include a space in utterance for waking chromebooks, phetsims/frictio…

…n#328
phetsims · Feb 1, 2023 · feff87d · feff87d
1 parent 9e7c5bb
commit feff87d
Showing 1 changed file with 3 additions and 1 deletion.
diff --git a/js/SpeechSynthesisAnnouncer.ts b/js/SpeechSynthesisAnnouncer.ts
@@ -453,7 +453,9 @@ class SpeechSynthesisAnnouncer extends Announcer {
       this.timeSinceWakingEngine += dt;
       if ( !synth.speaking && this.timeSinceWakingEngine > ENGINE_WAKE_INTERVAL ) {
         this.timeSinceWakingEngine = 0;
-        synth.speak( new SpeechSynthesisUtterance( '' ) );
+
+        // This space is actually quite important. An empty string began breaking chromebooks in https://github.com/phetsims/friction/issues/328
+        synth.speak( new SpeechSynthesisUtterance( ' ' ) );
       }
     }
   }