Voice It

The Voice It is a simple DIY device. It reads the text stored on an RFID tag or read from a QR code, then looks for an audio file on its SD card with the same name, and plays the file through the internal speaker or, via a headphone jack, through external speakers. You control which objects have an RFID tag and you control what's contained in the audio file.

The Bliss Tactile Symbols, by default, include an internal pocket, just big enough to hold a simple RFID tag. The Voice It comes with English and Spanish sound files for each of the 243 out-of-the-box tactile symbols.

You can also attach an RFID tag to any physical object and encode that tag with text using an inexpensive, RFID tag writer. A QR code can be generated for free and added directly to a document or printed on stickers and attached to items like a children's book.

The Voice It SD card can be removed, and additional audio files can be added using a PC.

By default, the Voice It "talks" in English, but you can easily create an RFID-based language token to switch the language to Spanish or any other language you've put on the SD card.

Download and unzip the Voice_It.zip.txt file. Delete the “.pdf” from the filename and expand the “.zip” file to create a Voice It folder that contains the Voice It software, documentation, STL files for common configurations, designer, and sound files.

The STL files were generated from a Voice It designer program called Voice_It.scad. You can use the designer to create a pair of enclosure files that contain just the layout that you desire.

For information about assembling and using the Voice It go here ( https://volksswitch.org/index.php/volks-devices/voice-it/ ). The full Voice It assembly involves approximately $120 in off-the-shelf electronics and can be performed with a set of small screwdrivers.

Here's the Voice It in action: https://youtu.be/y6KXqkRKtZI

Updated 30 May 2024 - modified to support version 2.2.4 of the SdFat code library

Update 4 Feb 2024 - modified to support an additional rechargeable battery type.

Update 29 Dec 2023 - modified one of the default QR code module settings and added support for a barcode scanning platform.

Update 26-Nov-2023 - added support for reading a QR code as input provided several options for enclosures based on the desired features and included an OpenSCAD-based designer to modify the enclosure as needed.

Update 30-May-2022 - added support for a headphone jack to connect to external, powered speakers or to headphones for private listening.

Update 23-Oct-2021 - modified the design for the top of the enclosure to support both embedded nuts and slide-in nuts. Corner machine screws were increased in length from 1.5 inches to 2 inches to engage the slide-in nuts if present. Assembly instructions were enhanced to remind users to embed the corner nuts while printing the enclosure top if possible.

Print Settings

Printer Brand:

Prusa

Printer:

i3 MK3

Rafts:

No

Supports:

No

Resolution:

0.2 mm

Infill:

15

Filament: Any PLA

Category: Other