computers and human voice reproduction

[sonoma1993]

Will computers ever be able to simulate/reproduce a human voice at full quality? For instance using the Dale Earnhardt voice, if they can get a good quality recording of his voice from a tape or somethen. Can they get a computer to reproduce ihis voice and simulate him having a conversation with someone.

 

[joshd]

well not only would the computer need recorded words, it would have to be able to alter them to put expression into them. i also think it would be VERY hard to make it good enough to sound like a human not a computer though.

i think it is the recognition part that would be harder to perfect? the one in MS Office is a pile of excrement as far as i can see.

 

[Born2bwire]

I don't know how promising voice reproduction is, but I do know that there has been a shift in the basic theory behind it in the past 20 years. I previously worked with a group that was given the job of writing the software for Steven Hawking's voice. It turns out that Steven Hawking's voice reproduction is done by an ISA voice card from the early 80's. He now is provided with regular upgrades to the computers and hardware on his wheelchair. The only problem is that these cards cannot be found anymore and he only has 3 cards. So if it is no longer possible to support these cards or if they break, then he will have to use a new voice synthesizer. But Dr. Hawking does not want to have a different voice (the cards do have a subtle uniqueness to them) and so they were trying to get companies to write software for his voice reproduction that sounded the same as the cards. Apparently this was hard to do because the basis of voice reproduction has changed since the early 80's and nobody really knew how to reproduce the same effects with the new algorithms. I do not know how to explain the difference though but it makes for a mediocre anectdote.

 

[moomoo40moo]

Didn't the gov't just develop some kind of near perfect voice reproduction system not too long ago? I can't find the article ATM....

 

[imported_CromsDog]

First off....sorry for being rude. Could you please pick another voice for us to discuss reproducing. Asking me wether or not my next gen PC will be able to reproduce the voice of a NASCAR racer is kind like asking me whether or not my new High Def DVD player can acuretly reproduce the video of my 8mm home movie collection. JK. To tell you the truth we have come a long way in computer generated voice software, I work in the brodcast industry and we are impementing a few new apps that are a light year ahead of the past gen products. One being our new EAS system that has a very distinct sound compared to the old school weather announcent you are used to hearing. The next few years should see a more "natural" sounding dialouge. EMNet is the system. Chck out their website for some demos.