# CircuitPython 11 adds on-device text-to-speech for microcontrollers

> **Key takeaway:** CircuitPython 11 enables real-time text-to-speech synthesis directly on microcontrollers using two open-source speech models selected for different hardware capabilities.

**Published:** 2026-10-19T15:18:19+00:00 
**Source:** Adafruit Electronics 
**Category:** open-hardware 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/circuitpython-11-adds-on-device-text-to-speech-for-microcont.html 

## Summary
Adafruit has published a guide for CircuitPython 11's new text-to-speech capability, which runs entirely on microcontroller hardware without external services. The implementation uses Moonshine Klatt for average-capability chips and PicoTTS for more powerful microcontrollers with PSRAM. Previously, microcontroller speech synthesis was considered too slow for practical use.

## How the speech models map to hardware
- **Moonshine Klatt**: selected for average-capability microcontrollers with limited memory
- **PicoTTS**: used for more powerful microcontrollers equipped with PSRAM
- Performance depends on microcontroller speed and available memory
- No network connectivity required; synthesis runs entirely on-device

## Why it matters
On-device speech output expands accessibility options for embedded projects and reduces dependency on cloud services for voice feedback in environments without reliable connectivity.