What is a speech synthesis IC?
What is a speech synthesis IC?
A speech synthesis IC converts pre-recorded or synthesized audio data into sound for playback. Simply put, it is an IC designed to generate sound. Speech synthesis involves the artificial creation of human voices and other sounds.
In modern appliances, vehicles, and home equipment, various sounds, melodies, and voice notifications are commonly used, with many of these devices incorporating speech synthesis ICs.
When considering sound as an interface that connects people and things, a speech synthesis IC serves as a key component that facilitates this connection through sound.
Applications using speech synthesis ICs
One common application of speech synthesis ICs is in microwave ovens, where they generate voice notifications of melodies to indicate that cooking is complete.
Other applications include voice guidance systems, fire alarms, home appliances like water heaters, industrial equipment such as lift cars and elevators, and automotive systems.
Speech synthesis ICs are integrated in a wide range of everyday devices.
Advantages of using speech synthesis ICs (reduces component count)
Producing sound requires components for audio data generation, a speaker amp for playback, and a speaker.
Most speech synthesis ICs integrate both the audio data generating unit and speaker amp in a single chip, reducing the number of required components.
Advantages of using speech synthesis ICs (reduces CPU load of the main MCU)
Sound can also be generated using the main MCU embedded in applications like home appliances and residential equipment. However, this process demands considerable CPU resources. Consequently, if the main MCU handles sound generation, it may become unresponsive during playback or fail to produce sound at the correct time. By using a speech synthesis IC, the necessary circuitry for sound generation is built into the IC itself, reducing the number of commands from the MCU which lessens the processing load on the main MCU's CPU.
Advantages of using speech synthesis ICs (reduces development load)
One approach is to have the main MCU send commands while a sub-MCU manages sound generation. In this case, it is possible to reduce the processing load on the main MCU's CPU. However, developing software for the sub-MCU requires substantial effort and man-hours. In contrast, using a pre-configured speech synthesis IC can significantly reduce the amount of work needed.
