Data-Driven Techniques in Speech Synthesis gives a first review of
this new field. All areas of speech synthesis from text are covered,
including text analysis, letter-to-sound conversion, prosodic marking
and extraction of parameters to drive synthesis hardware.
Fuelled by cheap computer processing and memory, the fields of machine
learning in particular and artificial intelligence in general are
increasingly exploiting approaches in which large databases act as
implicit knowledge sources, rather than explicit rules manually written
by experts. Speech synthesis is one application area where the new
approach is proving powerfully effective, the reliance upon fragile
specialist knowledge having hindered its development in the past. This
book provides the first review of the new topic, with contributions from
leading international experts.
Data-Driven Techniques in Speech Synthesis is at the leading edge of
current research, written by well respected experts in the field. The
text is concise and accessible, and guides the reader through the new
technology. The book will primarily appeal to research engineers and
scientists working in the area of speech synthesis. However, it will
also be of interest to speech scientists and phoneticians as well as
managers and project leaders in the telecommunications industry who need
an appreciation of the capabilities and potential of modern speech
synthesis technology.