Automatic database acquisition software for ISDN PC cards and analogue boards

This paper describes an application for automatic speechdatabases acquisition (ADA) developed by the authors in the framework of the EC Telematics Project SpeechDat II. The software is able to work with standard inexpensive PC cards for ISDN lines, as well as Dialogic Boards for analogue telephone lines. Both program versions share a common file format and configuration. Other important characteristics of the recording software are its simple set-up, a fast and flexible configuration of the recording session, the real-time monitoring of calls and disk space, and its proven robustness.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Pt-impregnated catalysts on powdery SiC and other commercial supports for the combustion of hydrogen under oxidant conditions

We report the study of the catalytic hydrogen combustion over Pt-impregnated powdery silicon carbide (SiC) using H2PtCl6 as precursor. The reaction was conducted in excess of oxygen. β-SiC was selected for the study because of its thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, chemical inertness and surface area. The obtained Pt particles over SiC were medium size (average particle diameter of 5 nm for 0.5 wt% Pt). The activity of the Pt-impregnated catalyst over SiC was compared to those obtained in oxidized form over TiO2 and Al2O3 commercial supports (Pt particles very small in size, average particle diameter of 1 nm for 0.5 wt% Pt in both cases). The case of a SiO2 support was also discussed. Those Pt/SiC particles were the most active because of their higher contribution of surface Pt0, indicating that partially oxidized surfaces have better activity than those totally oxidized in these conditions. SiC was modified with an acid treatment and thus bigger (average particle diameter of 7 nm for 0.5 wt% Pt) and more active Pt particles were obtained. Durability of the SiC and TiO2 supported catalysts was tested upon 5 cycles and both have shown to be durable and even more active than initially. Exposure to the oxidative reaction mixture activates the catalysts and the effect is more pronounced for the completely oxidized particles. This is due to the surface oxygen chemisorption which activates catalystś surface.Junta de Andalucía PE2012-TEP862Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2012-32519, CTQ2015-65918-RConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas PIE-201460E01

Synthesis using speaker adaptation from speech recognition DB

This paper deals with the creation of multiple voices from a Hidden Markov Model based speech synthesis system (HTS). More than 150 Catalan synthetic voices were built using Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and speaker adaptation techniques. Training data for building a Speaker-Independent (SI) model were selected from both a general purpose speech synthesis database (FestCat;) and a database design ed for training Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems (Catalan SpeeCon database). The SpeeCon database was also used to adapt the SI model to different speakers. Using an ASR designed database for TTS purposes provided many different amateur voices, with few minutes of recordings not performed in studio conditions. This paper shows how speaker adaptation techniques provide the right tools to generate multiple voices with very few adaptation data. A subjective evaluation was carried out to assess the intelligibility and naturalness of the generated voices as well as the similarity of the adapted voices to both the original speaker and the average voice from the SI model.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Innovaciones andragógicas graduales y reflexionadas

Este artículo recoge las innovaciones que he introducido en los últimos cursos en la metodología docente y evaluadora de la asignatura «Sistemas Operativos II», de tercer curso de Ingeniería Informática de la Universitat Jaume I (UJI): metodologías activas, estilos de aprendizaje, autoevaluación y retroalimentación bidireccional entre estudiantes y profesor. La incorporación gradual de estas innovaciones y la reflexión derivada de sus resultados han permitido mejorar progresivamente el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes y mi evaluación docente, así como el nivel de satisfacción personal y profesional.SUMMARY -- This paper presents the innovations that I have carried out during the last years in the teaching and evaluation methodology of the course «Operating Systems II», taught to third-year students of the bachelor in Computer Science at the Jaume I University. The innovations are focused on active methodologies, learning styles, self-assessment and bidirectional feedback between the students and the teacher. The gradual incorporation of these innovations and the meditation on the observed results have progressively improved the academic performance of the students and my teacher assessment, as well as the level of personal and professional satisfaction

Fir system identification using a linear combination of cumulants

A general linear approach to identifying the parameters of a moving average (MA) model from the statistics of the output is developed. It is shown that, under some constraints, the impulse response of the system can be expressed as a linear combination of cumulant slices. This result is then used to obtain a new well-conditioned linear method to estimate the MA parameters of a nonGaussian process. The proposed approach does not require a previous estimation of the filter order. Simulation results show improvement in performance with respect to existing methods.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Juan Manuel González Gaitán y Arteaga: some biographical aspects of a cordoban Chapel Master among two different epochs (1716-1804)

En este artículo se hace un análisis de la vida de Juan Manuel González Gaitán, Maestro de Capilla de la Catedral cordobesa durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII. Durante su larga vida son numerosos los acontecimientos que inciden en el transcurrir diario de la Capilla musical catedralicia.We analyze in this article the life of Mr. Juan Manuel González Gaitán, Chapel Master in the Cathedral of Cordoba during the second half of XVIII century. There are so many events through his long life that they resound in the daily passing of the cathedral’s music Chapel

The strategic impact of META-NET on the regional, national and international level

This article provides an overview of the dissemination work carried out in META-NET from 2010 until early 2014; we describe its impact on the regional, national and international level, mainly with regard to politics and the situation of funding for LT topics. This paper documents the initiative’s work throughout Europe in order to boost progress and innovation in our field.Postprint (published version