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Visually impaired people have to use either a speaking or braille interface for using a computer. This interface to support the visually impaired user is often called "screen reader", sometimes provided by the operating system or as a third party application.
F.e. MacOS provides [VoiceOver], Linux - especially the Gnome desktop - comes with [Orca]. Various applications bring their own audio interface, f.e. Google Chrome offers [Chromevox]. I have heard of Microsoft Narrator for Windows, but never used it. As third-party tools for Windows, there are also JAWS or NVDA. Same, I have no experience in them, as I try to avoid Windows.
But all these tools lack in a special way - they are just crutches for blind users to use a visual desktop. The concept of using the computer is still screen-oriented.
Imagine an audio-desktop focusing on providing a primary audio interface for visually impaired people to use a computer!
Providing an audio desktop was the vision of T.V. Raman, who started about 30 years ago implementing [Emacspeak]. He is IMHO really and truly a pioneer of giving access to computers for visually impaired people!
Emacspeak is based on [Emacs], the probably most all-round editor, actually an operating system on itself, kind of descendant of the Lisp Machines. Emacs provides email readers, news readers, various shells, xterm-implementation in elisp, web browsers, his own window manager exwm, clients for Mastodon, Jabber, Twitter, a calculator (actually full math-package), various personal information management tools, games, emulators, what ever is needed to edit code (programming language specific modes, lsp, repls, ...), and much more. See also the [EmacsWiki] to get an idea.
T.V. Raman tailored around Emacs a full eco-system for blind users: his audio desktop Emacspeak. Not simply speaking content to blind users, but having audio icons (sound effects for various actions), different voices for different text (f.e. speak a link or a headline in a different pitch),
Various applications are integrated into Emacspeak: having an ebook-shelf, preconfigured radio-stations, reading email, usenet news, news-feeds, browse the web, keep your notes, maintain your computer, have a shell, handle files and directories, just to mention a few.
The actual speaking can be done by various back ends, f.e.
The bridge between Emacspeak and the above mentioned speaking software / hardware is Emacspeaks own speech-server written in Tcl/TclX.
Alternatively there is also [multispeech] provided by poretsky. Via multispeech with some hacks, I could also get Emacspeak to use the mentioned voxin voices. Unfortunately, rather sluggish, see my [post to the emacspeak mailing list] about my troubles.
Emacspeak has evolved over the years currently containing about 80k lines of elisp and Tcl/TclX code! Many of T.V. Ramans adaptions are cramping directly into various emacs features and provided emacs packages. Unfortunately this can result in issues, if f.e. these packages are changed. Not all of these integration seem to be still maintained. Also, as T.V. Raman is the main contributor, Emacspeak is tailored very specific to his needs, and his ideas of an audio desktop.
post to the emacspeak mailing list
All the trouble with the speaking servers, the unsatisfying situation around the voxin voices, having difficulties to switch between German and English voices, but mostly because of the IMHO better design of speechd-el, I finally switched to [speechd-el] maintained by Milan Zamazal in context of the [Free(B)Soft Laboratory].
Speechd-el has a very different approach than emacspeak:
So, I started to adapt my Emacs configuration to incorporate speechd-el, with the final goal, to have an audio desktop to use and manage my computer in any aspect.
I was very surprised, that I didn't find any examples of configuration of emacs using speechd-el from users, that went a similar path. Perhaps I just missed it? Please let me know, if you use Emacs + speechd-el in such a way!
Following my attempts to make Emacs + speechd-el my audio desktop. This is work in progress, I am by no way an expert in elisp. Please take it just as an starting point, if you want to go a similar path.
All these snippets are put on top of my general Emacs configuration, this shows only my speechd-el specific configurations.
(setq debug-on-error t)
(global-eldoc-mode -1)
(setf mode-line-format '("%e" mode-line-buffer-identification mode-line-modified mode-line-position ))
(add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "~/install/speechd-el/")) (autoload 'speechd-speak "speechd-speak" nil t) (setf speechd-out-active-drivers '(ssip))
Various speechd-el specific settings as I prefer explicitly setting variables over customizing-feature of Emacs.
(setf speechd-speak-read-command-keys nil)
(setf speechd-speak-whole-line t)
(setf speechd-speak-echo 'word)
(setf speechd-speak-use-index-marks t)
(setf speechd-speak-buffer-insertions t)
(speechd-set-punctuation-mode 'all)
(setf speechd-speak-ignore-command-keys
'(forward-char backward-char right-char left-char
next-line previous-line delete-char
comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof delete-backward-char
backward-delete-char-untabify
delete-forward-char c-electric-backspace
c-electric-delete-forward))
(setf speechd-speak-auto-speak-buffers '("*Help*"
"*Completions*") )
(setf speechd-speak-by-properties-on-movement t)
(setf speechd-speak-state-changes
'(
;; buffer-identification
buffer-read-only
;; frame-name
;; frame-identification
major-mode
;; minor-modes
buffer-file-coding
terminal-coding
input-method
;; process
))
(setf speechd-out--event-mapping
'((empty . empty-text)
(whitespace . whitespace)
(beginning-of-line . beginning-of-line)
(end-of-line . end-of-line)
(start . start)
(finish . finish)
(minibuffer . prompt)
(message . message)))
Define voices and for which face to use which voice, f.e.:
(setf speechd-voices '((voice-link . ((pitch . 50)))
(voice-function-name . ((pitch . -30)
(rate . -10)
(style . 3)
(punctuation-mode . all)))
(voice-heading . ((pitch . -250)))
(voice-source-code . ((pitch . 0)
(rate . -10)
(punctuation-mode . all)))))
(setf speechd-face-voices '((font-lock-function-name-face . voice-function-name)
(Link . voice-link)
(info-xref . voice-link)
(shr-line . voice-link)
(elpher-gemini . voice-link)
(org-level-1 . voice-heading)
(org-level-2 . voice-heading)
(org-level-3 . voice-heading)
(org-block . voice-source-code)
(org-source . voice-source-code)
(org-link . voice-link)
(shr-h1 . voice-heading)
(shrface-h1-face . voice-heading)
(shrface-h2-face . voice-heading)
(shrface-h3-face . voice-heading)
(shrface-h4-face . voice-heading)
(elpher-gemini-heading1 . voice-heading)
(elpher-gemini-heading2 . voice-heading)
(elpher-gemini-heading3 . voice-heading)
(shrface-href-face . voice-link)))
additionally to M-up and M-down also define C-<up>/<left> and C-<down>/<right> for completion, as they are much more reachable on my keyboard.
(define-key minibuffer-mode-map (kbd "C-<up>") 'minibuffer-previous-completion) (define-key minibuffer-mode-map (kbd "C-<left>") 'minibuffer-previous-completion) (define-key minibuffer-mode-map (kbd "C-<down>") 'minibuffer-next-completion) (define-key minibuffer-mode-map (kbd "C-<right>") 'minibuffer-next-completion)
(defun okflo-post-command-hook ()
(when global-speechd-speak-mode
(cond
((equal this-command 'yank)
(let ((yanked-text (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))
(speechd-say-text (format "yanked %s chars" (length yanked-text)) :priority 'important)))
((and (equal this-command 'self-insert-command)
(equal last-command 'yank-pop))
(speechd-say-text (format "saved %s chars into killring" (length text)) :priority 'important))
((equal this-command 'kill-ring-save)
(let ((text (car kill-ring-yank-pointer)))
(speechd-say-text (format "saved %s chars into killring" (length text)) :priority 'important))))))
(add-hook 'post-command-hook 'okflo-post-command-hook)
(defun okflo-switch-to-german () (interactive) (speechd-set-voice "petra-ml-embedded-high") (speechd-set-language "de") (speechd-set-rate 20) (message "Deutsch")) (define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "g" 'okflo-switch-to-german) (defun okflo-switch-to-english () (interactive) (speechd-set-voice "allison-embedded-high") (speechd-set-language "en") (speechd-set-rate 0) (message "english")) (define-key speechd-speak-mode-map (kbd "C-g") 'okflo-switch-to-english)
"C-e +" and "C-e -" increases or decreases volume.
(defun okflo-volume- () (interactive) (shell-command "amixer sset Master 5%-") (message "Volume down")) (define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "-" 'okflo-volume-) (defun okflo-volume+ () (interactive) (shell-command "amixer sset Master 5%+") (message "Volume up")) (define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "+" 'okflo-volume+)
(defun okflo-keep-lines (regexp &optional rstart rend interactive)
(interactive
(progn
(barf-if-buffer-read-only)
(keep-lines-read-args "Keep lines containing match for regexp")))
(let ((orig-lines (count-lines (point-min) (point-max))))
(keep-lines regexp (point-min) (point-max))
(message (format "Reduced from %s to %s lines" orig-lines (count-lines (point-min) (point-max))))))
(defun okflo-delete-lines (regexp &optional rstart rend interactive)
(interactive
(progn
(barf-if-buffer-read-only)
(keep-lines-read-args "Flush lines containing match for regexp")))
(let ((orig-lines (count-lines (point-min) (point-max))))
(flush-lines regexp (point-min) (point-max))
(message (format "Reduced from %s to %s lines" orig-lines (count-lines (point-min) (point-max))))))
(define-minor-mode okflo-filter-mode
"Easily descructively parse the content."
:lighter "OFM"
:keymap `((,(kbd "C-c k") . okflo-keep-lines)
(,(kbd "C-c d") . okflo-delete-lines)
(,(kbd "C-c h") . how-many)))
(defun okflo-filter-buffer ()
(interactive)
(let* ((tobe-filtered-buf (current-buffer))
(buf-name (format "*Filter:<%s>*"(buffer-name tobe-filtered-buf)))
(new-buf (get-buffer-create buf-name)))
(save-excursion
(copy-to-buffer new-buf (point-min) (point-max)))
(set-buffer new-buf)
(switch-to-buffer new-buf)
(okflo-filter-mode)))
(define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "f" 'okflo-filter-buffer)
(defun okflo-speak-time ()
(interactive)
(let ((dt (decode-time (current-time)))
(months '(January Febuary March April May June July August September October December)))
(speechd-say-text
(format "Time %s:%s Date %s %s. %s"
(decoded-time-hour dt)
(decoded-time-minute dt)
(nth (1- (decoded-time-month dt)) months)
(decoded-time-day dt)
(decoded-time-year dt))
:priority 'important)))
(define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "t" 'okflo-speak-time)
(require 'battery) (defun okflo-speak-battery-status () (interactive) (battery)) (define-key speechd-speak-mode-map "~" 'okflo-speak-battery-status)
snippet just for reference - for now I avoid any completion framework like helm (there are many) - because working with the vanilla \*Completetion* buffer seems to work best.
(require 'helm)
(defun okflo-helm-move-selection-after-hook ()
;; stolen from emacspeak-helm.el
(let* ((inhibit-read-only t)
(line (buffer-substring (line-beginning-position) (line-end-position)))
(count-msg (format "%d of %d"
(- (line-number-at-pos) 1)
(- (count-lines(point-min) (point-max)) 1))))
(when (and line count-msg)
(speechd-say-text (concat line " - " count-msg )))))
(add-hook 'helm-move-selection-after-hook #'okflo-helm-move-selection-after-hook)
(add-hook 'helm-after-initialize-hook #'okflo-helm-move-selection-after-hook)
(defun helm-display-mode-line (source &optional force)
"do nothing"
;; make function helm-display-mode-line doing nothing, to prevent
;; "holm-customize-group" be spoken.
)
(cl-defun eshell/d (&optional (text "done."))
(speechd-say-sound "at" :priority 'important)
(speechd-say-text text :priority 'important))
(defun okflo-eshell-post-command-hook ()
(when global-speechd-speak-mode
(speechd-say-sound "at"
:priority 'important)
(speechd-say-text (format "output %s lines" (1- (count-lines (point) (1+ eshell-last-input-end))))
:priority 'important )))
(add-hook 'eshell-post-command-hook
'okflo-eshell-post-command-hook)
(require 'elfeed)
(setf elfeed-search-title-max-width 150)
(defun okflo-elfeed-search-print-entry (entry)
"Print ENTRY to the buffer."
(let* ((date (elfeed-search-format-date (elfeed-entry-date entry)))
(title (or (elfeed-meta entry :title) (elfeed-entry-title entry) ""))
(title-faces (elfeed-search--faces (elfeed-entry-tags entry)))
(feed (elfeed-entry-feed entry))
(feed-title
(when feed
(or (elfeed-meta feed :title) (elfeed-feed-title feed))))
(tags (mapcar #'symbol-name (elfeed-entry-tags entry)))
(tags-str (mapconcat
(lambda (s) (propertize s 'face 'elfeed-search-tag-face))
tags ","))
(title-width (- (window-width) 10 elfeed-search-trailing-width))
(title-column (elfeed-format-column
title (elfeed-clamp
elfeed-search-title-min-width
title-width
elfeed-search-title-max-width)
:left)))
(insert (propertize title-column 'face title-faces 'kbd-help title) " ")
(when feed-title
(insert (propertize feed-title 'face 'elfeed-search-feed-face) " "))
(insert (propertize date 'face 'elfeed-search-date-face) " ")
(when tags
(insert "(" tags-str ")"))))
(setf elfeed-search-print-entry-function #'okflo-elfeed-search-print-entry)
(setf elfeed-search-remain-on-entry t)
[Org-mode] is simply great. Whatever kind of notes you take, including timestamps, having an agenda, export to any document format. And the best thing for visually impaired persons: it provides structured text, easier to skim and grok!
(defun okflo-say-org-fold-status ()
(interactive)
(save-excursion
(end-of-line)
(if (org-fold-folded-p)
(speechd-say-text "folded" :priority 'important)
(speechd-say-text "not folded" :priority 'important))))
(define-key org-mode-map (kbd "C-c f") 'okflo-say-org-fold-status)
Using a text-browser like eww, without any Javascript. This works suprisingly well. Github, stackexchange, ... , after pressing "R" to reduce the unnecessary content.
(defun okflo-eww-page-loaded ()
(when global-speechd-speak-mode
(speechd-say-sound "piano-3.wav" :priority 'important)
(speechd-say-text "page loaded" :priority 'important)))
(add-hook 'eww-after-render-hook #'okflo-eww-page-loaded)
(use-package shrface
:ensure t
:config
(shrface-basic)
(shrface-trial)
(shrface-default-keybindings) ; setup default keybindings
(setq shrface-href-versatile t))
(add-hook 'eww-after-render-hook #'shrface-mode)
(with-eval-after-load 'eww
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "<tab>") 'shrface-outline-cycle)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "S-<tab>") 'shrface-outline-cycle-buffer)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "C-t") 'shrface-toggle-bullets)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "C-j") 'shrface-next-headline)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "C-k") 'shrface-previous-headline)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "M-l") 'shrface-links-counsel)
(define-key eww-mode-map (kbd "M-h") 'shrface-headline-counsel)
(setq shr-inhibit-images t))
(setq org-startup-folded t)
Beside of many other email readers in Emacs, [mu4e] is great!
(require 'mu4e)
(setf mu4e-headers-fields
'((:from-or-to . 30) (:thread-subject . 70) (:flags . 6) (:human-date . 12)))
(defun okflo-mu4e-speak-subject ()
(when global-speechd-speak-mode
(speechd-say-text (getf (mu4e-message-at-point) :subject) :priority 'important)))
(add-hook 'mu4e-view-rendered-hook
'okflo-mu4e-speak-subject)
start speechd-el
(speechd-speak)