Google has launched an experimental app called ‘Look To Speak’, which makes use of eye gaze tracking via your phone’s front camera to select and speak phrases.
The launch of the app was announced via an official blog by Google. The Look To Speak app lets users choose the pre-loaded phrases within the app with their eyes.
Once the phrase is selected, the app then speaks that particular phrase aloud. This is meant to make communication easier for people with speech impairments.
Good thing is that this Google Look To Speak app is compatible with Android 9 Pie or above, which most of the smartphones are running these days. Moreover, you can also use the app on phones running Android One as well.
The app lets users look left or right via the phone’s camera. This would enable them to select from the listed phrases. Additionally, these phrases can be customized. So, users can set a custom phrase for the app to read aloud, which is pretty nifty.
Users need to make sure that there is no obstruction between the phone’s camera and the view of the eye. Besides, you need to mount the phone securely and not just hold it in hand. All these instructions can be found within the app feature called ‘Setup Helper.’
The phrases cannot be customized by eye gaze and need to be manually edited
The phone needs to be set slightly below the eye level, and the user can select the phrases in the app by looking left or right. The app will then read the selected phrase aloud.
The customization is not just limited to phrases. The Look To Speak app allows the users to personalize the voices in which they want the phrases to be read aloud.
However, there is one drawback. The app’s Setup Helper menu, where you can tweak the phrases and gaze settings, cannot be customized by eye gaze. It still needs manual tapping on the screen.
Look To Speak app is made by Google Creative Lab in collaboration with Sarah Ezekiel and Richard Cave, Speech and Language Therapist with Google. It is a part of Start with One project on the Experiments with Google platform.
The app can also be used in situations where other accessibility devices may not be usable. For instance, you can make use of Look To Speak in the shower, in urgent situations, or outdoors.
For a complete tutorial and setup guide, Google has published resources to help you out. You can access it by heading here.