Emotional Speech Synthesis in Spanish for Natural Interaction

Abstract

New trends in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) focus on the development of techniques that favor natural communication between users and machines. Within these techniques, natural language plays a basic and important role. However, for a good and natural communication, language is not enough: emotional aspects must be included in speech synthesis. This chapter describes a conversational interface that supports the communication between a user and a virtual character in real time, using natural and emotional language in Spanish. During the interaction with the user, the emotional state of the virtual character may change, depending on how the conversation develops. The emotions are expressed in the choice of different answers and in the modulation of the voice.