Korean startup Neosapience, Inc. has developed an exclusive voice intelligence technology that learns the voice features of the user and generates speech that mimics the user’s voice. Many companies have tried AI-based speech synthesis technology, but Neosapience’s has been able to raise the level to emotion and rhyme in the voice.
App. that emotes voice of the user
Neosapience’s app Icepeak.AI learns voice features of a certain person, and generates speech that mimics the voice identity, prosody, and emotion of the person. It provides the unique solution to productise valuable voice as intellectual property. Given a small amount of the voice, it learns the voice feature and generates speech with the same voice identity, even in a different language.
Unlike the ‘Text to Speech’ service where a robot’s voice is used, Icepeak.AI delivers speech that reflects the intonation of the human voice. For example, if you study the English voices of US President Donald Trump, you can produce English and Korean voices with the same voice. The demo-video of the same example has been released on YouTube.
Neosapience, Inc’s primary goal is clear, that is ‘Merchandising of voices’.
Icepeak.AI is a great tool for recording audiobooks as it only requires the user to just literally read a book aloud. Icepeak.AI can dramatically reduce the absolute time required for recording. If the voice is recorded for only about 10 minutes, AI can learn the features and automatically read one volume of the book. With the Audiobook industry said to grow at rate of 20% per annum, this AI technology sure does have lot of utilisation scope. Amazon, Google and many others are already indulging in the audiobook industry.
Neosapience is also seeking business opportunities with the domestic and international entertainment industry. The app can be useful for Korean stars with international fans and one who doesn’t speak a foreign language.
By using the speech synthesis technology with holograms the Korean star can connect with the international fans.
At present, Icepeak.AI supports only Korean and English. In the first half of 2019, the startup hopes to make Japanese and Chinese also possible.
Working towards a better world
The startup that was launched in 2017 and has very strong foundation in its CEO Kim Tae-soo, who has been a pioneer in speech synthesis using machine learning. Since graduating from KAIST Graduate School, Kim Taesu has worked in various leading companies including LG Electronics and Qualcomm, before deciding to take a plunge to start his own business.
‘We are a startup company that develops applications and technologies
to make artificial intelligence more like human.’ – Neosapience, Inc.
Neosapience, Inc. has received its seed investment from Fast Investment. The startup hopes that the technology shall be used for socially meaningful purposes in future. “This technology can be used to provide information about the world’s attractions. We can make 100 hours of audio content in about 10 hours. I wish I could make content for the visually impaired. I hope we become a role model in this field,” said Kim.
