The Texas Instruments toy computer Speak & Spell is a learning aid for spelling. After its introduction in 1978, the toy’s success prompted the production of further models for different languages and subfields. Its primary function consists in dictation and the subsequent automatic review of the user’s spelling. Words are given as acoustic phenomena, and the user must type them in correctly using the device keyboard. Algorithms then check the input against the correct spelling and give spoken feedback on whether the user’s attempt was successful. The device is notable for its use of speech synthesis technology (linear predictive coding, LPC).

Nikita Braguinski