Kazuaki Maeda

Annotation tools based on the annotation graph API

Annotation graphs provide an efficient and expressive data model for linguistic annotations of time-series data. This paper reports progress on a complete open-source software infrastructure supporting the rapid development of tools for transcribing and annotating time-series data. This generalpurpose infrastructure uses annotation graphs as the underlying model, and allows developers to quickly create special-purpose annotation tools using common components. An application programming interface, an I/O library, and graphical user interfaces are described. Our experience has shown us that it is a straightforward task to create new special-purpose annotation tools based on this general-purpose infrastructure.

The annotation graph toolkit: software components for building linguistic annotation tools

Annotation graphs provide an efficient and expressive data model for linguistic annotations of time-series data. This paper reports progress on a complete software infrastructure supporting the rapid development of tools for transcribing and annotating time-series data. This general-purpose infrastructure uses annotation graphs as the underlying model, and allows developers to quickly create special-purpose annotation tools using common components. An application programming interface, an I/O library, and graphical user interfaces are described. Our experience has shown us that it is a straightforward task to create new special-purpose annotation tools based on this general-purpose infrastructure.

Basic Language Resources for Diverse Asian Languages: A Streamlined Approach for Resource Creation

The REFLEX-LCTL (Research on English and Foreign Language Exploitation-Less Commonly Taught Languages) program, sponsored by the United States government, was an effort in simultaneous creation of basic language resources and technologies for under-resourced languages, with the aim to enrich sparse areas in language technology resources and encourage new research. We were tasked to produce basic language resources for 8 Asian languages: Bengali, Pashto, Punjabi, Tamil, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu and Uzbek, and 5 languages from Europe and Africa, and distribute them to research and development also funded by the program. This paper will discuss the streamlined approach to language resource development we designed to support simultaneous creation of multiple resources for multiple languages.

A new loudspeaker for low frequency radiation by linear motion type piezoelectric ultrasonic actuators

The authors had proposed new direct-radiator loudspeaker constructions with a conventional paper cone radiator driven by ultrasonic motors (USM), as a substitution for voice-coil motor. However, those models needed a revolution to linear motion conversion mechanism, and avoiding zero region non-linearity, like class A amplifier. These complications came from the conventional USM, since it is a rotational and having zero region non-linearity inherently. Here, the authors would propose a new mechanism by using new ultrasonic linear actuators, called longitudinal-bending multilayered transducers with independent electrodes (LBMTIE). The beauty of LBMTIE is linear and to control vertical motion and horizontal motion independently, hence zero region non-linearity avoided. Therefore, it is possible to substitute the voice-coil motor directly, which avoids the complicated mechanisms mentioned above. In this LBMTIE driven loudspeaker, vertical movement voltage be fixed and horizontal voltage is driven by audio si...

Loudspeaker for low frequency signal driven by four piezoelectric ultrasonic motors

The authors are developing a completely new direct-radiator loudspeaker as an alternative of the conventional electrodynamic loudspeaker. It is driven by continuous revolution of piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, It is useful for radiation of very low frequency signal because it shows almost flat phase frequency characteristics in low frequency region.. A preliminary model, named DMDS (dual-motor, de-spin) model, included co-axial two ultrasonic motors. Stator of one motor is fixed to the base and it of the other is connected to the cone radiator. Velocity modulation for any motor induces driving force for the cone radiator. Output sound at low frequency range (for example, 30 - 120 Hz) by this model was excellent because it has no significant resonance in this frequency region. However, its output sound was occasionally poor. At this Congress, a highly improved model named QMDS (quad-motor, de-spin) model is presented. It uses two co-axial DMDS mechanisms. The experimental model has a cone radiator of 46 ...

Two driving constructions of loudspeakers for low‐frequency range by piezoelectric ultrasonic motors.

The loudspeaker driven by piezoelectric ultrasonic motors is characterized by a precise very‐low‐frequency reproduction due to its high‐driving mechanical impedance. It has a lot of merits comparing to the conventional electrodynamic loudspeakers. One of the reason will be that this loudspeaker is a power flow modulator, not a transducer. In this presentation, two sorts of ultrasonic motors are compared as driver elements of the loudspeakers. One is an ordinary revolution‐type motor and the other is a reciprocal linear motion type actuator. The authors constructed and improved practical low‐frequency‐range loudspeakers by using continuous revolution of ultrasonic motors. Its final model uses combination of two motors with same axis, which drive two cone radiators moving oppositely. This model shows a satisfactorily large output sound pressure and stable reproduction. However, its complicated elements for connection of the motors and the cone radiators cause a mechanical weakness. The authors, therefore, p...

Loudspeaker using continuous revolution of a piezoelectric ultrasonic motor

Volume displacement of a direct radiator loudspeaker diaphragm is inversely proportional to the square of its signal frequency. The lowest frequency of a flat response is restricted by the diaphragmfs fundamental resonance frequency. Therefore, a loudspeaker diaphragm for radiation of a low‐frequency signal shall have large amplitude and low resonant frequency. The authors propose the application of a piezoelectric ultrasonic motor for this purpose. It produces a completely controlled large output force because its output mechanical impedance is much greater than any conventional transducer or motor. An ultrasonic motor whose stator is connected to a direct‐radiator loudspeaker cone diaphragm by a rod and whose rotor is loaded by a heavy metal ring rotates with a constant velocity. Modulation of the velocity by the audio signal causes driving force to the diaphragm because a heavy ring with large inertia tends to rotate with constant velocity. This paper reports construction of a practical experimental mo...

A framework for annotating animal bioacoustic data

Annotation graphs (AGs) provide an efficient and expressive data model for linguistic annotations of time–series data [Bird and Liberman, 2001]. The term annotation here refers to the association of structured symbolic information with an extent of signal data. This paper demonstrates that AGs also provide an excellent framework for annotating time–series animal bioacoustic data. The AG model has several desirable properties for annotating animal bioacoustic signals. Partial or incomplete annotations can be represented naturally. Hierarchical structures, such as internal structures of animal communicative signals, can be stored and manipulated effectively. The model permits efficient query using the relational database technology. The spreadsheet‐like editor component described in the paper provides an intuitive user interface for creating annotations of bioacoustic signals, such as monkey vocalizations, as AG data. The paper describes the tool used for annotating the vocalization of vervet monkeys, and the preliminary findings of the project are presented. Finally, the paper lays out a complete infrastructure for supporting the rapid development of annotation tools for animal bioacoustic data [S. Bird and M. Liberman, ‘‘A Formal Framework for Linguistic Annotation,’’ Speech Commun. 33, 23–60 (2001)].