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153 records · Page 9

Open Microphone Speech Understanding: Correct Discrimination Of In Domain Speech

An ideal spoken dialogue system listens continually and determines which utterances were spoken to it, understands them and responds appropriately while ignoring the rest This paper outlines a simple method for achieving this goal which involves trading a slightly higher false rejection rate of in domain utterances for a higher correct rejection rate of Out of Domain (OOD) utterances. The system recognizes semantic entities specified by a unification grammar which is specialized by Explanation Based Learning (EBL). so that it only uses rules which are seen in the training data. The resulting grammar has probabilities assigned to each construct so that overgeneralizations are not a problem. The resulting system only recognizes utterances which reduce to a valid logical form which has meaning for the system and rejects the rest. A class N-gram grammar has been trained on the same training data. This system gives good recognition performance and offers good Out of Domain discrimination when combined with the semantic analysis. The resulting systems were tested on a Space Station Robot Dialogue Speech Database and a subset of the OGI conversational speech database. Both systems run in real time on a PC laptop and the present performance allows continuous listening with an acceptably low false acceptance rate. This type of open microphone system has been used in the Clarissa procedure reading and navigation spoken dialogue system which is being tested on the International Space Station.

Hieronymus, James↗

Applications for Subvocal Speech

A research and development effort now underway is directed toward the use of subvocal speech for communication in settings in which (1) acoustic noise could interfere excessively with ordinary vocal communication and/or (2) acoustic silence or secrecy of communication is required. By "subvocal speech" is meant sub-audible electromyographic (EMG) signals, associated with speech, that are acquired from the surface of the larynx and lingual areas of the throat. Topics addressed in this effort include recognition of the sub-vocal EMG signals that represent specific original words or phrases; transformation (including encoding and/or enciphering) of the signals into forms that are less vulnerable to distortion, degradation, and/or interception; and reconstruction of the original words or phrases at the receiving end of a communication link. Potential applications include ordinary verbal communications among hazardous- material-cleanup workers in protective suits, workers in noisy environments, divers, and firefighters, and secret communications among law-enforcement officers and military personnel in combat and other confrontational situations.

Jorgensen, Charles↗

"Do That Again": Evaluating Spoken Dialogue Interfaces

We present a new technique for evaluating spoken dialogue interfaces that allows us to separate the dialogue behavior from the rest of the speech system. By using a dialogue simulator that we have developed, we can gather usability data on the system s dialogue interaction and behaviors that can guide improvements to the speech interface. Preliminary testing has shown promising results, suggesting that it is possible to test properties of dialogue separately from other factors such as recognition quality.

James, Frankie↗

Multimodal Neuroelectric Interface Development

This project aims to improve performance of NASA missions by developing multimodal neuroelectric technologies for augmented human-system interaction. Neuroelectric technologies will add completely new modes of interaction that operate in parallel with keyboards, speech, or other manual controls, thereby increasing the bandwidth of human-system interaction. We recently demonstrated the feasibility of real-time electromyographic (EMG) pattern recognition for a direct neuroelectric human-computer interface. We recorded EMG signals from an elastic sleeve with dry electrodes, while a human subject performed a range of discrete gestures. A machine-teaming algorithm was trained to recognize the EMG patterns associated with the gestures and map them to control signals. Successful applications now include piloting two Class 4 aircraft simulations (F-15 and 757) and entering data with a "virtual" numeric keyboard. Current research focuses on on-line adaptation of EMG sensing and processing and recognition of continuous gestures. We are also extending this on-line pattern recognition methodology to electroencephalographic (EEG) signals. This will allow us to bypass muscle activity and draw control signals directly from the human brain. Our system can reliably detect P-rhythm (a periodic EEG signal from motor cortex in the 10 Hz range) with a lightweight headset containing saline-soaked sponge electrodes. The data show that EEG p-rhythm can be modulated by real and imaginary motions. Current research focuses on using biofeedback to train of human subjects to modulate EEG rhythms on demand, and to examine interactions of EEG-based control with EMG-based and manual control. Viewgraphs on these neuroelectric technologies are also included.

Trejo, Leonard J.↗

The effects of speech controls on performance in advanced helicopters in a double stimulation paradigm

The potential benefit of speech as a control modality has been investigated with mixed results. Earlier studies suggests that speech controls can reduce the potential of manual control overloads and improve time-sharing performance. However, these benefits were not without costs. Pilots reported higher workload levels associated with the use of speech controls. To further investigate these previous findings, an experiment was conducted in a simulation of an advanced single-pilot, scout/attack helicopter at NASA-Ames' ICAB (interchangeable cab) facility. Objective performance data suggested that speech control modality was effective in reducing interference of discrete, time-shared responses during continuous flight control activity. Subjective ratings, however, indicated that the speech control modality increased workload. Post-flight debriefing indicated that these results were mainly due to the increased effort to speak precisely to a less than perfect voice recognition system.

Bortolussi, Michael R.↗

Los Alamos National Laboratory Director's Strategic Resilience Initiative

The Director’s Strategic Resilience Initiative was created late in 2019 in recognition of the changing geo-political climate. The renewed strategic competition between Russia, China, and the United States, noted in the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, put great power rivalry and competition at the forefront of national security considerations. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s March 1, 2018, speech and China’s October 1, 2019, National Day Military Parade, underscored the nuclear dimensions of this new strategic competition. Accompanying this changed strategic environment are rapid advances in an expansive array of relevant technological sectors including affordable and comprehensive global communication and reconnaissance assets, autonomous vehicles, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Required attention for synthesized speech perception for three levels of linguistic redundancy

The study evaluates the attention required for synthesized speech perception with reference to three levels of linguistic redundancy. Twelve commercial airline pilots were individually tested for 16 cockpit warning messages eight of which consisted of two monosyllabic key words and eight of which consisted of two polysyllabic key words. Three levels of linguistic redundancy were identified: monosyllabic words, polysyllabic words, and sentences. The experiment contained a message familiarization phase and a message recognition phase. It was found that: (1) when the messages are part of a previously learned and recently heard set, and the subject is familiar with the phrasing, the attention needed to recognize the message is not a function of the level of linguistic redundancy, and (2) there is a quantitative and qualitative difference between recognition and comprehension processes; only in the case of active comprehension does additional redundancy reduce attention requirements.

Simpson, C. A.↗

Voice control of the space shuttle video system

A pilot voice control system developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to test and evaluate the feasibility of controlling the shuttle TV cameras and monitors by voice commands utilizes a commercially available discrete word speech recognizer which can be trained to the individual utterances of each operator. Successful ground tests were conducted using a simulated full-scale space shuttle manipulator. The test configuration involved the berthing, maneuvering and deploying a simulated science payload in the shuttle bay. The handling task typically required 15 to 20 minutes and 60 to 80 commands to 4 TV cameras and 2 TV monitors. The best test runs show 96 to 100 percent voice recognition accuracy.

Bejczy, A. K.↗

WNN 92; Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Neural Networks: Academic/Industrial/NASA/Defense, Auburn Univ., AL, Feb. 10-12, 1992 and South Shore Harbour, TX, Nov. 4-6, 1992

The present conference discusses such neural networks (NN) related topics as their current development status, NN architectures, NN learning rules, NN optimization methods, NN temporal models, NN control methods, NN pattern recognition systems and applications, biological and biomedical applications of NNs, VLSI design techniques for NNs, NN systems simulation, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms. Attention is given to missileborne integrated NNs, adaptive-mixture NNs, implementable learning rules, an NN simulator for travelling salesman problem solutions, similarity-based forecasting, NN control of hypersonic aircraft takeoff, NN control of the Space Shuttle Arm, an adaptive NN robot manipulator controller, a synthetic approach to digital filtering, NNs for speech analysis, adaptive spline networks, an anticipatory fuzzy logic controller, and encoding operations for fuzzy associative memories.

Padgett, Mary L.↗