
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


The onset of motor neurone disease (MND) left Sarah without a voice and the use of her hands at the age of 34. It was within months of her becoming a mum for the second time.
As they were growing up, her children Aviva and Eric only ever heard her speak through a machine with an emotionless robotic voice.
But 25 years on, artificial intelligence (AI) has recreated their mum's real voice from just eight seconds of audio on a scratchy VHS tape.
Sarah speaks to the BBC with eye-gaze technology - which uses a camera to track her eyes as she looks at letters on a screen in front of her.
Originally aired August 2025.
Presenter: Emma Tracey, mixed by Dave O'Neill, Series Producer: Beth Rose, Editor: Damon Rose.
Email [email protected]
By BBC Sounds4.7
6767 ratings
The onset of motor neurone disease (MND) left Sarah without a voice and the use of her hands at the age of 34. It was within months of her becoming a mum for the second time.
As they were growing up, her children Aviva and Eric only ever heard her speak through a machine with an emotionless robotic voice.
But 25 years on, artificial intelligence (AI) has recreated their mum's real voice from just eight seconds of audio on a scratchy VHS tape.
Sarah speaks to the BBC with eye-gaze technology - which uses a camera to track her eyes as she looks at letters on a screen in front of her.
Originally aired August 2025.
Presenter: Emma Tracey, mixed by Dave O'Neill, Series Producer: Beth Rose, Editor: Damon Rose.
Email [email protected]

7,669 Listeners

1,062 Listeners

5,475 Listeners

1,801 Listeners

1,761 Listeners

1,054 Listeners

2,083 Listeners

1,997 Listeners

41 Listeners

118 Listeners

626 Listeners

1,172 Listeners

277 Listeners

4,166 Listeners

3,204 Listeners

24 Listeners

38 Listeners

91 Listeners

2,968 Listeners

985 Listeners

848 Listeners

14 Listeners

6 Listeners

30 Listeners

36 Listeners