users with diverse disabilities, including degenerative diseases, brain injuries, developmental disorders, aging-related speech changes, and diverse dialects, can effectively communicate and be understood. The company also said it has plans to embed this technology into the Webex platform later this year, enhancing its closed captioning capability and improving transcription accuracy for all Webex users with non-standard speech patterns.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
