New Artificial Larynx Does Away With Dreaded 'Robot Voice'

By Stuart Fox Posted 12.03.2009 at 12:28 pm 11 Comments

For decades, people with vocal cord problems could only hope to communicate in the cold, robotic voice provided by a mechanical larynx. The search for a more lifelike, and individualized, voice has gone on for some time, but scientists from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, have finally designed a device that approximates actual speech in people with damaged larynges. The artificial larynx recognizes what the user is saying by monitoring mouth movement, and then uses a speech synthesizer to produce the correct words.

The Palatometer: via Technology Review

The devices, called the palatometer, uses an array of 118 pressure sensors to measure the movement of the tongue. Since tongue movements correspond to pronunciation almost as closely as vocal cord movements, a computer can calculate the desired word as often as 94.14 percent of the time. Even more important, the researchers will calibrate the device to recognize inflection. This allows users to raise their voice at the end of sentences to indicate a question, and generally avoid the mechanical, monotone sound associated with older technologies.

Other institutions, notably the University of Hull in England, have also developed similar devices. However, the palatometer is the only such invention that operates without any kind of surgical implant. The downside of the South African device, however, is a 0.3-second delay between when the tongue and mouth move, and when the computer calculates the right word. This leaves the mouth and the voice out of sync, giving the user the appearance of being dubbed over in a bad kung-fu movie.

The South African team needs to iron out kinks like the delay before the device can hit the market. But considering the pace their moving at, it shouldn't be long before the only people speaking with robot voices are Peter Frampton and Kanye.

[Technology Review]

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11 Comments

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Kamenwati

12/03/09 at 1:03 pm

This is a great piece of technology. One day I guessing someone will come up with one that interprets speech while it is still being formed in the brain there by completely eliminating lag and also allowing for universal translation.

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justin_w222002

12/03/09 at 2:49 pm

lol love the Kanye zinger...gay fish

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thor0997

12/03/09 at 3:59 pm

This is awesome, but I need to be a grammer Nazi for a moment. In the final sentence the "their" is supposed to be a they're. Sorry for being pretensious.

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bcp.robotics

12/04/09 at 1:44 am

Do you think that that can be used to help the totally mute, not only the people with damaged larynxes?

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JamesDavis

12/04/09 at 8:01 am

Can that work in dogs? Right now, I can hardly understand my boxer.

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uncleiroh13

12/04/09 at 12:14 pm

@JamesDavis wow dumbbutt lol
this is cool

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omaha1327

12/04/09 at 2:35 pm

As a total laryngectomee for the past 9 years I hope that this technology will continue to improve. Yes I sound like Darth Vader but I hold a full time job that requires frequent courtroom tesitmony etc. I am sure that other "larys" like myself would cherish the chance to heard in their own "natural" voice again. Try explaining to the grandkids why PaPa speaks the way he does. Perhaps someday but for now I am thankful for what I have.
Mike
PS: to James Davis, I can understand why your boxer doesn't listen to you. He's smarter than you.

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jcbullen

12/06/09 at 11:48 pm

@ the last 2... i seriously hope you are kidding when you are harping on james for his boxer comment. if you are, alright. if not, then you are seriously stupid.

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striker223

12/07/09 at 2:06 am

it would be interesting to fit it to a dog, but i'm sure that all you'd hear would be an amplified "bark, bark". my question is how easy it is to put in somebody. if it is easy (like you could do it yourself) this could be an advancement in voice scrambling. imagine calling your friend with some hot chicks voice just to mess with him. :)

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otoko_tenshi

12/07/09 at 9:27 am

@thor 0097
Don`t you think your comment was a little "Pretentious"?
"American" is NOT an internationally recognized language I`m afraid...

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Susancai55

11/24/10 at 2:40 am

This new artificial larynx will bring many products of this. http://www.amerisleep.com/