“I am in touch with a company that hopes to replicate my voice. However, they are not replicating my original voice – if they did that, I would sound like a man in his 20s, which would be very strange! They are actually trying to replicate the synthesizer that sits on my wheelchair.”
- January 8, 1942 – March 14, 2018
- British
- Theoretical physicist, science writer
- Announced the black hole singularity theorem and Hawking radiation, and contributed to the popularization of science with his book “Talking about the Universe”
Quote
“I am in touch with a company that hopes to replicate my voice. However, they are not replicating my original voice – if they did that, I would sound like a man in his 20s, which would be very strange! They are actually trying to replicate the synthesizer that sits on my wheelchair.”
Explanation
In this quote, Stephen Hawking humorously reflects on the process of replicating his voice using advanced speech synthesis technology. After losing the ability to speak due to his ALS diagnosis, Hawking relied on a speech-generating device that enabled him to communicate. Over the years, the voice synthesizer that Hawking used became an iconic part of his public persona. His distinct electronic voice—which had been the same for decades—was associated with his identity, despite being a result of technology rather than his natural voice.
Hawking acknowledges an interesting dilemma in the effort to replicate his voice: if the goal were to reproduce his original voice, it would sound like a healthy man in his 20s, which would be a striking contrast to his actual condition, leaving an impression of incongruity or unnaturalness. Instead, the company working on replicating his voice focused on duplicating the synthesized voice that had become inseparable from his identity, recognizing that this version had become an integral part of how people perceived him, particularly as he aged. This shift highlights the way in which technology shapes our identities and the significance of artificial voices in the lives of people with disabilities.
Hawking’s willingness to embrace this technological adaptation underscores the essential role of assistive technologies in enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. His synthetic voice was not just a tool for communication but also a symbol of his independence and resilience. It allowed him to continue giving lectures, conducting interviews, and engaging with the public even as his physical abilities diminished. The idea of replicating this voice speaks to how deeply technology can become intertwined with personal identity and public recognition, shaping the way we perceive and connect with individuals, especially those whose circumstances are extraordinary.
