Using pitch accenting to improve Japanese text-to-speech understanding

Author

Yu, Wenwei ; Yokoi, Hiroshi ; Kakazu, Yukinori ; Tamura, Toshiyo

Author_Institution

Dept. of Medical Syst. Eng., Chiba Univ., Japan

Volume

2

fYear

2004

fDate

1-5 Sept. 2004

Firstpage

4556

Lastpage

4559

Abstract

In order to develop an assistive technology that can increase computer accessibility for visually impaired people, we investigated the effect of pitch accenting on Japanese text-to-speech understanding. The effect was confirmed when a training procedure was introduced. Besides, we proposed an individual-adaptive pitching accenting method to explore the optimal pitch accents for individual users. The exploration process of one subject in a verification experiment was analyzed.

Keywords

handicapped aids; speech processing; text analysis; vision defects; Japanese text-to-speech understanding; assistive technology; computer accessibility; individual-adaptive pitch accenting; optimal pitch accents; visually impaired people; Biomedical engineering; Blindness; Engines; Headphones; Loudspeakers; Natural languages; Space technology; Speech synthesis; Systems engineering and theory; Testing; Assistive Technology; Pitch accenting; Text-to-Speech; Visually Impaired People;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2004. IEMBS '04. 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE

Conference_Location

San Francisco, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8439-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2004.1404264

Filename

1404264