Talking Thing for My Brother
Bill Chennault
Posts: 1,198
All--
My little brother can no longer speak. I would like to build a thing that will let him play short audio clips which are previously recorded. (Probably in my voice.) In my mind, this device would have several push buttons. Each one would cause a recording from a flash drive (or something) to play. The recordings would be like "Yes", "No", "Ha, ha, ha", and short sentences.
If I can successfully build one, I will doubtless follow it up with "new and improved" versions. Therefore, the device I give him would not need the ability to easily record a new message. I would either take it back and record something else or build him another one.
My first idea is to place audio in some kind of memory and then address it quickly using a Stamp with push button input.
Can you give me a few ideas on how to do this?
Thanks!
--Bill
ps I bet you can buy stuff all day long that does this far better than I can possibly build. But, he would appreciate something from me and it would also be a lot of fun. (Especially with some of the "custom" messages I might throw in.) Money is not an object.
My little brother can no longer speak. I would like to build a thing that will let him play short audio clips which are previously recorded. (Probably in my voice.) In my mind, this device would have several push buttons. Each one would cause a recording from a flash drive (or something) to play. The recordings would be like "Yes", "No", "Ha, ha, ha", and short sentences.
If I can successfully build one, I will doubtless follow it up with "new and improved" versions. Therefore, the device I give him would not need the ability to easily record a new message. I would either take it back and record something else or build him another one.
My first idea is to place audio in some kind of memory and then address it quickly using a Stamp with push button input.
Can you give me a few ideas on how to do this?
Thanks!
--Bill
ps I bet you can buy stuff all day long that does this far better than I can possibly build. But, he would appreciate something from me and it would also be a lot of fun. (Especially with some of the "custom" messages I might throw in.) Money is not an object.
Comments
A quick search turned up some interesting single chip voice record/playback possibilities.
Maybe a bank of them containing the words/phrases required and selection done by a Stamp?
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/aplus/APR9600.pdf
http://www.aplusinc.com.tw/data/apr9301v2-v2.3.pdf
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9579
Have you seen this?
http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/audio/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/697/Default.aspx
I was amazed at the ease of use, from a user/PC perspective to the skilled Propeller developer. Supports external triggers, too. The recording of wav files was done on the PC, played back on the module. The amplifier is strong, too.
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
John Abshier
Thanks for responding so quickly!
I am reading the links you posted. I should have said that I am close to a complete novice. I've been playing with Stamps for a few years and successfully breadboarded several trivial things and just recently completed my first (very simple) data logger PCB project.
In order for me to construct anything, I will have to use some version of Basic and truly obvious hardware glue. That's why I like Parallax stuff so much.
I am currently reading about the Prop based AP-16+ Audio Player offered by Parallax. If it would work, I am sure it would also be vast overkill. That's ok.
Thanks for thinking about this for me and I am still reading the links you sent.
This could turn into a very fun little project by adding totally useless bells and whistles for him to play with . . . he is DEFINITELY not a technical type!
--Bill
Ha! Looks like we were typing at the same time!
--Bill
Either way you go, please post the results. I'd be interested and I'm sure other Forum members/readers would be also.
Many Regards,
I'll call upon JonnyMac to come to this thread and sell us on the AP-16. Considering the ease of use you require we should ask the designer himself.
Calling JonnyMac. . . .
Ken Gracey
The AP-16+ Audio Player and power supply are in the mail! Well, maybe not quite yet. I don't think even Parallax is that fast.
The AP-16 will give me some experience working with audio. It looks like it uses a lot of power. (I GUESSED this from the specs on the power supply.) If so, I probably won't be able to make this version of the device battery operated. That's ok. The NEXT version can be battery operated using something different.
--Bill
JonnyMac has helped me many times in the past. I love his writing and programming expertise. He made the SX possible for me.
--Bill
'
Take a look at this from radio shack
Catalog #: 276-1323
'
Its a little voice recorder hobby kit.
I've played with one of these about 15 years ago.
There cheap too. You might need one for every message, not sure.
'
Should work well with a BS2 and battery power.
If I can help in any way please ask.
The power requirements are for maximum volume. I bet you could run it from batteries,at least for a short time.
Bean
The DigiTalker was about the best I've ever heard, but the Speakjet does a respectable job and it's still available.
Your offers of help are very thoughtful! I have an AP-16+ "in the mail." I have also become enraptured by the little APR9600. Dave supplied the link. (Thank you.)
JonnyMac, I will read up on the C3. The Prop has been growing on me by leaps and bounds. I know I am not alone!
Is the C3 a Spin machine? (Not even a semi-intelligent question.)
--Bill
While going through some stuff I discovered that I have an Emic Text-to-Speech module http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/audiovis/EmicModules.pdf
I think this would allow to get something going quickly by using the BS2. You just send it serial data.
If you want it, it is yours. Just send me a PM with your mailing address.
Bean
Done!
The Emic module will give me another direction from which to tackle this project. Thank you very much!
--Bill
I sent the emic module today via USPS priority mail.
You should get it in 2-3 days.
Bean
Ha! I WAS JUST THINKING there should be an app for that! Really. I am off to find that article.
While I was thinking, I was also researching. Devices do exist. One device ranges from $459 to $1499. They look like what I would like to build, if I had REAL expertise. I am still going to build something, probably several. However, I am also going to look for that app!
Thanks.
--Bill
Thank you very much!
--Bill
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/27/paul-paucas-verbalvictor-application-lets-disabled-son-speak/
AP-16+ is a great product and will work well with the Basic Stamp 2 and any other product. It communicates to and from the Basic Stamp and any other product serially and you can have the buttons multiplex, which gives many options.
I would love to help you with this project and just the word.
Thank you! That piece is much better than the bits and pieces I have found so far about VerbalVictor.
I am going to approach this from multiple angles. VV could easily be one of the best.
--Bill
The AP16+ shipped my yesterday. I will DOUBTLESS have a lot of questions and need help. Thank you very much.
--Bill
This thread hit me for a few reasons:
My very good friend/colleague has an autistic son and he used my VMusic2 module from Vinculum to make a prototype of exactly the same thing. He essentially created an MP3 player that played one of three files that sat inside a small plastic storage tote (Sterilite 9"x5"x4") with a Li-Ion Polymer battery. The top had three buttons, Help, Eat, and Drink. It worked great as a proof of concept and I have always said that the Propeller playing WAV files would be a much easier/cheaper setup but I never continued with it.
My stepbrother's stepdaughter is unable to speak words and uses a handheld device that looks like a modified PDA. She types on it and it has some sort of Text to Speech program installed with a really nice add-on speaker that makes the speech sound more human than computer generated. I believe her mom mentioned that it was about a $2,000 setup.
The AP16+ is definitely a good place to start because it's a drop in and go. I doubt you'll need the 20w output, but it's versatility will be beneficial in the long run.
To add to the list of suggestions, here is another one. If you were able to use one of Rayman's 4.3" touchscreens as the interface, you could have the display show a bunch of different word sets that could be used to build sentences. The touchscreen would make it much easier to use, but the coding involved in making the word sets display in an easy to use format might be difficult.
I haven't seen an example of one yet, but if someone coded up a keyboard onto the 4.3" touchscreen would be a really nice way to use the EMIC TTS module in an overall small package. Type in a sentence and shoot it out the EMIC.
WBA Consulting, forgive me for not responding! I DID respond right after you posted, but I must not have actually submitted my reply. Double duh on me. I am reading about the Vmusic2 module now.
erco, isn't that cool! Unfortunately, my brother has NO CLUE regarding computer use. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.
I have some ARP 9600 demo boards coming and some ARP 9600 chips, too. Bean sent me an EMIC Text to Speech and a person who hasn't said I could name him sent me a box o'stuff, some of which I might use in this project and some of which is even more valuable as it has given me ideas. My Parallax AP-16+ hit KC today and may arrive at my house tomorrow.
The ARP 9600 demo boards are almost usable as is. Almost. I'll play with them and then try to build a suitable circuit in the form factor I need.
The EMIC part is neat! I I think I can drive it with a BS1.
The AP-16+ probably means using a larger form factor than I had planned, but I believe that will be ok.
--Bill
The one advantage that the AP-16+ has it stores the sound files on SD card that is on the board. Since it can communicate over a serial link and it can work with the Basic Stamp or the Propeller as the host controller.
The C3 idea that JonnyMac came up with, will work well with a keyboard in conjunction with the AP-16+. So, when you type a word the C3 will know what word that was typed and call the sound file on the AP-16+.
The "Text to Speech" that Bean is talking about is another great way for you as well.
These are some ideas for you to use.
It's good to hear about you helping your brother with this project and I'm sorry about the circumstances that brought about the situation. Please pass on to him our best wishes from the Parallax Forums members.
From the sound of things you have it more than covered already, but I wanted to let you know about a module called the V-Stamp by RC Systems. I have followed speech synthesis for many years and feel that the V-Stamp is one of the easiest speech synthesis modules to understand. It's easy to use with a Basic Stamp or Propeller too, just send it test over a serial connection and it takes care of pronunciation, even speaking symbols like these: @, #, $, %, &, etc. Many of the speech characteristics are adjustable if you want to: speed, pitch, volume and voice type to name a few.
Listen to the demo samples and see what you think, they were sent just as you see them typed and this is what is impressive to me and could work well for you and your brother.
http://www.rcsys.com/demos.htm
Take a look at prices at the link below. I feel they are very good, particularly for this quality.
http://www.rcsys.com/order.htm
You should know that I am not affiliated with the company in any way... I'm just a happy customer with a V-Stamp and V-Pod Development Kit. You could connect this combination either directly to a computer or send it sentences and other text from a Basic Stamp II or Propeller as I mentioned.
Hope you find this helpful,
Tim
How coincidental! In my (right now) fairly intense study of voice systems, I ran across the V-Stamp technology just last night! But, I did not not find the demos, for some reason. Thank you very much!
The V-Stamp lineup sure looks like potential candidates for what I envision. As you mentioned, I have it "covered" from several different directions. My only issue is time . . . there is not much left.
My little brother will appreciate anything I make, simply because I made it. There is no pressure to build the "be all, end all" speech device. I've only seen one good end-user product that allows the user to punch buttons to play recorded speech and even build sentences; my goal is just the former. I am surprised that technology niche isn't filled with products.
I really appreciate the help and the sentiment expressed by forum members; the latter even more than the former though the former is of paramount importance to me.
I WILL tell him about the thoughts and help I've received from "y'all", as he would say.
--Bill