Who founded Speechify and why?
Speechify was founded by Cliff Weitzman, a dyslexic student at Brown University. Weitzman built the first version himself to help him keep up with his class readings.
Questions about Speechify
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What platforms is Speechify available on?
Speechify is available as a mobile app, a Chrome extension, and a desktop application. It reads text aloud using a computer-generated text-to-speech voice across all three platforms.
How does Speechify read physical books and printed text?
Speechify uses optical character recognition technology to convert photos of physical books and printed pages into audio. A user photographs the text with a phone camera, and the app reads it aloud.
Can Speechify read text in a celebrity voice?
Speechify audio can be played in the user's own voice or in the voice of a celebrity. The option is available within the app's text-to-speech playback.
What does research show about Speechify and dyslexic students?
Research has indicated that dyslexic students who used Speechify had better reading comprehension outcomes than students who relied only on traditional reading methods. The finding points to a measurable benefit from audio access to text for learners with dyslexia.
What features does Speechify offer beyond basic text-to-speech?
Speechify includes a Voice AI Assistant with web search, an AI podcast creation feature, and voice typing dictation. These tools extend the platform into web research, audio content creation, and hands-free input.