Robot Mimics Human Voice

Published: Jun 28, 2007

Researchers at Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan) have built a robotic vocalization system called WT Series, which includes robotic equivalents of the vocal cavity, tongue, vocal chords, cheeks, lips, teeth, soft palate, nasal cavity, nose, and lungs. This system mimics the articulators used in human speech-making.

Soft plastics and polymers were used for modeling the vocal system’s parts to resemble the flexibility/rigidity of their biological counterparts. Jaw and lip movement are controlled by motors.

Up to 50 phonemes found in the Japanese phonetic system have been articulated in the WT Series. Using speech recognition software the robot is capable of repeating sounds.

Scientists expect that the current system may lead to the production of cellular phones that can compress data by transmitting human vocal movement as a substitute to human voices. Researchers consider that the system might lead to the development of medical training devices for the vocally challenged and learning devices for foreign language study. 

Source: NASA Tech Briefs Insider

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