Modelling the melody of human speech: profiling intonation for automated telephone systems

Funding: 2001: $40,000
2002: $40,000
2003: $40,000

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC SPIRT (Strategic Partnerships with Industry Re)
Syrinx Environmental PL (Syrinx Partner Funds)
NSW Adult Migrant English Services (NSW ADULT MIGRANT ENGLISH SERVICE)

Start year: 2001

Summary: Allowing callers to use natural language will be the next breakthrough in automated telephone dialogue systems. The Australian company, Syrinx Speech Systems, is a world leader in this field. The project will develop an Intonation Recognition System that recognises and 'understands' the melodies of human speech, based on comprehensive linguistic analyses of the form and function of intonation in Australian English. The system developed will be adaptable for other varieties of spoken English and marketable worldwide. This project will revolutionise the Call Centre industry, give Syrinx a global competitive edge and put Australian technology at the forefront of this field.

Keywords: Systemic-Functional Linguistics; Australian English Intonation; Natural Language Processing; Speech Processing

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.