Enhancing empathy: Intuition robotics’ ElliQ Enhances user experience with Azure Text to Speech

Who: Intuition Robotics and Azure Text to Speech

Intuition Robotics, a leader in empowering older adults through AI-powered technology, has collaborated with Azure Text to Speech to improve the voice capabilities of its companion robot, ElliQ. By integrating Azure Text to Speech’s ‘Sara’ voice, ElliQ now possesses a wide range of emotions, allowing for more engaging and empathetic interactions with users.

What: Enriching human-robot interaction

ElliQ, developed by Intuition Robotics, is a digital companion designed to support older adults in living happier and more connected lives. The original voice of ElliQ lacked the emotional range required to establish trust and build a genuine connection with users. By leveraging Azure Text to Speech, Intuition Robotics aimed to enhance ElliQ’s voice to convey warmth, engagement, and authenticity.

Before: Fostering authentic connections

To be successful, ElliQ needed a voice that could accurately convey empathy and compassion. The original text-to-speech provider fell short in meeting these requirements, resulting in a flat and monotonous tone that hindered users from feeling understood and cared for. This led Intuition Robotics to search for a new voice provider.

The process: Unleashing emotional expression

Intuition Robotics found a suitable solution in Azure Text to Speech. By utilizing Azure TTS’s capabilities, the company could modify content and utilize speech synthesis markup language (SSML) tagging to enhance ElliQ’s voice. The flexibility of Azure Text to Speech, coupled with the prebuilt voice ‘Sara,’ enabled Intuition Robotics to humanize ElliQ’s speech and give her a broader emotional range.

After: Transforming user experience

ElliQ’s new voice has significantly improved the overall user experience. The enhanced sound quality allows users, including those with hearing impairments, to better understand and engage with the device. With Azure Text to Speech’s styles and features, ElliQ can now express happiness, concern, and even humor. Simple responses have become more empathetic and genuine, leading to increased user satisfaction and a stronger bond with the digital companion.

Conclusion: Redefining human-computer interaction

The collaboration between Intuition Robotics and Azure Text to Speech has revolutionized the way humans interact with technology. ElliQ, empowered by Azure TTS, has the potential to reshape long-term human-computer interaction. By infusing empathy into its voice, ElliQ has become an invaluable companion, fostering emotional connections and enriching the lives of its users. This successful integration showcases the possibilities of practical and precious technology, exemplified by the genuine affection expressed by users like Deanna towards their robotic companion.

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