An interactive speech synthesizer for acoustic education developed with pure data

Abstract

Developing real-time sound systems that allow interactive controls requires advanced skills of sound programming. It often takes time even for experienced programmers to develop such systems. This paper shows an approach for rapid prototyping of such systems by using Pure Data. Especially, this paper focuses on the techniques of interactive controls by combining personal computers and some other peripheral devices such as a smart phone with Touch OSC. This paper describes its possibilities through showing demonstrations. As an example, this paper shows an interactive speech synthesizer. It allows users to control formants by pointing the F1-F2 diagram on the touch screen of a smart phone. Since this system allows time varying controls of the formants, it can synthesize semi-vowel sound as well as vowel sound. In addition, it also allows users to synthesize some other phrases by controlling appropriate movement of the formants by pointing the F1-F2 diagram. These experiences may potentially be effective for students who learn acoustics to be speech therapists. With this system, students can understand the mechanism of speech production in an experimental way. This paper mentions its availability for acoustics education.