Using FOSS TTS Developer Tool to build Malay TTS System

Abstract

In order to develop a complete and usable Text-to-Speech (TTS) system requires years of time, hours of human workloads and tons of knowledge from various field of subjects. However, with a simple and easy software tools to use and understand, the burden of developing a complete TTS for a specific language can be overcome. Thus, such existing software is able to cater for dynamic society that demands for less and less appliance to communicate with machines and prefers natural user interface, like voices and visual to interact with machine. In this paper, we will present our work and experience as a user in using a software developer tool called eSpeakedit (a free/open source software (FOSS)) of eSpeak TTS system to build a Malay TTS system within a short time. In this paper, not only our experience as a user will make other TTS researcher in Malay or non-Malay language be awared of the eSpeak developer tools and architecture, but other FOSS and non-FOSS researcher might be enlighten of such well-designed FOSS architecture as well