Vocal Legacy : A Non-Surgical Smart Voice Prosthesis for Head & Neck Cancer

“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning”

– Maya Angelou

Voice preservation options for individuals with communication difficulties due to head and neck cancer have previously been robotic or invasive, but now there is Vocal Legacy, a non-surgical smart voice prosthesis.

Non-Invasive Alternative

Current voice rehabilitation options for those facing the loss of speech after head and neck cancer treatment haven’t always been effective or ideal for all individuals. None of the current options have provided preservation of vocal identity in the way that Vocal Legacy does. While the electrolarynx, tracheoesophageal prosthesis (surgically implanted voice prosthesis), and esophageal speech allow the individual to speak on their own, that voice often lacks the richness of their pre-treatment voice.

Vocal Legacy – Smart Voice Prosthesis

Vocal Legacy utilizes VocaliD’s state-of-the-art speech processing technology and expertise in speech science to offer truly personalized vocal identities for those with limited speech. Once built, the voice prosthesis is delivered as a digital file that integrates with a speech-generating communication device or app, such as MyVocaliD (for iOS and Android).

The most obvious benefit to cancer survivors is the ability to regain control of daily conversations, professionally and with loved ones. For those undergoing speech, we have found that Vocal Legacy voices offer a powerful auditory model to help accelerate recovery.

To learn more about the impact of Vocal Legacy voices, please watch this short documentary by the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/headlines/43786713/in-six-days-i-ll-lose-my-voice-forever

The key to a successful outcome is for clinicians to raise awareness of this option, and the need to begin voicebanking, early in the diagnostic process prior to surgery.

What exactly is Voicebanking?

Voicebanking with VocaliD is a simple process that allows a person to record, or bank, their own voice for future synthesis. It is important that individuals begin the process early to ensure they have the time and ability to record enough high-quality speech before radiation or surgery.

Voicebanking is easy. The process involves reading aloud pre-scripted text through the VocaliD voicebanking interface. All you need is a laptop, a quiet place, and a headset microphone (we recommend Turtle Beach Recon 200 – link). By recording at least a couple hours of speech over the course of several days, a patient is able to bank enough recordings for us to build their unique personalized voice.

Voice Insurance for the What Ifs.
Vocal Legacy is an option not just for those who have been newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer, it is also a form of voice insurance for those with a family history of cancer.

Get started voicebanking today – https://vocalid.ai/voicebank/

Voice Sharing for Others!
Thousands of individuals around the world have contributed to the voicebank to share their voice with those in need. Our proprietary voice blending algorithms transform their recordings to create unique voice identities.

Share YOUR voice to give the gift of voice!

To understand the origins of the voicebank, watch our founder Rupal Patel’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/rupal_patel_synthetic_voices_as_unique_as_fingerprints?