Voice generators have benefits in various verticals, including smart cities where communication, accessibility and inclusivity can be enhanced with text-to-speech technologies. This article takes a closer look.
Voice generators are advanced tools that convert text into speech. They have benefits in various verticals, including smart cities where communication, accessibility and inclusivity can be enhanced with text-to-speech technologies. This article looks at voice generators and their various use cases in smart cities.
Challenges facing smart cities
Increasingly, municipal administrators have launched smart city initiatives to make their cities safer, less polluted and more livable. However, as municipalities transition to smart cities, they are faced with various challenges. During emergencies, for example, communicating quickly and clearly with large populations can be difficult. Transit systems and other municipal services are under strain as cities grow. Language barriers are also a challenge, as multilingual populations – as well as tourists from foreign countries – make communication more complex.
How voice generators can help
The aforementioned challenges can be addressed with voice generators, which are equipped with text-to-speech (TTS) capabilities. “There are several cases where AI-based speech synthesis – both real-time and pre-generated (for saving costs, and for availability and reliability) – is highly effective and beneficial in smart city environments,” said Ronen Rabinovici, Founder of TTSReader and Speechnotes, which offers their solution
TTSReader – Online Text To Speech.
That said, below we look at some examples of voice generator use cases in smart cities.
Emergency communication
In the event of an emergency, voice generators can instantly and automatically generate and broadcast multilingual alerts. This makes voice generators a much more effective solution than conventional public address systems.
“Traditional PA systems were limited to pre-recorded messages or required a live announcer. With voice generation, messages can be generated in real time, with dynamic content based on current events. Speech can be automatically localized into different languages with native accents. Tone and urgency can be programmatically adjusted – urgent messages sound serious; daily updates sound neutral or friendly,” said Rohan Pavuluri, Chief Business Officer of Speechify. “The text input can come from city dashboards, emergency systems, or automated triggers – for example sensors, weather feeds, or transit delays.”
Information kiosks
Voice-based information kiosks are increasingly seen in cities. These interactive, speech-enabled and multilingual terminals placed in public spaces provide real-time, accessible, and user-friendly information to residents as well as visitors. “Voice-enabled kiosks often use AI voice generators to deliver messages clearly and naturally. These kiosks might provide transit info, tourist directions, or accessibility features,” Pavuluri said. “Text-to-speech is standard, where text inputs come from automated systems, CMS platforms, or real-time feeds – for example transit schedules and APIs. With Speechify's tools including its API, cities can adjust messaging constantly. Some kiosks allow dynamic input from city workers, customer service agents, or event organizers.”
Public transportation stations and phone lines
Voice generators can also play a key role in public transit stations to enhance accessibility, safety, and real-time communication. These systems leverage TTS to broadcast or respond to information needs in spoken format, helping both daily commuters and occasional travelers.
Other use cases
Other use cases in smart city exist as well. “These include schools and after-school educational environments, especially for dyslexic students and those with learning differences – hearing text read aloud improves comprehension and retention,” Rabinovici said. “In libraries, visitors can listen to books and materials on-site, expanding accessibility for those who struggle with reading.”
Promoting inclusivity
Indeed, voice generators can promote accessibility and inclusivity in smart cities. Cities and metropolises are homes to diverse groups of people, including those who are visually impaired, disabled and non-native. Voice generators can serve them well.
“AI voice generators enhance inclusivity by serving people with visual impairments who rely on auditory access; helping those with dyslexia, ADHD, or cognitive impairments understand written materials more easily; supporting non-native speakers by offering clear, localized speech in their preferred language; and creating multimodal experiences – for example pairing voice with touch or visual cues for kiosks or apps,” Pavuluri said. “Speechify specifically started as a tool for students with reading challenges, and accessibility remains central to our mission.”