Web-based environment for user generation of spoken dialog for virtual assistants

In this paper, a web-based spoken dialog generation environment which enables users to edit dialogs with a video virtual assistant is developed and to also select the 3D motions and tone of voice for the assistant. In our proposed system, “anyone” can “easily” post/edit contents of the dialog for the dialog system. The dialog type corresponding to the system is limited to the question-and-answer type dialog, in order to avoid editing conflicts caused by editing by multiple users. The spoken dialog sharing service and FST generator generates spoken dialog content for the MMDAgent spoken dialog system toolkit, which includes a speech recognizer, a dialog control unit, a speech synthesizer, and a virtual agent. For dialog content creation, question-and-answer dialogs posted by users and FST templates are used. The proposed system was operated for more than a year in a student lounge at the Nagoya Institute of Technology, where users added more than 500 dialogs during the experiment. Images were also registered to 65% of the postings. The most posted category is related to “animation, video games, manga.” The system was subjected to open examination by tourist information staff who had no prior experience with spoken dialog systems. Based on their impressions of tourist use of the dialog system, they shortened the length of some of the system’s responses and added pauses to the longer responses to make them easier to understand

MMDAE : Dialog scenario editor for MMDAgent on the web browser

We have developed MMDAgent (a fully open-source toolkit for voice interaction systems), which runs on a variety of platforms such as personal computers and smartphones. From this, the editing environment of the dialog scenario also needs to be operated on various platforms. So, we develop a scenario editor that is implemented on a Web browser. The purpose of this paper also includes making it easy to edit the scenario. Experiments were conducted for subjects using the proposed scenario editor. It was found that our proposed system provides better readability of a scenario and allows easier editing

Intra-arm Balancing Control for Modular Multilevel Converter with Cell Loading Operated under High Power Imbalances

Multiport converters with a large number of ports have been explored for integrated generation units or batteries. An attractive candidate multiport converter has been developed based on the modular multilevel converter (MMC) with cell loading. Accordingly, this study proposes a control strategy for a multiport converter based on the MMC operated under high power imbalances among cells. Owing to this power imbalance, the multiport converter requires an additional circulating current (intra-arm balancing current) to provide balanced three-phase grid currents and balanced capacitor voltages in all cells. In a previous study, the minimum required intra-arm balancing current was calculated offline and applied according to the loading condition. This method may require a high-capacity memory for the controller. In contract, this study proposes an active control method for minimizing the intra-arm balancing current online. Experimental results reveal that the multiport converter achieves balanced three-phase currents with a total harmonic distortion of 3.13% and balanced capacitor voltages with an error of 0.1% under maximum power imbalance among cells. © 2024 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.Intra-arm Balancing Control for Modular Multilevel Converter with Cell Loading Operated under High Power ImbalancesacceptedVersio

Experience with the Vibrant Soundbridge RW-Coupler for round window Vibroplasty with tympanosclerosis

Usage of the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) with round window (RW)-Coupler placement at the RW has been shown to successfully treat mixed hearing loss. Coupling between the VSB's floating mass transducer (FMT) and the RW membrane is difficult in the case of sclerosis in the RW and drilling down the bony lip until the RW membrane can be seen completely can possibly induce a perilymphatic fistula. A 68-year-old woman who had bilateral mixed hearing loss with sclerosis in the RW due to tympanosclerosis underwent a RW-Vibroplasty with a RW-Coupler. Speech discrimination scores in quiet and noise and functional gain with the VSB with RW-Coupler were better than those using a conventional hearing aid. The results of the present case have shown the feasibility of implanting a VSB with RW-Coupler in patients with mixed hearing loss due to tympanosclerosis.ArticleACTA OTO-LARYNGOLOGICA. 132(6):676-682 (2012)journal articl

Spatial-photonic Ising machine by space-division multiplexing with physically tunable coefficients of a multi-component model

This paper proposes a space-division multiplexed spatial-photonic Ising machine (SDM-SPIM) that physically calculates the weighted sum of the Ising Hamiltonians for individual components in a multi-component model. Space-division multiplexing enables tuning a set of weight coefficients as an optical parameter and obtaining the desired Ising Hamiltonian at a time. We solved knapsack problems to verify the system's validity, demonstrating that optical parameters impact the search property. We also investigated a new dynamic coefficient search algorithm to enhance search performance. The SDM-SPIM would physically calculate the Hamiltonian and a part of the optimization with an electronics process.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Language development in Japanese children who receive cochlear implant and/or hearing aid

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate a wide variety of factors that influence auditory, speech, and language development following pediatric cochlear implantation (CI). Study design: Prospective collection of language tested data in profound hearing-impaired children. Hypothesis: Pediatric CI can potentially be effective to development of practical communication skills and early implantation is more effective. Methods: We proposed a set of language tests (assessment package of the language development for Japanese hearing-impaired children; ALADJIN) consisting of communication skills testing (test for question-answer interaction development; TQAID), comprehensive (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised; PVT-R and Standardized Comprehension Test for Abstract Words; SCTAW) and productive vocabulary (Word Fluency Test; WFT), and comprehensive and productive syntax (Syntactic processing Test for Aphasia; STA). Of 638 hearing-impaired children recruited for this study, 282 (44.2%) with >70 dB hearing impairment had undergone CI. After excluding children with low birth weight (11 points on the Pervasive Developmental Disorder ASJ Rating Scale for the test of autistic tendency, and those <2 SD on Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices for the test of non-verbal intelligence, 190 children were subjected to this set of language tests. Results: Sixty children (31.6%) were unilateral CI-only users, 128 (67.4%) were CI-hearing aid (HA) users, and 2 (1.1%) were bilateral CI users. Hearing loss level of CI users was significantly (p < 0.01) worse than that of HA-only users. However, the threshold level, maximum speech discrimination score, and speech intelligibility rating in CI users were significantly (p < 0.01) better than those in HA-only users. The scores for PVT-R (p < 0.01), SCTAW, and WET in CI users were better than those in HA-only users. STA and TQAID scores in CI-HA users were significantly (p < 0.05) better than those in unilateral CI-only users. The high correlation (r = 0.52) has been found between the age of CI and maximum speech discrimination score. The scores of speech and language tests in the implanted children before 24 months of age have been better than those in the implanted children after 24 months of age. Conclusions: We could indicate that CI was effective for language development in Japanese hearing-impaired children and early CI was more effective for productive vocabulary and syntax.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY. 76(3):433-438 (2012)journal articl