This is the Revision A version of the SpeechQV RoboBrick. The status of this project is work in progress.

SpeechQV1 Robobrick (Revision A)

Table of Contents

This document is also available as a PDF document.

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Programming
• 3. Hardware
  • 3.1 Circuit Schematic
  • 3.2 Printed Circuit Board
• 4. Software
• 5. Issues

1. Introduction

The SpeechQV1 RoboBrick is used to output synthesized speech. It uses the Quadravox QV306M4-TTS module.

This module requires that a piece of text be entered into a text to diphone converter. The Quadravox documentation gives a good 60 second overview of what diphones are and why they are used in speech synthesis. Quadravox provides a text to diphone converter that runs on the Windows^® operating system with the purchase of QV306-TTS module. The Quadravox software is based on the t2a software written by Tom Jennings that is currently available at http://www.wps.com/products/Story-Teller/technical/T2A/. (Tom's version is based on some software written by John Wasser.) Once the text has been converted to diphones, the diphone sequences are downloaded into the SpeechQV1 RoboBrick for eventual output as synthesized speech using the QV306M4-TTS module.

2. Programming

There is no programming specification yet.

3. Hardware

The hardware consists of a circuit schematic and a printed circuit board.

3.1 Circuit Schematic

The SpeechQV1 RoboBrick schematic is shown below:

The parts list kept in a separate file -- speechqv1.ptl.

3.2 Printed Circuit Board

The available printed circuit boards are listed below:

speechqv1_back.png

The solder side layer.

speechqv1_front.png

The component side layer.

speechqv1_artwork.png

The artwork layer.

speechqv1.gbl

The RS-274X "Gerber" back (solder side) layer.

speechqv1.gtl

The RS-274X "Gerber" top (component side) layer.

speechqv1.gal

The RS-274X "Gerber" artwork layer.

speechqv1.drl

The "Excellon" NC drill file.

speechqv1.tol

The "Excellon" NC drill rack file.

4. Software

There is no software yet.

5. Issues

The following fabrication issues came up:

• The speaker holes are too small (size 2) and need to be at least size 3.
• The connection cable needs to be documented.
• The parts list needs to mention the connection shell and pins.
• Think about providing a place to mount the QV306M-TTS.