Voice Avatar Could Make Its Debut in the National Council

The Upper Austrian delegate has a chronic illness that affects his voice. In the Justice Committee, Fürlinger already presented for the first time with AI support as chairman last week.

National Council Possibly Facing Voice Avatar Premiere

The 60-year-old, who has been sitting for the ÖVP in the National Council since 2017, is supported by the Parliamentary Directorate. "If a member of parliament is ill, our concern is that they can exercise their mandate," the report from the parliament states. To create an AI voice that closely resembles Fürlinger's way of speaking, past speeches were used. The voice avatar is being developed in cooperation with "Zero Project," an initiative that supports barrier-free work for people with disabilities. Fürlinger plans to deliver his first speech with a voice avatar "in all likelihood" next week when the parliament convenes starting Wednesday.

Wheelchair Ramp, Tactile Guidance System, Sign Language Interpretation

In the High House, barriers have been removed over the past decades: The first Austrian member of parliament in a wheelchair, the Green Manfred Srb, had to be carried by two faction colleagues in his wheelchair to a microphone set up next to the lectern for his first speech in the National Council. He began his speech with the words: "High, all too high house!" Nowadays, there is a wheelchair ramp as well as a tactile guidance system, and the lectern is height-adjustable. Since the entry of the deaf Green delegate Helene Jarmer in 2009, all speeches in parliament have also been translated by sign language interpreters.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.