Ground-breaking MND e-book records voice during reading

Previous voice recorders were sometimes seen as solitary, with artificial-sounding results

A man whose father had motor neurone disease (MND) has helped create an e-book that allows people to record their voices as they read in what is believed to be a world first.

Stuart Moss, from Derby, lost his father Brian on Christmas Day 2014.

The online story - called I Will Always Be Me - describes the experience of MND but also stores the voice for use in assistive devices in the future.

Mr Moss said reading aloud meant the process was shared with loved ones.

Stuart Moss said too often other people would see the disease first rather than the individual

MND is a progressive, terminal, disease that affects movement and, eventually, speech.

Believed to be a world first, I Will Always Be Me was designed to be different from previous voice pattern systems that recorded disjointed sounds and phrases.

Mr Moss, head of innovation at Rolls-Royce, said: "If you are newly diagnosed with motor neurone disease, unfortunately the progression is that it will eventually affect your voice.

"You can very quickly bank your voice for use with assistive devices later in life. You can capture your voice."

Michael said he took part in the project as he was determined to do something positive after diagnosis

He said the idea of creating the technology as a book - which was written by New York author Jill Twiss - had come about to help people draw close to their loved ones following diagnosis.

"Instead of it being a solitary activity, it's something you can read with a loved one to share your feelings about how the disease might affect you," he said.

"Your reading of the story can be captured with family and friends and can be kept in perpetuity."

Michael, who is living with MND, was able to trial the book in his home ahead of the launch.

"When I was diagnosed with MND I decided I can sit back and feel sorry for myself, or I can do something positive to help others.

"Being involved in I Will Always Be Me was absolutely brilliant - my family were there to support me, and we all had a fun day," he said.

Different experience

The free programme - developed with companies including Dell, Intel and the MND Association - is available online and via a hard copy in the UK as part of a pilot programme.

It takes about 20 minutes to produce a copy of the user's voice.

Nick Goldup, director of care improvement at the MND Association, said: "Voice banking is incredibly important for someone diagnosed with MND, but traditionally it could be extremely time-consuming, and often a very lonely process for the person taking part.

"We wanted to change that - and so we are incredibly proud that I Will Always Be Me is a completely different experience."