Silent Sound Technology

SILENT SOUND TECHNOLOGY
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
It is a technology that helps you to transmit information without using your vocal cord. This technology aims to notice lip movements & transform them into a computer generated sound that can be transmitted over a phone. Hence person on other end of phone receives the information in audio. This technology is an amazing solution for those who had lost their voice but wish to speak over phone. It detects every lip movement and internally converts the electrical pulses into sounds signals and sends them neglecting all other surrounding noise. Also used for transmission of confidential information over phone without others hearing it. This technology allows one to communicate to any person in the world as the electrical pulse is universal and can be converted into any language depending upon your choice. The technology opens up a host of applications, from helping people who have lost their voice due to illness or accident to telling a trusted friend your PIN number over the phone without anyone eavesdropping assuming no lip-readers are around. The technology can also turn you into an instant polyglot. Because the electrical pulses are universal, they can be immediately transformed into the language of the users choice.
1.1
MOTIVATION
The need for this technology is to end embarrassed situations such as person answering
his silent, but vibrating cell phone in a meeting, lecture or performance, and whispering loudly, I cant talk to you right now. In the case of an urgent call, apologetically rushing out of the room in order to answer or call the person back. Silent Sound technology aims to notice every movement of the lips and transform them into sounds, which could help people who lose voices
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to speak, and allow people to make silent calls without bothering others. Rather than making any sounds, your handset would decipher the movements your mouth makes by measuring muscle activity, then convert this into speech that the person on the other end of the call can hear. So, basically, it reads your lips.
1.2
WHAT IS SILENT SOUND TECHNOLOGY?

Silent sound technology is a new innovative technology which helps to transmit
information without using human vocal cords. This new technology unveiled at the CeBIT fair that transforms lip movements into a computer-generated voice for the listener at the other end of the phone. The device, developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), uses electromyography and image processing for monitoring tiny muscular movements that occur when we speak and converting them into electrical pulses that can then be turned into speech, without a sound uttered.
Figure 1.1 People in a crowd using mobile phones
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1.3
ORIGINATION
The idea of interpreting silent speech electronically or with a computer has been around
for a long time, and was popularized in the 1968 Stanley Kubrick science-fiction film 2001 A Space Odyssey. A major focal point was the DARPA Advanced Speech Encoding Program (ASE) of the early 2000s, which funded research on low bit rate speech synthesis with acceptable intelligibility, quality, and aural speaker recognisability in acoustically harsh environments. This idea of producing the silent speech electronically or with computer can provide functions like native speakers can silently utter a sentence in their language, and the receivers hear the translated sentence in their language. It appears as if the native speaker produced speech in foreign languages.
1.4
RECENT EVENTS
In the year 2011 at Cebit, one of the largest trade fair, a new concept called SILENT
SOUND TECHNOLOGY was demonstrated. This technology is being developed by scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology ( KIT ), Germany.
Figure 1.2 Testing of silent sound technology at Cebit

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CHAPTER 2
HOW WE SPEAK.?
When we generally speak aloud, air passes through larynx & the tongue. Words are produced using articulator muscle in the mouth & jaw region. Now imagine a technology that could allow everyone to make phone calls, and talk, without making a sound. Recently, its proved that the articulator muscle become active irrespective of whether air passes through them or not. Even by saying words without producing sound, weak electric currents are sent from your brain to the speech muscle. Which produces the speech in turn and these electrical signals are known as ELECTROMYOGRAMS. The technology can also turn you
into an instant polyglot. Because the electrical pulses are universal, they can be immediately transformed into the language of the users choice.
Figure 2.1 Human vocal cords and articulator muscle
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2.1
METHODS USED IN THE TECHNOLOGY
Silent sound technology is processed through two ways or methods. They are: 1. Electromyography Electromyography is used for monitoring the tiny muscular movements that occur when we speak. Such that signals are converted into electrical pulses that can then be turned into speech, without a sound uttered.
Figure 2.2 Electromyography method 2. Image Processing The image processing method is needed to convert digital data tape into a film image with minimal corrections and calibrations. Large mainframe computers employed for sophisticated interactive manipulation of the data. The simplest form of digital image processing converts the digital data tape into a film image with minimal corrections and calibrations. The large mainframe components are employed for sophisticated interactive manipulation of the image.
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CHAPTER 3
ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG)
The electromyography is a technique which monitors tiny muscular movements and pulses generated by it. The transducers involved convert the pulses into electric signals. This technique is for evaluating and recording the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles. This technology is performed using an instrument called an Electromyograph, to produce a record called an Electromyogram. Electromyograph detects the electrical potential generated by muscle cells when these cells are electrically or neurologically activated. The monitored signals are converted into electrical pulses that can then be turned into speech. The electromyography detects the electrical potential generated by muscle cells, when these cells are electrically or neurologically activated.
3.1
WORKING OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY
A needle containing two fine-wired electrodes is inserted through the skin into the muscle
tissue. In this situation the normal muscle at rest make certain, normal electrical sounds when the needle is inserted into them. The insertion activity provides valuable information about the state of the muscle and its innervating nerve. Then electrical activity when the muscle is at rest is observed. E ach electrode track gives only a very local picture of the activity of the whole muscle. Because skeletal muscles differ in the inner structure, the electrode has to be placed at various locations to obtain an accurate signal. Thus by this way the speech can be communicated without sound. The result of this process, the muscle tissue at rest is normally electrically inactive. After the electrical activity caused by the irritation of needle insertion subsides, the electromyograph should detect no abnormal spontaneous activity.
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Figure 3.1 Electromyogyaphy
Abnormal spontaneous activity might indicate some nerve and/or muscle damage. Patient is asked to contract the muscle smoothly and the shape, size, and frequency of the resulting motor unit potentials are judged. The electrode is retracted a few millimeters, and again the activity is analyzed until at least 1020 units have been collected. In the mobile application it is a technique which monitors tiny muscular movements and pulses generated by it. The transducers involved convert the pulses into electric signals.
Figure 3.2 Silent/ Laryngectomized speaker

Electromyographic sensors attached to the face records the electric signals produced by the facial muscles, compare them with pre recorded signal pattern of spoken words . When there is a match that sounds is transmitted on to the other end of the line and person at the other end listen to the spoken words.
Figure 3.3 Electromyographic sensors attached to the face. The Surface ElectroMyoGraphy (sEMG) is the process of recording electrical muscle activity captured by surface (i.e., non-implanted) electrodes. When a muscle fiber is activated by the central nervous system, small electrical currents in the form of ion flows are generated. These electrical currents move through the body tissue, whose resistance creates potential differences which can be measured between different regions on the body surface.
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CHAPTER 4
IMAGE PROCESSING
The simplest form of digital image processing converts the digital data tape into a film image with minimal corrections and calibrations. The large mainframe components are employed for sophisticated interactive manipulation of the image. After registration on the microscope the digital images are loaded to image processing software for further processing. The data includes information about pseudo color, pixel dimensions, time scale etc. First image data get adjusted by background subtraction, contrast enhancement, etc. Colors might be assigned; sub volumes selected; z-mismatches corrected by pixel-shifts. This offers different options to look at the multidimensional data sets. i.e. slice viewer, gallery view, section view, projections, full 3D volume representations, surface models, time bar, color coded overlays of several channels, transparencies. This offers analytical tools for measurement and quantification: automated counting of features, measurements of areas and volumes, tracing of filaments, measuring of distances, evaluation of co localization.
Analysis of remotely sensed data is done using various image processing techniques and methods that includes: Analog image processing Digital image processing
4.1
ANALOG IMAGE PROCESSING

Analog processing techniques are applied to hard copy data such as photographs or
printouts. It adopts certain elements of interpretation, such as primary element, spatial arrangement etc., With the combination of multi-concept of examining remotely sensed data in multispectral, multitemporal, multiscales and in conjunction with multidisciplinary, allows us to
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make a verdict not only as to what an object is but also its importance. Apart from these it also includes optical photogrammetric techniques allowing for precise measurement of the height, width, location, etc. of an object.
Figure 4.1 Elements of image interpretation
Eight fundamental parameters are used in the interpretation of remote sensing images: size, shape, tone, texture, site, association, shadow, and pattern. In some cases, a single such element is alone sufficient for successful identification; in others, the use of several different elements will be required. Size and shape are pretty much self-explanatory; tone is the brightness of a black-and-white image or the color in a color image; texture is distinctive
variation of tone across a single object; for some objects, their location (site) is a valuable datum in interpretation, as might also be any association with nearby, readily-identifiable objects; shadow can at times reveal diagnostic details otherwise invisible in a vertical image; and pattern is a distinctive array of objects. Examples follow, using public-domain images acquired by the IKONOS satellite (with the exception of the R-G-B image, from the U. S. Geological Survey).
4.2
DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING

Digital Image Processing involves a collection of techniques for the manipulation of
digital images by computers. It contains some flaws. To overcome the flaws and deficiencies in order to get the originality of the data, it needs to undergo several steps of processing. Digital Image Processing undergoes three general steps: Pre-processing Display and enhancement Information extraction
The enhancement procedures are applied to image data in order to effectively display the data for subsequent visual interpretation. It involves techniques for increasing the visual distinction between features in a scene. The objective of the information extraction operations is to replace visual analysis of the image data with quantitative techniques for automating the identification of features in a scene. This involves the analysis of multispectral image data and the application of statistically based decision rules for determining the land cover identity of each pixel in an image. The intent of classification process is to categorize all pixels in a digital image into one of several land cover classes or themes. This classified data may be used to produce thematic maps of the land cover present in an image.
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CHAPTER 5
IMAGE PROCESSING FLOWCHART

The flow chart explains the steps that take place during the digital image processing
Figure 5.1 Image processing flow chart
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5.1
PREPROCESSING
Pre-processing consists of those operations that prepare data for subsequent analysis that
attempts to correct or compensate for systematic errors. Then analyst may use feature extraction to reduce the dimensionality of the data. Thus feature extraction is the process of isolating the most useful components of the data for further study while discarding the less useful aspects. It reduces the number of variables that must be examined, thereby saving time and resources. Image pre-processing is the term for operations on images at the lowest level of abstraction. These operations do not increase image information content but they decrease it if entropy is an information measure [1, 2]. The aim of pre-processing is an improvement of the image data that suppresses undesired distortions or enhances some image features relevant for further processing and analysis task. The image pre-processing use redundancy in images. Neighboring pixels corresponding to one real object have the same or similar brightness value. If a distorted pixel can be 98 picked out from the image, it can be restarted as an average value of neighboring pixels. Image pre-processing methods can be classier into categories according to the size of the pixel neighborhood that is used for the calculation of a new pixel brightness. In this paper, it will be presented some pixel brightness transformations and local pre-processing methods realized in Mat Lab [3].
5.2
IMAGE ENHANCEMENT
It improves the interpretability of the image by increasing apparent contrast among
various features in the scene. The enhancement techniques depend upon two factors mainly The digital data (i.e. with spectral bands and resolution) The objectives of interpretation Common enhancements include image reduction, image rectification, image magnification, contrast adjustments, principal component analysis texture transformation and so on.
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Figure 5.2 Image Enhancement The aim of image enhancement is to improve the interpretability or perception of information in images for human viewers, or to provide `better' input for other automated image processing techniques. Image enhancement techniques can be divided into two broad categories: 1. Spatial domain methods, which operate directly on pixels, and 2. Frequency domain methods, which operate on the Fourier transform of an image. Unfortunately, there is no general theory for determining what `good image enhancement is when it comes to human perception. If it looks good, it is good! However, when image enhancement techniques are used as pre-processing tools for other image processing techniques, then quantitative measures can determine which techniques are most appropriate.
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5.3
INFORMATION EXTRACTION
In Information Extraction the remotely sensed data is subjected to quantitative analysis to
assign individual pixels to specific classes. It is then classified. It is necessary to evaluate its accuracy by comparing the categories on the classified images with the areas of known identity on the ground. The final result of the analysis consists of maps (or images), data and a report. Then these are converted to corresponding signals. Information Extraction (IE) is the name given to any process which selectively structures and combines data which is found, explicitly stated or implied, in one or more texts. The final output of the extraction process varies; in every case, however, it can be transformed so as to populate some type of database. Information analysts working long term on specific tasks already carry out information extraction manually with the express goal of database creation. One reason for interest in IE is its role in evaluating, and comparing, different Natural Language Processing technologies. Unlike other NLP technologies, MT for example, the evaluation process is concrete and can be performed automatically. This, plus the fact that a successful extraction system has immediate applications, has encouraged research funders to support both evaluations of and research into IE. It seems at the moment that this funding will continue and will bring about the existence of working systems. Applications of IE are still scarce. A few well known examples exist and other classified systems may also be in operation. It is certainly not true that the level of the technology is such that it is easy to build systems for new tasks, or that the levels of performance are sufficiently high for use in fully automatic systems. The effect on long term research on NLP is debatable and this is considered in the final section which speculates on future directions in IE.
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CHAPTER 6
FEATURES OF SILENT SOUND TECHNOLOGY

Some of the features of silent sound technology are Native speakers can silently utter a sentence in their language, and the receivers can hear the translated sentence in their language. It appears as if the native speaker produced speech in a foreign language. The translation technology works for languages like English, French and German, except Chinese, where different tones can hold many different meanings. Allow people to make silent calls without bothering others.
6.1 RESEARCH
"With all of the millions of phones in circulation, there is great potential for increasing earnings by saving 'lost calls' - telephone calls that go unanswered or uninitiated because the user is in a situation in which he or she cannot speak - not just in business meetings, but everyday situations. According to research, these 'lost calls' are worth $20 billion per year worldwide. For the cellular operator, these are potential earnings that are currently being left on the table. When these 'lost calls' become answerable, and can be conducted without making a sound, there is a tremendous potential for increased profits." Now the research is going on technology that can be used in Office Environment too.
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CHAPTER 7
APPLICATIONS
As we know in space there is no medium for sound to travel therefore this technology can be best utilized by astronauts. This technology helps the people who have lost their voice due to illness or accident and who cannot speak. We can make silent calls even if we are standing in a crowded place. This technology is helpful for people without vocal cord or those who are suffering from Aphasia (speaking disorder). This technology can be used for communication in nasty environment and even in the noisy environment. To tell a secret PIN no. , or credit card no. on the phone now be easy in this technology as there is no one eavesdrop anymore. Since the electrical signals are universal they can be translated into any language. In this technology a native speakers can translate it before sending it to the other side. Hence it can be converted into any language of choice currently being German, English & French. Silent Sound Techniques is applied in Military for communicating secret/confidential matters to others.
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7.1
RESTRICTIONS
Translation into majority of languages but for languages such as Chinese different tone holds different meaning, facial movements being the same. Hence this technology is difficult to apply in such situations. From security point of view recognizing who you are talking to gets complicated. Even differentiating between people and emotions cannot be done. This means you will always feel you are talking to a robot. This device presently needs nine leads to be attached to our face which is quite impractical to make it usable. Silent sound technology gives way to a bright future to speech recognition technology
from simple voice commands to memorandum dictated over the phone all this is fairly possible in noisy public places. Without having electrodes hanging all around your face, these electrodes will be incorporated into cell phones. It may have features like lip reading based on image recognition & processing rather than electromyography. Nano technology will be a mentionable step towards making the device handy.
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CHAPTER 8
CONCLUSION
Silent Sound Technology, one of the recent trends in the field of information technology implements Talking Without Talking. It will be one of the innovation and useful technology and in mere future this technology will be use in our day to day life. Silent Sound technology aims to notice every movement of the lips and transform them into sounds, which could help people who lose voices to speak, and allow people to make silent calls without bothering others. Rather than making any sounds, your handset would decipher the movements your mouth makes by measuring muscle activity, then convert this into speech that the person on the other end of the call can hear. So, basically, it reads your lips. Engineers claim that the device is working with 99 percent efficiency. It is difficult to compare SSI technologies directly in a meaningful way. Since many of the systems are still preliminary, it would not make sense, for example, to compare speech recognition scores or synthesis quality at this stage. With a few abstractions, however, it is possible to shed light on the range of applicability and the potential for future commercialization of the different methods.
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BIBILIOGRAPHY
[1]. "Authorities seize gadgets during patent raid at German tech fair". International Herald Tribune. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2011-1217.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CeBIT. [2]. "CeBIT Facts and Figures History of CeBIT". Cebit.de. 1986-03-12. Retrieved 2011-12-17 . http://csl.ira.uka.de/fileadmin/pressein. [3]. http://www.scribd.com/doc/45672295/silent,http://123seminarsonly.com/EC/SilentSound-Technology. [4]. Wilhelm Burger and Mark J. Burge (2007). Digital Image Processing: An Algorithmic Approach Using Java. Springer. ISBN 1846283795 and ISBN 3540309403. [5]. R. Fisher, K Dawson-Howe, A. Fitzgibbon, C. Robertson, E. Trucco (2005). Dictionary of Computer Vision and Image Processing. John Wiley. ISBN 0-470-01526-8. [6]. Kamen, Gary. Electromyographic Kinesiology. In Robertson, DGE et al. Research Methods in Biomechanics. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publ., 2004. [7]. Paper by http:// www.5inetune.com, http://www.telecomspace.com/content/cebit2010/silent sound technology.
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