Abstract: A stringed musical instrument and method of constructing a stringed musical instrument, having a body with a hollow or semi-hollow interior, a front and rear sound board disposed on opposite sides of the hollow interior, a single set of strings and a dual bridge and saddle assembly extending between the front and rear sound board with the dual bridge and saddle assembly including a first bridge and saddle mounted upon the front sound board, a second bridge and saddle mounted upon the rear sound board and with said single set of strings being strung such that the single set of strings interconnect the first bridge and front sound board to the second bridge and rear sound board through the interior body of the musical instrument for generating sound from each sound board respectively.

Abstract: A musical instrument peg winder that includes a tuning peg engaging head, a handle that extends parallel to and laterally offset from the head, and a coupling unit that interconnects the head to the handle.

Abstract: The invention is generally a thumb pick apparatus for playing a stringed musical instrument having an elastic and generally cylindrically shaped cot having an opening and a tip, and having a substantially uniform thickness, with a side “pick pocket” attached thereto proximate to the cylindrical side of the cot, capable of encapsulating and “hugging” the user's plectrum of choice while allowing said plectrum to extend beyond the side of the cot at an approximate right angle such that the plectrum is capable of plucking a string of a musical instrument when the cot is being worn on a thumb digit of a user with the pick pocket holding the plectrum firmly in place.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present application sets forth a method for simulating an audio output of a three-dimensional object that includes a resonant cavity. The method includes receiving an input mesh of a three-dimensional shape and a hole configuration. The input mesh has an outer surface and an internal cavity, and the hole configuration includes one or more holes. The method further includes adding the one or more holes to the three-dimensional shape based on the hole configuration to generate a modified three-dimensional shape having a resonant cavity. The resonant cavity includes the one or more holes and the internal cavity. The method further includes determining an air pressure coefficient matrix for the resonant cavity. The method further includes computing a minimum non-zero eigenvalue for the air pressure coefficient matrix. The method further includes determining an output resonant frequency for the resonant cavity based on the minimum non-zero eigenvalue.

Abstract: An adjustable drum snare kit includes a stretcher panel holding replaceable strands of beads or wire which cooperatively engage a snare drum together with a tool for adjusting the tension of the stretcher panel and snare drum strands held thereby enabling quick replacement of individual strands for repair or performance reasons.

Abstract: A system enabling the performance of sensory stimulating content including music and video using gaming in a cyber reality environment, such as using a virtual reality headset. This disclosure includes a system and method through which a performer can virtually trigger and control a presentation of pre-packaged sensory stimulating content including musical programs through gaming. A theme for the performer is that the pre-packaged sensory stimulating content is preferably chosen such that, even where the performer is a novice, the sensory stimulating data is presented in a pleasing and sympathetic manner and scoring is provided as a function of the performer's ability to provide a gesture in association with a displayed virtual trigger.

Abstract: An electronic percussion instrument comprising a pair of drum assemblies of each of different tone. Each drum assembly is mounted on a housing and comprises a drum head having a sensor responsive to touch and/or pressure and an analog-to-digital converter to generate an electronic signal indicative of said touch and/or pressure. The electronic signal is transmitted to a processing unit which analyses it and generates an output signal. The output signal is transmitted to a sound card which reproduces a sound representative of a drumbeat based on the output signal.

Abstract: A keyboard for an electronic musical instrument, comprising a keybed with a multitude of keys supported therein and comprising a multitude of hammer heads supported on the keybed, which hammer heads can each be driven by a respective key by means of a mechanism, wherein, in the keybed, each hammer head is arranged opposite a resilient tongue which is fixed at its root so as to be struck by the hammer head when the key is actuated, and wherein the tongue is equipped with an impact sensor, wherein, on the side of the tongue facing away from the hammer head, a stop for the tongue is mounted on the keybed at a distance from the tongue, wherein a resilient vibration damper lies at least in the region of the root of the tongue between the tongue and the stop.

Abstract: A panel (10) for sound suppression consists of a multiplicity of rigid elements (12) that extend parallel to each other, with gaps between adjacent rigid elements. Within each gap a vortex chamber (15) is defined to attenuate acoustic waves. The elements (12) may have curved edge portions (14), the edge portions (14) of adjacent elements (12) overlapping to define the vortex chamber (15), and also defining a first channel (16a) and a second channel (16b) communicating with the vortex chamber (15) at its periphery and aligned with a tangential component, such that if a fluid were to flow in through either channel (16a or 16b) the fluid would enter the vortex chamber (15) with a rotational sense relative to the vortex chamber (15), the rotational sense being the same for both the channels (16a, 16b). Such a sound-attenuating panel may for example be used as part of a wall of a loudspeaker housing (50).

Abstract: A sound deadening device has an introducing and damping section. The introducing and damping section includes an introduction section that introduces fluid, an expansion chamber, and a lead-out section. The expansion chamber is communicated with the introduction section, has a flow passage cross-section larger than a flow passage cross-section of the introduction section, and has protrusions along a travelling direction of a sound wave, resonance of the sound wave being to be suppressed. The lead-out section is communicated with the expansion chamber, has a flow passage cross-section smaller than that of the expansion chamber, and leads out the fluid in a direction different from an introduction direction of the fluid. Accordingly, it is possible to weaken the resonance of the sound wave, suppress rise of inner sound pressure of the sound deadening device, and prevent reduction in a sound deadening effect.

Abstract: A sheet material with a cellular structure wherein the sheet material is produced by preparing a composition including PVC, a filler material and a plasticiser and providing a cellular structure within the composition prior to curing to form the sheet material. The composition may further include a cellular structure promoting agent. The sheet material with a cellular structure may be used in building applications and has advantageous sound attenuation, thermal conductivity, resilience and impact resistance properties.

Abstract: A system and method for quieting unwanted sound. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide a system and method, for example implemented in a premises-based or home audio system, for quieting unwanted sound at a particular location.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a first plurality of values representing a set of current coefficients of an adaptive filter disposed in an active noise cancellation system. The method also includes computing a second plurality of values each of which represents an instantaneous difference between a current coefficient and a corresponding preceding coefficient of the adaptive filter, and estimating, based on the second plurality of values, one or more instantaneous magnitudes of a transfer function that represents an effect of a secondary path of the active noise cancellation system.

Abstract: Active noise reduction systems and methods for a helmet with a rigid shell that spatially divides a shell interior from a shell ambiance include receiving at least one desired-sound signal representative of at least one desired sound pattern occurring in the shell ambience, and generating, based on the at least one desired-sound signal, anti-sound that is configured to interact with internal sound occurring in the shell interior through superposition. The internal sound includes first internal sound components and second internal sound components, the first internal sound components not corresponding to the at least one desired sound pattern and the second internal sound components corresponding to the at least one desired sound pattern. The anti-sound is further configured to attenuate the first internal sound components, and to amplify, not attenuate, or attenuate to a lesser degree than the first internal sound components the second internal sound components.

Abstract: An earphone and a method for noise reduction in the earphone are disclosed in the present invention. The earphone includes: an audio circuit configured for outputting an audio signal; a noise cancellation circuit configured for detecting an ambient noise signal, determining phase of the ambient noise signal and reversing such phase to generate an anti-noise signal having same level and opposite phase as that of the ambient noise signal; a combiner unit configured for combining the audio signal with the anti-noise signal to generate a combined signal; a speaker electrically connected to the combiner unit and configured for receiving and outputting the combined signal; wherein, the combiner unit includes a first diode and a second diode electrically connected to the speaker in parallel; the audio circuit is electrically connected to the first diode; and, the noise cancellation circuit is electrically connected to the second diode.

Abstract: A method in a computing device for decoding a weighted finite state transducer (WFST) for automatic speech recognition is described. The method includes sorting a set of one or more WFST arcs based on their arc weight in ascending order. The method further includes iterating through each arc in the sorted set of arcs according to the ascending order until the score of the generated token corresponding to an arc exceeds a score threshold. The method further includes discarding any remaining arcs in the set of arcs that have yet to be considered.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automatic speech recognition using multi-dimensional models. In some implementations, audio data that describes an utterance is received. A transcription for the utterance is determined using an acoustic model that includes a neural network having first memory blocks for time information and second memory blocks for frequency information. The transcription for the utterance is provided as output of an automated speech recognizer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for enhancing speech recognition accuracy. The method includes dividing a system dialog turn into segments based on timing of probable user responses, generating a weighted grammar for each segment, exclusively activating the weighted grammar generated for a current segment of the dialog turn during the current segment of the dialog turn, and recognizing user speech received during the current segment using the activated weighted grammar generated for the current segment. The method can further include assigning probability to the weighted grammar based on historical user responses and activating each weighted grammar is based on the assigned probability. Weighted grammars can be generated based on a user profile. A weighted grammar can be generated for two or more segments.

Abstract: A generation device includes a receiving unit and a generating unit. The receiving unit receives a model representing correspondence between one or more phonetic symbols and one or more words. The generating unit generates a first finite state transducer based on the model, the first finite state transducer at least including, as outgoing transitions from a first state representing transition destination of a first transition which has a first phonetic symbol of a predetermined type as input symbol, a second transition that has a second phonetic symbol, which is different than a particular symbol representing part or whole of input symbol of the first transition, as input symbol, and a third transition that has a third phonetic symbol, which represents the particular symbol or silence, as input symbol.

Abstract: A voice assistant of a device is activated not by a key word being spoken but by recognizing speech and determining whether context of the speech indicates that audible voice assistance is appropriate.

Abstract: A voice assistant of a computer device is activated not by a key word being spoken or button press but by recognizing speech and determining whether context of the speech indicates that audible voice assistance is appropriate. The device may indicate by, e.g., illuminating a lamp or by activating a vibrator that it has assistance to give.

Abstract: A system for coordinating multiple chatbots in a group conversation using natural dialog systems, including a creation unit that enables a user to create a group chat with chatbots; a response unit that allows the user to reply to any utterance extracted from a message received from a member of the group chat; a transmission unit that sends messages to every member of the group chat; a development unit that develops chatbots that understand natural language and interact in a group chat using natural dialogue; a network connection; a first database that stores a knowledge base extracted from all the utterances exchanged by members of the group chat; a second database that stores all interactions between the user and the group chat, and a third database that stores all interaction protocols used by the members of the group chat.

Abstract: A voice interactive device constituting an interaction system in which a plurality of voice interactive devices interact with a user, comprises a voice input unit that acquires voice uttered by a user; an information generating unit that generates user utterance information, the user utterance information being information for specifying a voice interactive device having been spoken to by the user; a transmitting/receiving unit that transmits the generated user utterance information to another voice interactive device and that receives, from the other voice interactive device, user utterance information; a determining unit that determines whether or not a response is to be made to the utterance by the user based on the generated and received user utterance information; and an interacting unit that performs interaction with the user on the basis of a result of the determination.

Abstract: Provided are an image display apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The image display apparatus enabling voice recognition includes: a first voice inputter which receives a user-side audio signal; an audio outputter which outputs an audio signal processed by the image display apparatus; a first voice recognizer which recognizes the user-side audio signal received through the first voice inputter; and a controller which decreases a volume of the audio signal output through the audio outputter to a predetermined level if a voice recognition start command is received.

Abstract: Aspects described herein are directed towards methods, computing devices, systems, and computer-readable media that apply scattering operations to extracted visual features of audiovisual input to generate predictions regarding the speech status of a subject. Visual scattering coefficients generated according to one or more aspects described herein may be used as input to a neural network operative to generate the predictions regarding the speech status of the subject. Predictions generated based on the visual features may be combined with predictions based on audio input associated with the visual features. In some embodiments, the extracted visual features may be combined with the audio input to generate a combined feature vector for use in generating predictions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a circuit for speech recognition comprising: a voice detection circuit configured to detect, based on at least one input parameter, the presence of a voice signal in an input audio signal and to generate an activation signal on each voice detection event; a speech recognition circuit configured to be activated by the activation signal and to perform speech recognition on the input audio signal, the speech recognition circuit being further configured to generate an output signal indicating, based on the speech recognition, whether each voice detection event is true or false; and an analysis circuit configured to generate, based on the output signal of the speech recognition circuit, a control signal for modifying one or more of said input parameters.

Abstract: Specialized recognition engines are configured to recognize acoustic objects. A policy engine can consume a recognition policy that defines the conditions under which specialized recognition engines are to be activated or deactivated. An arbitrator receives events fired by the specialized recognition engines and provides the events to listeners that have registered to receive notification of the occurrence of the events. If a specialized recognition engine recognizes an acoustic object, the policy engine can utilize the recognition policy to identify the specialized recognition engines that are to be activated or deactivated. The identified specialized recognition engines can then be activated or deactivated in order to implement a particular recognition scenario and to meet a particular power consumption requirement.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an audio classifier comprising: a first processor having hard-wired logic configured to receive an audio signal and detect audio activity from the audio signal; and a second processor having reconfigurable logic configured to classify the audio signal as a type of audio signal in response to the first processor detecting audio activity.

Abstract: In one aspect, a device includes a processor, a microphone accessible to the processor, and storage accessible to the processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the processor to, without receiving a user command to enter voice recognition mode, automatically activate the microphone responsive to a determination based on a proximity signal that a user is proximate to the device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying an identity of a user. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of receiving a request for a verification phrase for verifying an identity of a user. Additional actions include, in response to receiving the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user, identifying subwords to be included in the verification phrase and in response to identifying the subwords to be included in the verification phrase, obtaining a candidate phrase that includes at least some of the identified subwords as the verification phrase. Further actions include providing the verification phrase as a response to the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for efficient cross-fading (or other multiple clip processing) of compressed domain information streams on a user or client device, such as a telephone, tablet, computer or MP3 player, or any consumer device with audio playback. Exemplary implementation systems may provide cross-fade between AAC/Enhanced AAC Plus (EAACPlus) information streams or between MP3 information streams or even between information streams of unmatched formats (e.g. AAC to MP3 or MP3 to AAC). Furthermore, these systems are distinguished by the fact that cross-fade is directly applied to the compressed bitstreams so that a single decode operation may be performed on the resulting bitstream. Moreover, using the described methods, similar cross fade in the compressed domain between information streams utilizing other formats of compression, such as, for example, MP2, AC-3, PAC, etc. can also be advantageously implemented.

Abstract: When combining digital data sets in the time domain into a combined digital data set a subset of samples of each digital data set is adjusted to enable unraveling the data when decoding. To enable correction during decoding of an error introduced by the adjustment, an error approximation is stored for each adjusted sample. A set of error approximations is created which is indexed allowing substantial reduction in size of the error approximations to be stored for the adjusted samples. Instead of creating a set of error approximations for each combined digital data set one set of error approximations is created based on the errors introduced when creating multiple combined digital data sets.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an audio processing unit that includes a buffer, bitstream payload deformatter, and a decoding subsystem. The buffer stores at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream. The block includes a fill element that begins with an identifier followed by fill data. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band replication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block. A corresponding method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an audio processing unit that includes a buffer, bitstream payload deformatter, and a decoding subsystem. The buffer stores at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream. The block includes a fill element that begins with an identifier followed by fill data. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band replication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block. A corresponding method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is also provided.

Abstract: The present document relates to time-alignment of encoded data of an audio encoder with associated metadata, such as spectral band replication (SBR) metadata. An audio decoder configured to determine a reconstructed frame of an audio signal from an access unit of a received data stream is described. The access unit comprises waveform data and metadata, wherein the waveform data and the metadata are associated with the same reconstructed frame of the audio signal. The audio decoder comprises a waveform processing path configured to generate a plurality of waveform subband signals from the waveform data, and a metadata processing path configured to generate decoded metadata from the metadata.

Abstract: An automotive speech input optimization method includes using a microphone to convert audible speech into an audio signal. A selection of a speech agent is received. Spectral matching is performed on the audio signal to produce a conditioned audio signal. The spectral matching is dependent upon the selection of the speech agent. The conditioned audio signal is input to the selected speech agent.

Abstract: Multiple audio files may be synchronized using energy vectors produced from energy portions of individual frequency energy representations. Individual energy samples and time values of individual energy vectors may be compared using a multi-resolution framework to correlate energy samples and time values of multiple audio tracks to one another.

Abstract: Utterances spoken or sung by a first person can be received, in real time, from a mobile communication device. A location of the mobile communication device can be determined to be in an area designated as a quiet zone. A key indicator that indicates at least one characteristic of the detected utterances spoken or sung by the first person can be generated. Based, at least in part, on the key indicator, a determination can be made that the first person is speaking or singing too loudly in the area designated as the quiet zone. Responsive to determining that the first person is speaking or singing too loudly in the area designated as the quiet zone, feedback indicating that the first person is speaking or singing too loudly in the area designated as the quiet zone can be communicated to the mobile communication device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for escalation detection using sentiment analysis are disclosed. A computer-implemented method of the invention includes: determining, by a computer device, the occurrence of an interaction event between a first party and a second party within a recording including audio data; analyzing, by the computer device, the audio data for a change in tone over time; analyzing, by the computer device, the audio data for the presence of any negative tones; determining, by the computer device, whether the change in tone, the presence of any negative tones, or a combination of the change in tone and the presence of any negative tones, indicates an escalation during the interaction event to generate escalation data; and saving, by the computer device, the escalation data.

Abstract: A row bar for forming magnetic heads includes a row of magnetic head forming portions each having a magnetic head and a cutting portion adjacent to the magnetic heads. A row of bonding pads and a first ELG pad are provided at the magnetic head, a second ELG pad is provided at the cutting portion, both of the first and the second ELG pads are adapted for contacting with a probe during lapping process, and a conductive structure that is higher than surfaces of the first and the second ELG pads is formed at peripheries of the first and the second ELG pads respectively. Due to the conductive structures, a probe used in lapping process will be prevented from shifting from the ELG pads to ensure a stable contact, thereby obtaining efficient and accurate resistance measurement.

Abstract: A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole having leading and trailing surfaces, a trailing shield having a pole-facing surface, a write gap and coil(s). The pole's trailing surface has a portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a nonzero, acute bevel angle from a direction perpendicular to the MFS. The pole-facing surface includes a first portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a first angle substantially the same as the bevel angle, a second portion oriented at a second angle greater than the first trailing shield angle, and a third portion oriented at a third angle substantially the same as the first angle. The write gap has first, second and third thicknesses adjacent to the first, second and third portions of the pole-facing surface, respectively. The first thickness is constant. The second thickness varies. The third thickness is constant and greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: A magnetic field-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) head is provided, which includes a recording main pole, a seed layer, and a spin torque oscillator (STO) positioned over the main pole, in this order, in a stacking direction from a leading side to a trailing side of the recording head. The STO comprises a spin polarized layer (SPL), an interlayer with fcc structure, and a field generating layer (FGL), in this order in the stacking direction. The FGL comprises a low magnetic flux density interface (LMFDI) layer with bcc structure that directly contacts the interlayer.

Abstract: A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS) and includes a pole, coil(s) and a waveguide. The waveguide is optically coupled with a laser and directs energy toward the MFS. The waveguide includes an entrance, a bottom and a mode converter having a core, an inner cladding, high index layer(s) and an outer cladding. The core has sides that diverge in width. The core has a first index of refraction. The outer cladding has a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction. The inner cladding has a third index of refraction not greater than the second index of refraction. The inner cladding is between the high index layer(s) and the core. The high index layer(s) are between the inner and outer cladding. The high index layer(s) have a high index of refraction greater than the second index of refraction.

Abstract: A lubricant for a magnetic recording medium including an ionic liquid including a Bronsted acid and a Bronsted base that is primary amine as constituents of the ionic liquid, wherein the Bronsted acid includes a fluorine-containing chain, the Bronsted base includes a fluorine-containing chain that is a perfluoroalkyl chain or a perfluoropolyether chain, wherein the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is a perfluoropolyether chain or the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted base is the perfluoropolyether chain, or the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is the perfluoropolyether chain and the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted base is the perfluoropolyether chain, and a number average molecular weight of the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is 1,500 or less.

Abstract: Described are various technologies that pertain to automatically generating looped videos or cinemagraphs by selecting objects to animate from an input video. In one implementation a group of semantically labeled objects from an input video is received. Candidate objects from the input video that can appear as a moving object in an output cinemagraph or looped video are identified. Candidate video loops are generated using the selected candidate objects. One or more of these candidate video loops are then selected to create a final cinemagraph. The selection of candidate video loops used to create the final cinemagraph can be made by a user or by a predictive model trained to evaluate the subjective attractiveness of the candidate video loops.

Abstract: There is provided a system comprising a non-transitory memory and a hardware processor configured to determine elements of a performance in a video, identify one or more people to feature in the video based on the elements of the performance in the video, receive a user input selecting a person from the one or more people to feature in the video, retrieve performance data for featuring the selected person in the video based on actions performed by the actor in the video, create a personalized video by featuring the selected person in the video using the performance data, and display the personalized video on a user device.

Abstract: A computing device has memory, a microphone, and an image sensor. A process plays an immersive video in a user interface region, which displays a portion of the immersive video according to a user selected visibility window. While playing the immersive video, the user adjusts the window, and the process records information that identifies placement of the window within the immersive video. The process records audio provided by the user and records video of the user. The process uses the information that identifies placement of the window to form a customized video including what was displayed in the window while playing the immersive video. The customized video also includes a visual overlay in a peripheral portion of the customized video, which includes the recorded video of the user. The customized video also includes an audio overlay using the recorded audio. The process transmits the customized video to another computer.

Abstract: A computing system has memory, a microphone, and an image sensor. A process displays an immersive media customization user interface, and plays a 360 video. In response to a first user action, the process captures a freeze frame of the 360 video at a specific moment. In response to a second user action, the process starts recording a customized video of the captured freeze frame in real time according to a dynamically adjustable visibility window of the captured freeze frame. While recording the customized video, a user adjusts the visibility window. After recording, a user annotates the customized video, including one or more of: adding a visual overlay in a portion of the customized video, where the visual overlay is a recorded video of the user; adding an audio overlay (e.g., user comments); and adding text or an image. The process transmits the customized video to another computing system.

Abstract: Methods for digital content production and playback of an immersive stereographic video work provide or enhance interactivity of immersive entertainment using various different playback and production techniques. “Immersive stereographic” may refer to virtual reality, augmented reality, or both. The methods may be implemented using specialized equipment for immersive stereographic playback or production. Aspects of the methods may be encoded as instructions in a computer memory, executable by one or more processors of the equipment to perform the aspects.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is disclosed. The recording apparatus includes a data input portion configured to input data, a first moving image signal recording portion configured to record, based on the input data, a first moving image signal having a first image quality attribute, a condition detector configured to detect that the input data satisfies a predetermined condition during recording of the first moving image signal, and a second moving image signal recorder configured to record, based on the input data, a second moving image signal having a second image quality attribute when the condition detector detects that the input data satisfies the predetermined condition.