More people around the world can now communicate by using only their eyes.
What you need to know
- Google has expanded language support for its Look to Speak app.
- The app lets users communicate by using their eyes to choose phrases that their phone will speak aloud.
- It now works with 17 more languages in addition to English.
Google has recently added support for 17 additional languages to its accessibility app that allows people with speech and motor impairments to communicate solely through their glances (via Android Police).
The Look to Speak app was launched late last year as part of a collaboration between Google’s machine learning team and speech and language therapist Richard Cave. However, the app initially supported only the English language.
The most recent version of Look to Speak makes it easier for more people all over the world to communicate through their eyes. According to the app’s Play Store listing, the Look to Speak app now supports the following languages:
- Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic)
- Bengali
- German
- Spanish (Spain)
- Spanish (LatAm)
- French
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Marathi
- Portuguese
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Urdu
- Vietnamese
For the uninitiated, the app allows users to select different phrases by looking left or right, and the responses are then narrowed down until the correct word or phrase is left. Users can confirm their selections by looking away from the screen. The phone will then read aloud the selected phrases.
It is worth noting that the app is not meant to replace existing accessibility tools already available to people with disabilities. That said, it is a welcome addition to Google’s other accessibility features, such as the Android Accessibility Suite. This feature allows users to navigate their phones by raising their brows, smiling, looking up, and other facial gestures.
Only some of the best Android phones running Android 9 and higher are supported by the app. It is useful for people who have difficulty speaking, and you can download the latest version from the Play Store.