Abstract: An utterer identification device executes: performing voice recognition from input utterance data; selecting, from among a plurality of registered utterance contents set in advance, a registered utterance content closest to a recognized utterance content indicated by a result of the voice recognition as a selected utterance content; selecting, from among a plurality of databases respectively associated with the registered utterance contents, a database associated with the selected utterance content; calculating a similarity between a feature quantity of the input utterance data and a feature quantity stored in the selected database; and identifying a certain utterer on the basis of the similarity, and outputting a result of the identification.

Abstract: A voice recognition device includes an estimation unit that compares a plurality of pieces of registration voice data stored in a database with input voice data uttered by a speaker who gets on a mobile body to estimate a registration command corresponding to the input command, a presentation unit that presents an estimation result, a second acquisition unit that acquires an error instruction indicating that the estimation result is an error, a determination unit that, in a case where the error instruction is acquired, determines a correct command corresponding to the input command based on an operation by the speaker, and a database management unit that stores the correct command and the input voice data in the database in association with each other

Abstract: A description support device for displaying information on a topic to be checked in an utterance by a user, the description support device includes: an inputter to acquire input information indicating an utterance sentence corresponding to the utterance; a controller to generate information indicating a check result of the topic for the utterance sentence; and a display to display information generated by the controller, wherein the display is configured to display a checklist indicating whether or not the topic is described in the utterance sentence indicated by the input information sequentially acquired by the inputter, and wherein the display is configured to display, according to a likelihood of each utterance sentence, display information including the utterance sentence, the likelihood defining the check result of the topic in the checklist.

Abstract: A voice recognition device includes: a calculation unit that calculates a first feature amount that is a feature amount of input voice data acquired by a first acquisition unit; an estimation unit that estimates a driving situation of a mobile object on the basis of operation information acquired by a second acquisition unit; an extraction unit that extracts, from a feature amount database, a second feature amount corresponding to the driving situation; a recognition unit that recognizes an input command on the basis of similarity between the first feature amount and the second feature amount; and an output unit that outputs a recognition result.

Abstract: A training method of training a speaker identification model which receives voice data as an input and outputs speaker identification information for identifying a speaker of an utterance included in the voice data is provided. The training method includes: performing voice quality conversion of first voice data of a first speaker to generate second voice data of a second speaker; and performing training of the speaker identification model using, as training data, the first voice data and the second voice data.

Abstract: An excreta identification device includes: a sound data acquisition unit that acquires sound data collected by a microphone arranged in a toilet; an excreta identification unit that identifies which of defecation, urination, and farting has been performed by inputting the acquired sound data to an identification model subjected to machine learning where sound data indicating any of defecation sound, urination sound, and farting sound is an input value, and which of defecation, urination, and farting has been performed is an output value; and an identification result output unit that outputs an identification result.

Abstract: An excreta determination device includes a data acquisition unit that acquires first time series data indicating hydrogen concentration in a space inside a toilet bowl measured by an internal sensor arranged inside the toilet bowl, an excreta determination unit that determines whether or not one who excreted has farted based on the first time series data of the hydrogen concentration, and a determination result output unit that outputs a determination result, and the excreta determination unit determines that the one who excreted has farted when the value of the hydrogen concentration in the first time series data exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A translation device is configured to acquire utterance spoken by a speaker in a first language and translate contents of the utterance into a second language for information presentation, and includes an input unit, a controller, a notification unit, and a storage. The input unit acquires the utterance in the first language and generates voice data from the utterance. The controller acquires a first evaluation value. The notification unit presents the speaker with information on utterance reinput request. The notification unit presents first information on utterance reinput request when the first evaluation value is less than or equal to a first predetermined value. The controller generates new voice recognition data with reference to the past voice recognition data and voice recognition data of reinput utterance, when the voice recognition data of the reinput utterance has an evaluation value less than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A description support device for displaying information on a topic to be checked in an utterance by a user, the description support device includes: an inputter to acquire input information indicating an utterance sentence corresponding to the utterance; a controller to generate information indicating a check result of the topic for the utterance sentence; and a display to display information generated by the controller, wherein the display is configured to display a checklist indicating whether or not the topic is described in the utterance sentence indicated by the input information sequentially acquired by the inputter, and wherein the display is configured to display, according to a likelihood of each utterance sentence, display information including the utterance sentence, the likelihood defining the check result of the topic in the checklist.

Abstract: A training method of training a speaker identification model which receives voice data as an input and outputs speaker identification information for identifying a speaker of an utterance included in the voice data is provided. The training method includes: performing voice quality conversion of first voice data of a first speaker to generate second voice data of a second speaker; and performing training of the speaker identification model using, as training data, the first voice data and the second voice data.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a sound collection apparatus in which a user can easily find a sound collection direction, and furthermore, can readily control the sound collection direction. A sound collection apparatus comprises: an operation unit capable of visually indicating one direction and three-dimensionally and sequentially varying the direction; a sound collection unit that provides directivity for sound collection; and a control unit. The control unit includes a direction detection unit for detecting a direction indicated by the operation unit. The control unit controls the collection directivity of the sound collection unit according to the direction detected by the direction detection unit. The sound collection unit includes a plurality of microphones. The control unit further includes a beam forming production unit for controlling a beam by a microphone array including the plurality of microphones according to the direction detected by the direction detection unit to vary collection sound directivity.

Abstract: A translation device is configured to acquire utterance spoken by a speaker in a first language and translate contents of the utterance into a second language for information presentation, and includes an input unit, a controller, a notification unit, and a storage. The input unit acquires the utterance in the first language and generates voice data from the utterance. The controller acquires a first evaluation value. The notification unit presents the speaker with information on utterance reinput request. The notification unit presents first information on utterance reinput request when the first evaluation value is less than or equal to a first predetermined value. The controller generates new voice recognition data with reference to the past voice recognition data and voice recognition data of reinput utterance, when the voice recognition data of the reinput utterance has an evaluation value less than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a sound collection apparatus in which a user can easily find a sound collection direction, and furthermore, can readily control the sound collection direction. A sound collection apparatus comprises: an operation unit capable of visually indicating one direction and three-dimensionally and sequentially varying the direction; a sound collection unit that provides directivity for sound collection; and a control unit. The control unit includes a direction detection unit for detecting a direction indicated by the operation unit. The control unit controls the collection directivity of the sound collection unit according to the direction detected by the direction detection unit. The sound collection unit includes a plurality of microphones. The control unit further includes a beam forming production unit for controlling a beam by a microphone array including the plurality of microphones according to the direction detected by the direction detection unit to vary collection sound directivity.

Abstract: A speech interaction device includes: an obtainment unit that obtains utterance data indicating an utterance made by a user; a memory that holds a plurality of keywords; a word determination unit that extracts a plurality of words from the utterance data and determines, for each of the plurality of words, whether or not to match any of the plurality of keywords; a response sentence generation unit that, when the plurality of words include a first word that is determined not to match any of the plurality of keywords, generates a response sentence that includes a second word, which is among the plurality of words and determined to match any one of the plurality of keywords, and asks for re-input of a part corresponding to the first word; and a speech generation unit that generates speech data of the response sentence.

Abstract: A voice quality conversion system includes: an analysis unit which analyzes sounds of plural vowels of different types to generate first vocal tract shape information for each type of the vowels; a combination unit which combines, for each type of the vowels, the first vocal tract shape information on that type of vowel and the first vocal tract shape information on a different type of vowel to generate second vocal tract shape information on that type of vowel; and a synthesis unit which (i) combines vocal tract shape information on a vowel included in input speech and the second vocal tract shape information on the same type of vowel to convert vocal tract shape information on the input speech, and (ii) generates a synthetic sound using the converted vocal tract shape information and voicing source information on the input speech to convert the voice quality of the input speech.

Abstract: A speech synthesis device includes: a mouth-opening-degree generation unit which generates, for each of phonemes generated from input text, a mouth-opening-degree corresponding to oral-cavity volume, using information generated from the text and indicating the type and position of the phoneme within the text, such that the generated mouth-opening-degree is larger for a phoneme at the beginning of a sentence in the text than for a phoneme at the end of the sentence; a segment selection unit which selects, for each of the generated phonemes, segment information corresponding to the phoneme from among pieces of segment information stored in a segment storage unit and including phoneme type, mouth-opening-degree, and speech segment data, based on the type of the phoneme and the generated mouth-opening-degree; and a synthesis unit which generates synthetic speech of the text, using the selected pieces of segment information and pieces of prosody information generated from the text.

Abstract: A voice quality conversion device including: a target vowel vocal tract information hold unit holding target vowel vocal tract information of each vowel indicating target voice quality; a vowel conversion unit (i) receiving vocal tract information with phoneme boundary information of the speech including information of phonemes and phoneme durations, (ii) approximating a temporal change of vocal tract information of a vowel in the vocal tract information with phoneme boundary information applying a first function, (iii) approximating a temporal change of vocal tract information of the same vowel held in the target vowel vocal tract information hold unit applying a second function, (iv) calculating a third function by combining the first function with the second function, and (v) converting the vocal tract information of the vowel applying the third function; and a synthesis unit synthesizing a speech using the converted information.

Abstract: A strained-rough-voice conversion unit (10) is included in a voice conversion device that can generate a “strained rough” voice produced in a part of a speech when speaking forcefully with excitement, nervousness, anger, or emphasis and thereby richly express vocal expression such as anger, excitement, or an animated or lively way of speaking, using voice quality change. The strained-rough-voice conversion unit (10) includes: a strained phoneme position designation unit (11) designating a phoneme to be uttered as a “strained rough” voice in a speech; and an amplitude modulation unit (14) performing modulation including periodic amplitude fluctuation on a speech waveform.

Abstract: An acousto-optic image capture device includes: an acoustic wave source to irradiating an object with an acoustic wave; an acoustic lens system which transforms a scattered wave from the object into a plane acoustic wave; an acousto-optic medium portion which is arranged so that the scattered wave transmitted through the acoustic lens system is incident there; a light source to emit a light beam in which monochromatic rays of light with different traveling directions are superposed and which is incident on the acousto-optic medium portion; an imaging lens system which condenses diffracted rays of light of the plane wave monochromatic rays of light produced by the acousto-optic medium portion; and an image receiving member which detects the rays of light condensed by the imaging lens system to output an electrical signal. The acoustic lens system includes at least two reflecting mirrors.

Abstract: A prosody generation apparatus capable of suppressing distortion that occurs when generating prosodic patterns and therefore generating a natural prosody is provided. A prosody changing point extraction unit in this apparatus extracts a prosody changing point located at the beginning and the ending of a sentence, the beginning and the ending of a breath group, an accent position and the like. A selection rule and a transformation rule of a prosodic pattern including the prosody changing point is generated by means of a statistical or learning technique and the thus generate rules are stored in a representative prosodic pattern selection rule table and a transformation rule table beforehand. A pattern selection unit selects a representative prosodic pattern from the representative prosodic pattern selection rule table according to the selection rule.