MyVoice, a Great App for the Speech-Disabled, Is Foursquare Meets Text-to-Speech

The MyVoice app offers up location-based searchable phrases and helps users easily navigate social situations.

A new GPS-enabled app will give millions of speech-disabled people a simplified way to communicate in the local tongue. MyVoice is a text-to-speech app that uses location-aware dialogue and customizable phrases to streamline the search for the perfect phrase. Additionally, because its a smartphone app, using it in social situations isn't as awkward as a proprietary device.

"Usually, people would have to navigate through a huge hierarchy of words on a traditional device in order to find these seemingly unrelated words. But using our technology, using MyVoice, they're able to very quickly get to the words that they actually need to say at that time," designer Aakash Sahney tells Canadian broadcaster CTA.
The GPS and customization is what drives the experience. As an example, at a movie theater, the app may pull up words like "tickets" or "seats," or, at a coffeeshop, users can program their regular purchases.
"It fits in really well in social situations, too. It's natural to have an iPhone in your pocket and take it out somewhere," he adds.
MyVoice plans on being a monthly service with an online, syncable web component. It will be available for $30 a month, and Aakash says it will be available next week.