STT and TTS for mobile applications
With Adobe AIR and AS3
Hi there. I hope you are well.
In this tutorial, we will see how to use the two native libraries that I wrote for Adobe AIR to create a “kind of parrot” mobile application.
Using natural language processing functions, we can bring other types of interaction, imagine other modes of operation.
The concept
To operate, this application must access the microphone (Android / iOS) and speech recognition (iOS) functions. It is therefore necessary to request authorization from the user when using this function for the first time.
Once the permissions are obtained, the program is ready to retranscribe a sentence uttered by the user.
The latter can then choose the language of the various speech engines and start listening. He will see his sentence appear in the result panel as he speaks. When he stops app listening (or stops speaking), he hears the application repeating his sentence.
He can choose to modify the different settings to re-listen to his utterance or to repeat the operation.
Environment: SDKs and Extensions
To run this application should be compiled with:
- AIR SDK 26
- Feathers SDK 3.3.0
- MetalWorks Mobile Theme
- EzSTT ANE
- EzSpeech ANE
The manifest file
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <application xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/air/application/26.0"> <id>com.fabricemontfort.stt-tts-sample</id> <filename>stt-tts-sample</filename> <name>STT - TTS</name> <versionNumber>0.0.1</versionNumber> <extensions> <extensionID>com.fabricemontfort.air.ezSpeech</extensionID> <extensionID>com.fabricemontfort.air.ezSTT</extensionID> </extensions> <initialWindow> <content>SWF file name is set automatically at compile time</content> <visible>true</visible> <aspectRatio>portrait</aspectRatio> <autoOrients>false</autoOrients> <fullScreen>true</fullScreen> <renderMode>direct</renderMode> <depthAndStencil>true</depthAndStencil> </initialWindow> <supportedLanguages>en de cs es fr it ja ko nl pl pt ru sv tr zh</supportedLanguages> <iPhone> <InfoAdditions> <![CDATA[ <key>UIDeviceFamily</key> <array> <string>1</string> <string>2</string> </array> <key>NSSpeechRecognitionUsageDescription</key> <string>NEED VOICE RECOGNITION</string> <key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key> <string>NEED MICROPHONE</string> <key>MinimumOSVersion</key> <string>10.0</string> ]]> </InfoAdditions> <requestedDisplayResolution>high</requestedDisplayResolution> </iPhone> <android> <manifestAdditions> <![CDATA[ <manifest android:installLocation="auto"> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO"/> </manifest> ]]> </manifestAdditions> </android> </application> |
The application
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <f:Application xmlns:f="library://ns.feathersui.com/mxml" xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009" theme="feathers.themes.MetalWorksMobileTheme"> <fx:Script> <![CDATA[ import feathers.controls.Alert; import starling.events.Event; /** * STT and TTS AIR Native Extensions */ import com.fabricemontfort.air.ezSTT; import com.fabricemontfort.air.ezSpeech; import com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages; import com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.STTEvent; import com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages; /** * Text To Speech engine */ private var tts:ezSpeech = ezSpeech.instance; /** * Speech To Text engine */ private var stt:ezSTT = ezSTT.instance; /** * actionButton Labels */ private static const OUCH:String = "NOT SUPPORTED"; private static const AUTH:String = "ASK PERMISSIONS"; private static const START:String = "START LISTENING"; private static const STOP:String = "STOP LISTENING"; /** * STT/TTS utterance */ private var _utterance:String = ""; [Bindable] public function get utterance():String { return _utterance; } public function set utterance(value:String):void { _utterance = value; resultLabel.text = _utterance; } /** * STT Microphone volume */ private var _volume:Number = 0; [Bindable] public function get volume():Number { return _volume; } public function set volume(value:Number):void { _volume = value; } /** * Initialize TTS speed */ private var _speed:Number = 0.48; [Bindable] public function get speed():Number { return _speed; } public function set speed(value:Number):void { _speed = value; tts.setSpeed(speed); } /** * Initialize TTS pitch */ private var _pitch:Number = 0.65; [Bindable] public function get pitch():Number { return _pitch; } public function set pitch(value:Number):void { _pitch = value; tts.setPitch(pitch); } override protected function initialize():void { super.initialize(); // Hide debug messages for ezSTT and ezSpeech stt.debug = false; tts.debug = false; // Set TTS voice speed tts.setSpeed(speed); // Set TTS voice pitch tts.setPitch(pitch); // Set default language for engines stt.setLanguage(com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.EN); tts.setLanguage(com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.US); // Check if STT is supported if (stt.isSupported()) { // Check if STT is authorized if (stt.isAuthorized()) { // Add STT listeners for final result, partial result, volume, end of speech stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.PARTIAL, onSTTResult); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.FINAL, onSTTResult); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.VOL, onSTTVolume); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.STOP, onSTTStop); // Everything is fine, lets start actionButton.label = START; // STT is not autorized } else { // Initialize STT listener for permissions stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.AUTH, onAuth); actionButton.label = AUTH; } // STT is not supported } else { actionButton.label = OUCH; var alert:Alert = Alert.show("STT is not supported", "Error", new ListCollection( [ {label: "OK"} ])); } } /** * STT engine recognized words */ private function onSTTResult(event:STTEvent):void { // Set utterance with partial and final result utterance = event.message; } /** * The microphone volume changed */ private function onSTTVolume(event:STTEvent):void { // Set STT microphone volume volume = parseInt(event.message); } /** * User stopped speaking or clicked the stop button */ private function onSTTStop(event:STTEvent):void { actionButton.label = START; volume = 0; // Wait 1 second before repeating last utterance setTimeout(repeatUtterance, 1000); } private function onAuth(event:STTEvent):void { // Check if STT is authorized if (stt.isAuthorized()) { // Remove this listener stt.removeEventListener(STTEvent.AUTH, onAuth); // Add STT listeners for final result, partial result, volume, end of speech stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.PARTIAL, onSTTResult); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.FINAL, onSTTResult); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.VOL, onSTTVolume); stt.addEventListener(STTEvent.STOP, onSTTStop); // Everything is fine, lets start actionButton.label = START; // STT is not autorized } else { // Show an error message var alert:Alert = Alert.show("Please give permissions and retry", "Error", new ListCollection( [ {label: "OK"} ])); } } private function actionButton_triggeredHandler(event:Event):void { // Check actionButton label switch (actionButton.label) { // Ask for permissions case AUTH: { stt.askUserAuthorization(); break; } // Start STT engine and change label case START: { stt.start(); actionButton.label = STOP; break; } // Stop STT engine and change label case STOP: { stt.stop(); actionButton.label = START; break; } } } /** * User changed the current language */ private function langPickerList_changeHandler(event:Event):void { // Set current language for STT and TTS engines stt.setLanguage(langPickerList.selectedItem.code); tts.setLanguage(langPickerList.selectedItem.codeSpeech); } /** * User asked to enforce a specific language with country code */ private function forceLangTextInput_changeHandler(event:Event):void { // Try to enfore current language for STT and TTS engines (experimental) stt.forceLanguage(forceLangTextInput.text); tts.forceLanguage(forceLangTextInput.text); } /** * User asked to repeat the utterance */ private function sayButton_triggeredHandler(event:starling.events.Event):void { repeatUtterance(); } private function repeatUtterance():void { // if utterence is not empty if (utterance != "" && utterance != "[]") { // and tts is supported if (tts.isSupported()) { // Let's talk tts.say(utterance); // tts is not supported } else { // show a error message var alert:Alert = Alert.show("TTS is not supported", "Error", new ListCollection( [ {label: "OK"} ])); } } } /** * User changed the speed Slider */ private function speedSlider_changeHandler(event:Event):void { speed = speedSlider.value; } /** * User changed the pitch Slider */ private function pitchSlider_changeHandler(event:starling.events.Event):void { pitch = pitchSlider.value; } ]]> </fx:Script> <!-- This is a vertical layout with padding and gapping of 10 --> <f:layout> <f:VerticalLayout gap="10" padding="10"/> </f:layout> <fx:Declarations> <!-- Fit the target component to the maximum available space --> <f:VerticalLayoutData id="fitScreen" percentWidth="100" percentHeight="100"/> <!-- Fit the target component to me maximum width --> <f:VerticalLayoutData id="fitWidth" percentWidth="100"/> <!-- List of all supported languages --> <f:ListCollection id="langListCollection"> <fx:Object label="English" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.EN}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.US}"/> <fx:Object label="French" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.FR}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.FR}"/> <fx:Object label="German" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.DE}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.DE}"/> <fx:Object label="Italian" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.IT}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.IT}"/> <fx:Object label="Spanish" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.ES}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.ES}"/> <fx:Object label="Chinese" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.ZH}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.ZH}"/> <fx:Object label="Japanese" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.JA}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.JA}"/> <fx:Object label="Russian" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.RU}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.RU}"/> <fx:Object label="Korean" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.KO}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.KO}"/> <fx:Object label="Portuguese" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.PT}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.PT}"/> <fx:Object label="Czech" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.CS}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.CS}"/> <fx:Object label="Dutch" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.NL}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.NL}"/> <fx:Object label="Polish" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.PL}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.PL}"/> <fx:Object label="Swedish" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.SV}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.SV}"/> <fx:Object label="Turkish" code="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezstt.languages.TR}" codeSpeech="{com.fabricemontfort.air.ezspeech.languages.TR}"/> </f:ListCollection> </fx:Declarations> <f:Panel id="resultPanel" title="RESULTS" layoutData="{fitScreen}"> <f:layout> <f:VerticalLayout padding="10"/> </f:layout> <!-- This is where user can read the utterance --> <f:Label id="resultLabel" wordWrap="true" text="{utterance}" layoutData="{fitScreen}"/> </f:Panel> <f:Label text="TTS VOICE SPEED" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user can change the TTS voice speed --> <f:Slider id="speedSlider" change="speedSlider_changeHandler(event)" layoutData="{fitWidth}" minimum="0" maximum="1" step="0.05" value="{speed}"/> <f:Label text="TTS VOICE PITCH" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user can change the TTS voice pitch --> <f:Slider id="pitchSlider" change="pitchSlider_changeHandler(event)" layoutData="{fitWidth}" minimum="0.5" maximum="1.5" step="0.05" value="{pitch}"/> <f:Label text="STT MICROPHONE VOLUME"/> <!-- This is where the user can see the STT microphone volume --> <f:ProgressBar id="volumeBar" minimum="0" maximum="12" value="{volume}" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user can pick a language --> <f:PickerList id="langPickerList" change="langPickerList_changeHandler(event)" focusPadding="20" dataProvider="{langListCollection}" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <f:Label id="forceLangLabel" text="TEST A COUNTRY CODE (EXPERIMENTAL)" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user can enforce a language with country code --> <f:TextInput id="forceLangTextInput" padding="20" change="forceLangTextInput_changeHandler(event)" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user have to click to give permissions, start speaking, stop speaking --> <f:Button id="actionButton" padding="20" triggered="actionButton_triggeredHandler(event)" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> <!-- This is where the user have to click to repeat the utterance --> <f:Button id="sayButton" padding="20" label="REPEAT THE LAST UTTERANCE" triggered="sayButton_triggeredHandler(event)" layoutData="{fitWidth}"/> </f:Application> |
The result in video
Sorry for my so bad english accent (it makes my ears bleed too).
Complete source code
You can find the complete source code and the assets here.
You can also find a very ugly but fully fonctionnal version of this application for Animate CC on github.
The conclusion
If you want to create new types of interactive content with ActionScript 3.0 for mobile projects, voice processing may well open up new horizons for you.
I hope you enjoyed this demonstration. Perhaps this gives you new application ideas. Do not hesitate to let me discover them via Twitter.
Happy coding.
Where to go from here:
Making a chatterbot with AIR, AS3 and PHP