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Automatic Speech Acquisition and Recognition for Spacesuit Audio SystemsNASA has a widely recognized but unmet need for novel human-machine interface technologies that can facilitate communication during astronaut extravehicular activities (EVAs), when loud noises and strong reverberations inside spacesuits make communication challenging. WeVoice, Inc., has developed a multichannel signal-processing method for speech acquisition in noisy and reverberant environments that enables automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology inside spacesuits. The technology reduces noise by exploiting differences between the statistical nature of signals (i.e., speech) and noise that exists in the spatial and temporal domains. As a result, ASR accuracy can be improved to the level at which crewmembers will find the speech interface useful. System components and features include beam forming/multichannel noise reduction, single-channel noise reduction, speech feature extraction, feature transformation and normalization, feature compression, and ASR decoding. Arithmetic complexity models were developed and will help designers of real-time ASR systems select proper tasks when confronted with constraints in computational resources. In Phase I of the project, WeVoice validated the technology. The company further refined the technology in Phase II and developed a prototype for testing and use by suited astronauts.
Document ID
20160005429
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Other
Authors
Ye, Sherry
(WeVoice, Inc. Bridgewater, NJ, United States)
Date Acquired
April 27, 2016
Publication Date
July 1, 2015
Publication Information
Publication: An Overview of SBIR Phase 2 Communications Technology and Development
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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