Lessac Technologies, Inc. (LTI) is an American firm which develops voice synthesis software, licenses technology and sells synthesized novels as MP3 files.[1] The firm currently has seven patents granted[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] and three more pending for its automated methods of converting digital text into human-sounding speech, more accurately recognizing human speech and outputting the text representing the words and phrases of said speech, along with recognizing the speaker's emotional state.
The LTI technology is partly based on the work of the late Arthur Lessac, a Professor of Theater at the State University of New York and the creator of Lessac Kinesensic Training, and LTI has licensed exclusive rights to exploit Arthur Lessac's copyrighted works in the fields of speech synthesis and speech recognition. Based on the view that music is speech and speech is music, Lessac's work and books focused on body and speech energies and how they go together. Arthur Lessac's textual annotation system, which was originally developed to assist actors, singers, and orators in marking up scripts to prepare for performance, is adapted in LTI's speech synthesis system as the basic representation of the speech to be synthesized (Lessemes), in contrast to many other systems which use a phonetic representation.[9][10][11]
LTI's software has two major components: (1) a linguistic front-end that converts plain text to a sequence of prosodic and phonosensory graphic symbols (Lessemes) based on Arthur Lessac's annotation system, which specify the speech units to be synthesized; (2) a signal-processing back-end that takes the Lessemes as acoustic data and produces human-sounding synthesized speech as output, using unit selection and concatenation.
LTI's text-to-speech system came in second in the world-wide Blizzard Challenge 2011 and 2012. The first-place team in 2011 also employed LTI's "front-end" technology, but with its own back-end.[12][13] The Blizzard Challenge, conducted by the Language Technologies Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, was devised as a way to evaluate speech synthesis techniques by having different research groups build voices from the same voice-actor recordings, and comparing the results through listening tests.
LTI was founded in 2000 by H. Donald Wilson (chairman), a lawyer, LexisNexis entrepreneur and business associate of Arthur Lessac; and Gary A. Marple (chief inventor), after Marple suggested that Arthur Lessac's kinesensic voice training might be applicable to computational linguistics. After Wilson's death in 2006, his nephew John Reichenbach became the firm's CEO.
Referencesedit
^“First synthetic speech audio books”, by industry analyst Walt Tetschner in the monthly industry newsletter ASRNews
^May 8, 2012 (#8,175,879) System-effected text annotation for expressive prosody in speech synthesis and recognition: "Lessac+Technologies"
^Jan. 25, 2011 (#7,877,259) speech text codes and their use in computerized speech systems: "Lessac+Technologies"
^Oct. 9, 2007 (#7,280,964) "Lessac+Technologies Method of recognizing spoken language with recognition of language color: "
^Nov. 8, 2005 (#6,963,841) Speech training method with alternative proper pronunciation database:
^Jan. 25, 2005 (#6,847,931) Expressive parsing in computerized conversion of text to speech:
^June 22, 2012 (Notice of Allowance on Application # US 11/909,514) A computerized speech synthesizer for synthesizing speech from text:
^M. Munro, S. Turner, A. Munro, and K. Campbell [Eds.] (2010), Collective Writings on the Lessac Voice and Body Work: A Festschrift, Llumina Press. ISBN1605943436 (specifically the chapter therein called “Use of Lessemes in text-to-speech synthesis” by R. Nitisaroj and G. A. Marple)
^Lessac, Arthur (1997). The use and training of the human voice : a bio-dynamic approach to vocal life (3rd ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Pub.. pp. xv, 291 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.. ISBN1-55934-696-5. LCCN 96018629; and Lessac, Arthur (1981, c1978), Body wisdom : the use and training of the human body (1st ed.). New York, N.Y.: Drama Book Specialists. pp. vii, 278 p. : ill. ; 27 cm.. ISBN0-89676-070-7. LCCN 81005472. OCLC 7671791.
lessac, technologies, american, firm, which, develops, voice, synthesis, software, licenses, technology, sells, synthesized, novels, files, firm, currently, seven, patents, granted, three, more, pending, automated, methods, converting, digital, text, into, hum. Lessac Technologies Inc LTI is an American firm which develops voice synthesis software licenses technology and sells synthesized novels as MP3 files 1 The firm currently has seven patents granted 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and three more pending for its automated methods of converting digital text into human sounding speech more accurately recognizing human speech and outputting the text representing the words and phrases of said speech along with recognizing the speaker s emotional state The LTI technology is partly based on the work of the late Arthur Lessac a Professor of Theater at the State University of New York and the creator of Lessac Kinesensic Training and LTI has licensed exclusive rights to exploit Arthur Lessac s copyrighted works in the fields of speech synthesis and speech recognition Based on the view that music is speech and speech is music Lessac s work and books focused on body and speech energies and how they go together Arthur Lessac s textual annotation system which was originally developed to assist actors singers and orators in marking up scripts to prepare for performance is adapted in LTI s speech synthesis system as the basic representation of the speech to be synthesized Lessemes in contrast to many other systems which use a phonetic representation 9 10 11 LTI s software has two major components 1 a linguistic front end that converts plain text to a sequence of prosodic and phonosensory graphic symbols Lessemes based on Arthur Lessac s annotation system which specify the speech units to be synthesized 2 a signal processing back end that takes the Lessemes as acoustic data and produces human sounding synthesized speech as output using unit selection and concatenation LTI s text to speech system came in second in the world wide Blizzard Challenge 2011 and 2012 The first place team in 2011 also employed LTI s front end technology but with its own back end 12 13 The Blizzard Challenge conducted by the Language Technologies Institute of Carnegie Mellon University was devised as a way to evaluate speech synthesis techniques by having different research groups build voices from the same voice actor recordings and comparing the results through listening tests LTI was founded in 2000 by H Donald Wilson chairman a lawyer LexisNexis entrepreneur and business associate of Arthur Lessac and Gary A Marple chief inventor after Marple suggested that Arthur Lessac s kinesensic voice training might be applicable to computational linguistics After Wilson s death in 2006 his nephew John Reichenbach became the firm s CEO References edit First synthetic speech audio books by industry analyst Walt Tetschner in the monthly industry newsletter ASRNews May 8 2012 8 175 879 System effected text annotation for expressive prosody in speech synthesis and recognition Lessac Technologies Jan 25 2011 7 877 259 speech text codes and their use in computerized speech systems Lessac Technologies Oct 9 2007 7 280 964 Lessac Technologies Method of recognizing spoken language with recognition of language color Nov 8 2005 6 963 841 Speech training method with alternative proper pronunciation database Mar 8 2005 6 865 533 Text to Speech Jan 25 2005 6 847 931 Expressive parsing in computerized conversion of text to speech June 22 2012 Notice of Allowance on Application US 11 909 514 A computerized speech synthesizer for synthesizing speech from text M Munro S Turner A Munro and K Campbell Eds 2010 Collective Writings on the Lessac Voice and Body Work A Festschrift Llumina Press ISBN 1605943436 specifically the chapter therein called Use of Lessemes in text to speech synthesis by R Nitisaroj and G A Marple TTS Is Finding Its Way by Lauren Shopp posted Nov 1 2007 http www speechtechmag com Articles Editorial Feature TTS Is Finding Its Way 40067 aspx viz paragraphs 5 7 of Defining Expression Lessac Arthur 1997 The use and training of the human voice a bio dynamic approach to vocal life 3rd ed Mountain View CA Mayfield Pub pp xv 291 p ill 22 cm ISBN 1 55934 696 5 LCCN 96018629 and Lessac Arthur 1981 c1978 Body wisdom the use and training of the human body 1st ed New York N Y Drama Book Specialists pp vii 278 p ill 27 cm ISBN 0 89676 070 7 LCCN 81005472 OCLC 7671791 Data for the Blizzard Challenge 2011 provided by Lessac Technologies info included on SynSig page regarding Blizzard Challenge 2011 http www synsig org index php Blizzard Challenge 2011 Participation in Blizzard Challenge http festvox org blizzard bc2011 LESSAC Blizzard2011 pdfExternal links editCompany web site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lessac Technologies amp oldid 1084506542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
