Researchers Work To Perfect Computerized Lip Reading

Iddo Genuth writes "Researchers at the University of East Anglia are working to develop computerized lip-reading systems. Lip-reading is extremely hard for humans to master, but a software-based system has several benefits over even the most highly trained expert. The ultimate goal of the project is to convert lip-read speech into text. 'Apart from being extremely helpful to hearing-disabled individuals, researchers say that such a system could be used to noiselessly dictate commands to electronic devices equipped with a simple camera - like mobile phones, microwaves or even a car's dashboard. England's Home Office Scientific Development Branch ... is currently investigating the feasibility of using lip-reading software as an additional tool for gathering information about criminals or for collecting evidence.'"

Comments

Hitler's silent "home" movies.

[agent]

"The Private Voice of Hitler"
http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=77092

Silent films given voice

[lightyear4]

Bringing audio and/or transcript to silent films is also where such technology is applicable. An excellent documentary about computerized lip reading to accomplish the very same may be found via google video : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=189608705425991617&hl=en . I know it's quite early for an indirect invocation of Godwin's Law, but the documentary content is nevertheless quite related to this topic. It is entitled "Hitler Speaks" in reference to silent videos filmed in Hitler's presence.

Speech recognition uses

[WizzardX]

Will future versions of speech recognition software use a web cam to improve accuracy?

Re:HAL's way ahead of you.

[pauljlucas]

The thing that's strange about HAL's ability to speech-read is that it seems very unlikely that Dr. Chandra would have taught HAL how to do this. From an interview with Arthur C. Clarke:

Stork: So HAL recognized the drawings of the crewman. He did lip-reading and speech-reading. Tell us about HAL's vision and visual abilities.

Clarke:The one ability that I was doubtful about, and this was Stanley's idea, was his power of lip-reading. First of all, I didn't think it was possible for a computer to lip-read. Secondly, why should they bother to give him that facility anyway? That's an interesting point that I don't think is ever explained. Anyway, it certainly produced the most effective sequence. And, of course, it's led to a number of careers in the business.

Stork: But perhaps lip-reading just emerges. Once you've got speech-recognition, once you've got vision. HAL would somehow put them together. After all, you were never taught how to lip-read, never the less you do lip-read.

Clarke: Well, I can't lip-read, except of course I probably do it unconsciously. And now that I'm getting quite deaf, I might be doing more and more lip-reading. But it seems incredible to me that a really good lip-reader can fool people around into thinking that they have normal hearing.