Text to Speech

2001: A Space Odyssey was interesting for many, many reasons–not the least of which was a rogue computer (named HAL) which decided it knew better than its human inventors how to handle its future. When Dave Bowman the astronaut realized that HAL was not taking direction anymore he resolved to shut HAL down. HAL began questioning what Dave was doing to his systems. “Dave… Dave… What are you doing, Dave?” were some of the quiet but ominous words from this spacecraft computer. We, along with Dave, realized how dependent on HAL for all life support he really was! It was man vs. the computer. Pretty dramatic stuff at the time!

Forty years later in 2008, Cirris Systems announces another talking computer. Only this time you have total control (if, for some reason it does talk back to you–“You want me to test that stupid cable again!”–every tester has an ON/OFF switch handy, just in case you have to shut it down!).

Imagine how handy it would be to have the machine verbally read the tester’s display information for you! You could concentrate on the job without taking your eyes from the task at hand: “Wire missing between J1 pin 3 to J2 pin 25.” Another example is when you probe a test point in a complex connector. The software can tell you in a speaking voice: “Probe is on pin 42.” You would no longer have to look at the computer screen to see what pin your probe is touching. Imagine how that would speed things up!
Consider the speed with which you could assemble a harness if the tester told you where to put each wire as you completed the installation of the one preceding it!