30 wrz 2010

Praca w Edynburgu

We have an open postdoc position here at CSTR. Applicants need a background in HMM-based speech processing (ideally for speech synthesis, but expertise in HMM-based speech recognition would also be appropriate). The current position is for 12 months, but we hope to be able to extend this with additional funding.

Simon

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Post-doctoral Research Associate

HMM-based speech synthesis

The Centre for Speech Technology Research (CSTR)
University of Edinburgh

The School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh invites applications for the post of Postdoctoral Research Associate on a project concerning voice reconstruction and personalised voice communication aids. The project will develop clinical applications of speaker-adaptive statistical text-to-speech synthesis in collaboration with the Euan MacDonald Centre, who are funding this project. Applications include the reconstruction of voices of patients who have disordered speech as a consequence of Motor Neurone Disease, by using statistical parametric model adaptation. The project will also investigate better voice reconstruction methods.

You will be part of a dynamic and creative research team within the Centre for Speech Technology Research, at the forefront of developments in statistical speech synthesis. The application of statistical parametric speech synthesis to clinical applications such as voice banking, voice reconstruction and assistive devices, is an exciting new development and an area in which we expect to have increased research activity in the coming years. We are seeking additional long-term funding for this work and there may be the possibility of extending this Research Associate position.


You have (or will be near completion of) a PhD in speech processing, computer science, cognitive science, linguistics, engineering, mathematics, or a related discipline.

You will have the necessary programming ability to conduct research in this area, a background in statistical modelling using Hidden Markov Models and strong experimental planning and execution skills.

A background in one or more of the following areas is also desirable: statistical parametric text-to-speech synthesis using HMMs and HSMMs; speaker adaptation using the MLLR or MAP family of techniques; familiarity with software tools including HTK, HTS, Festival; ability to implement web applications.; Familiarity with the issues surrounding degenerative diseases which affect speech, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's disease, Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis is desirable.

For further information and to apply.


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Simon King

24 wrz 2010

Roboty

Skonstruowano sztuczną skórę dla robotów wrażliwą nawet na delikatne bodźce. Rozmawiałem też z ludźmi z CMU i twierdzili, że w 2015 roku poleci na księżyc pierwsza misja górnicza. Poszukiwanym surowcem będzie platyna. Oczekuje się jej dużo na księżycu ze względu na liczne krateru, a platyna na ziemi występują głównie w miejscach uderzeń meteorytów.

23 wrz 2010

IEEE ICSC

IEEE International Conference on Semantic Computing organizowana na Carnegie Mellon University w Pittsburghu wyróżnia się wśród innych konferencji na których byłem. Jest dużo uczestników z firm. Jest dużo "niestandardowych" punktów programu takich jak demonstracje działających systemów czy prezentacje laboratoriów uniwersytetu. Dość specyficzne jest także to, że trwa około 12 godzin dziennie. Nie łatwo jest temu podołać.