Real-time Detection of AI-Generated Speech for DeepFake Voice Conversion

There are growing implications surrounding generative AI in the speech domain that enable voice cloning and real-time voice conversion from one individual to another. This technology poses a significant ethical threat and could lead to breaches of privacy and misrepresentation, thus there is an urgent need for real-time detection of AI-generated speech for DeepFake Voice Conversion. To address the above emerging issues, the DEEP-VOICE dataset is generated in this study, comprised of real human speech from eight well-known figures and their speech converted to one another using Retrieval-based Voice Conversion. Presenting as a binary classification problem of whether the speech is real or AI-generated, statistical analysis of temporal audio features through t-testing reveals that there are significantly different distributions. Hyperparameter optimisation is implemented for machine learning models to identify the source of speech. Following the training of 208 individual machine learning models over 10-fold cross validation, it is found that the Extreme Gradient Boosting model can achieve an average classification accuracy of 99.3% and can classify speech in real-time, at around 0.004 milliseconds given one second of speech. All data generated for this study is released publicly for future research on AI speech detection

The effect of different soil amendment towards bird eyes chili (capsicum frutescens) / Ahmad Firhat Ahmad Lotfi

Soil amendment is one of the important elements to enhance the development of plant. Capsicum frutescens was chosen as their adaptation toward environment and soil is very unlikely or in other words very hard to grow. Capsicum frutescens is known as bird eye chili which encompasses high ascorbic acid and acts as an antioxidant as it helps reduce cancer cell. Biochar, rice straw, baggase, and cow dung are several type of soil amendment reported could encourage the development of the plant. According to the result, biochar having the highest parameter compared to other treatment. The highest mean for height of plant with average 9.358 and the lowest is rice straw with mean 3.323. For number of leaves, biochar had the highest mean with average 5.35 and the lowest is rice straw with mean 1.63. For the length of leaves, biochar had the highest mean with average 3.090 followed by baggase, cow dung, control, and the lowest is rice straw with mean 0.952. The length of root, biochar had the highest mean with average 8.57 and the lowest is rice straw with mean 3.71. During the 6 weeks of this project, there was no chili fruit grew. The chili fruit was expected to grow in week 15. The height of plant, width of leaves, length of leaves, number of leaves, and length of root was measured to differentiate the effect between them. There was a significant different between the treatment. The ability of biochar itself can capable to aid the growth of the plant. On top of that, this project could be one of the benchmark for the entire researcher in such biochar as the soil amendment to save cost and the best amendment for all the crop production

Soft computing applications in dynamic model identification of polymer extrusion process

This paper proposes the application of soft computing to deal with the constraints in conventional modelling techniques of the dynamic extrusion process. The proposed technique increases the efficiency in utilising the available information during the model identification. The resultant model can be classified as a ‘grey-box model’ or has been termed as a ‘semi-physical model’ in the context. The extrusion process contains a number of parameters that are sensitive to the operating environment. Fuzzy ruled-based system is introduced into the analytical model of the extrusion by means of sub-models to approximate those operational-sensitive parameters. In drawing the optimal structure for the sub-models, a hybrid algorithm of genetic algorithm with fuzzy system (GA-Fuzzy) has been implemented. The sub-models obtained show advantages such as linguistic interpretability, simpler rule-base and less membership functions. The developed model is adaptive with its learning ability through the steepest decent error back-propagation algorithm. This ability might help to minimise the deviation of the model prediction when the operational-sensitive parameters adapt to the changing operating environment in the real situation. The model is first evaluated through simulations on the consistency of model prediction to the theoretical analysis. Then, the effectiveness of adaptive sub-models in approximating the operational-sensitive parameters during the operation is further investigated

Causative Constructions in Modern Persian

This article is a conceptual exploration of causative constructions in Modern Persian. Based on a typology of causative constructions proposed by Song (1996), Persian causatives are surveyed in both formal and functional terms. The data are then exploited in order to shed further light on the cognitive basis of causativity, and to recast Song's formulation of causative types in more solid cognitive terms drawn from Talmy's (1985, 1988, 2000) force-dynamic account of causation. A tentative account of the grammaticisation of factual/nonfactual causation in Persian concludes the discussion

The Effect of Synchronous and Asynchronous Language Learning: A Study of Iranian EFL Intermediate Students’ Vocabulary Learning

Synchronous learning and asynchronous learning are the two main approaches to teaching available in distance education. The main objective of the study was to determine which approach to vocabulary learning, would facilitate vocabulary learning more for Iranian EFL learners. From among the targeted population of 82 intermediate students of an English institute in Isfahan, Iran, students between the ages of 12 to 18, a sample of 60 students were chosen based on their score on a quick placement test (QPT). The selected participants undertook a vocabulary pre-test and were divided into two groups of 30 who in terms of language proficiency and vocabulary knowledge were homogenized. Both synchronous and asynchronous groups were taught “Advanced Vocabulary and Idiom”, by the same teacher at one particular institute. In the period of 10 sessions of a semester, the synchronous groups were taught the vocabulary items in class synchronously and the asynchronous group was taught via email. After the post-test, the results with the t-test observed, indicated a significance difference between synchronous and asynchronous groups, p-value of .003, gender with the p-value of 0.027 and pre-test and post-test with the p-value of 0.047, but no significance was observed for age with the p-value of 0.127. The post-test results indicated that the synchronous group considerably outperformed the asynchronous group in the vocabulary knowledge they attained

Empirical study on the culture of successful knowledge creation and knowledge sharing in institute of higher learning (IHL)

The culture of knowledge creation and knowledge sharing play very important role in the successful implementation of Knowledge Management in any Public or Private Institution of Higher Learning. The purpose of this study is to see how the culture of Knowledge Creation (KC) and Knowledge Sharing (KS) is applied in Public or Private Universities in Malaysia. A survey was designed and conducted with students Academician in the universities in Malaysia. Survey questions designed to examine perceptions of all variables were identified. Data from 17 respondents were used to validate the hypotheses. The results of the study show that the individual culture and top management’s support are important which it will be influencing the knowledge sharing behavior in the institutions

Distribution of underwriting surplus and investment profit from Tabarru’ fund: Shariah contracts applied and current market practice

Takaful is a contract whereby the participants commit to contribute an amount on regular basis or in one lump sum in a specified fund to mutually guarantee each other and appoint a body to act as the fund manager. In this contract, takaful participants have the opportunity to mitigate the possible financial risk that their families might encounter in case a misfortune happens to them. The contribution then will be placed into respective participant’s account or also known as Participants’ Investment Fund (PIF). The fund manager, i.e. takaful operator will drip from every PIF certain amount on the basis of donation into a collective Participants’ Risk Fund (PRF). Tabarru’ is Arabic word which means donation and due to the nature of PRF, it’s widely known in Islamic Finance as Tabarru’ Fund. Tabarru’ Fund is a separate entity from Takaful operator and participants, but t ownership remains with the participants. Being a fund, some money in it will be invested and would possibly realize investment profit. At the same time, with proper management of the Tabarru’ Fund, it might produce underwriting surplus after payment of claims at the end of financial year. There are several Shariah views and methods on the treatment of the investment profit and underwriting surplus generated from the fund. These views differ from one another depending on the contract adopted, which ultimately would define the permissibility of sharing the surplus between related parties. In Malaysia, the sharing of underwriting surplus is allowed according to the Shariah resolution passed by Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) subject to certain guidelines. All eleven Takaful operators in Malaysia have different practices in distributing the surplus and profit with respect to Shariah contracts applied and operational treatments. This research will study these differences and provide recommendations on the identified issues

Comparison of Auditory Evoked Potentials between Younger and Older- Adults.

Abstract:Aging is a very important issue in our modern life. Auditory processing problems are common in older adults. There are different ways to study these problems.The aim of this cross sectional study was to evaluate the pure processing effect of aging on auditory evoked potentials. Materials and methods:The auditory brain stem response (ABR) and the auditory middle latency response (AMLR) weremeasuredin 32 younger adults (mean age, 20.41±2.13 years) and compared with those of 32 older adults (mean age, 68.16±6.20 years). Both groups had normal peripheral hearing sensitivity and normal cognitive status, according to pure tone audiometry and Mini Mental State Examination results.The group of older adults was selected from subjectswith problemsunderstanding speech in noisy places. Multivariate tests wereused for the statistical analysis.RESULTS:Most ABR wave latencies increased and their amplitudes decreased in older adults. (P< 0.05). The latency of AMLR waves was significantly prolonged only for the Nb componentin the right and left ears and for the Pa component during binaural stimulation (p < 0.05).Theamplitude of all AMLR waves increased significantly, except for Na in both ears (p < 0.05).Conclusion:Aging had a pure central effect on the processing ability of the entire neural auditory system.Aging reduced the central inhibition process at the cortical level

Funciones ejecutables de las representaciones en el aprendizaje de los conceptos algebraicos

This study aimed to examine the role of multiple representations in learning algebraic concepts for high school students. Using the semiexperimental research method for teaching of numerical, symbolic, and graphical representations, and traditional teaching, 83 female students were selected from the tenth grade of a high school in Tehran. We concluded that there is a significant difference between the mean scores of mathematics in the control and experimental groups. Using the method based on different representations helped the students to become creative and provide similar Algebra examples; thereby analysis power will be increased.Este estudio tiene como objetivo examinar el papel de las representaciones múltiples en el aprendizaje de los conceptos algebraicos en estudiantes de educación secundaria. Se desarrolló una investigación semiexperimental para la enseñanza de representaciones numéricas, simbólicas y gráficas y la enseñanza tradicional, en este estudio participaron 83 estudiantes femeninas del décimo grado de una escuela secundaria en Teherán. Se concluyó que hay una diferencia significativa entre los puntajes promedio de matemáticas en el grupo control y los grupos experimentales. El uso del método basado en diferentes representaciones ayudó a las estudiantes a ser creativas y proporcionar ejemplos de álgebra similares; por lo tanto, la capacidad de análisis aumentará