Multi-lingual text-to-speech synthesis easily evaluated with new board

2005-03-01

Available from DT Electronics, the MSM7630 development board makes it easy for engineers to evaluate the properties of OKI’s multilingual text-to-speech chip.

The chip consists of a 32-bit RISC processor, 12-bit D/A converter delivering high quality analogue output, both serial and parallel interfaces, and a memory controller for DRAM, SRAM, ROM and FLASH. It operates from 3.3V with a clock speed of 36MHz and is housed in a 100-pin QFP package.

The development board not only allows the functions of the MSM7630 chip to be explored, but also allows experimentation with the exception dictionary and control code. DIP switches and jumpers are provided to enable the various functions to be evaluated. The board operates from 5V and has an integral DC/DC converter for the 3.3V chip.

Adjustable parameters include speed of utterance, voice pitch and volume, tone generation and operation of the exception dictionary. The exception dictionary allows the user to modify the pronunciation of specific or consecutive words when these are pronounced in a different way from usual.

For example, the text ‘this is a PC’ can be programmed to be spoken as ‘this is a personal computer’.

The chip currently accommodates male voices in both UK and US English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese. It also has female voices in US English, French and Japanese. Other female voices and Italian and Dutch languages are planned for the future.