IBM Watson Speech to Text | Artificial intelligence #49

Technology Hub
5 Nov 202205:27

TLDRIBM Watson Speech to Text is an AI service that transcribes audio and voice into written text in real time, supporting multiple languages including Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. The service offers a demo where users can record audio or play samples to see the conversion process. It also provides features like word timing, alternatives, and a JSON body response. Users can integrate the service into their applications using provided API commands and tools like Insomnia, making it a versatile tool for demos, POCs, and front-end applications.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ˜€ IBM Watson Speech to Text is a service that converts audio and voice into written text for quick understanding.
  • ๐ŸŒ It supports multiple languages including Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.
  • ๐ŸŽค The service has a demo page where you can use a microphone to record audio and see it converted to text in real time.
  • ๐Ÿ” The demo also shows the accuracy of the conversion and provides additional information like word timing and alternatives.
  • ๐Ÿ“ The JSON body response shows the actual data received from the service, which can be useful for developers.
  • ๐Ÿ’ป To use the service, you need to sign up for a free IBM Watson account and create a Speech to Text service instance.
  • ๐Ÿ”— You can then use the provided credentials and curl command to make requests to the service from applications like Insomnia.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฅ When making requests, you can upload audio files and the service will return the text transcription of the audio.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ The service handles different file sizes well, as demonstrated with a larger file that was transcribed in about 10 seconds.
  • ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ The service is easy to integrate into demos, POCs, and front-end applications with the use of provided curl commands.
  • ๐Ÿ“š Understanding the service's capabilities allows you to plan and learn more about how to effectively use it in various applications.

Q & A

  • What is IBM Watson Speech to Text service?

    -IBM Watson Speech to Text is a service that converts audio and voice into written text, allowing for quick understanding of content.

  • Which languages does the IBM Watson Speech to Text service support?

    -The service supports Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.

  • Can the service convert speech to text in real time?

    -Yes, the service can convert speech to text in real time using the microphone feature during the demo.

  • What are the different formats supported by the service for the demo?

    -The transcript does not specify the different formats supported, but it mentions the ability to record audio and convert it to text.

  • How can one test the service using the demo page?

    -You can test the service by going to the demo page, selecting a language, starting the recording, and speaking into the microphone to see the real-time conversion to text.

  • What additional features does the demo provide for understanding the speech?

    -The demo provides features like word timing, alternatives, and a JSON body response to give a comprehensive understanding of the speech.

  • How can the IBM Watson Speech to Text service be accessed programmatically?

    -The service can be accessed programmatically using the provided curl command in the IBM Watson dashboard, which can be used in applications like Insomnia.

  • What is the process of using the service with an Insomnia application?

    -To use the service with Insomnia, you need to log in to your IBM Watson account, select the service, copy the curl command, create a new request in Insomnia, paste the code, and adjust the settings as needed before sending the request.

  • What kind of issues might one encounter when using the service with an audio file?

    -One might encounter issues like incorrect transcription if the audio file's language does not match the selected voice language, as demonstrated in the transcript.

  • How does the service handle large audio files?

    -The service can handle large audio files, as shown in the transcript where a larger file was processed in about 10 seconds.

  • How can the IBM Watson Speech to Text service be integrated into applications?

    -The service can be integrated into applications by using the curl command as demonstrated, which makes it easy to implement in front-end applications.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ”Š IBM Watson Speech to Text Service Overview

This paragraph introduces the IBM Watson speech to text service, which is capable of converting various languages, including Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin, into written text. The service is demonstrated through a real-time audio recording, showcasing its ability to transcribe speech into text as it happens. The accuracy of the transcription is noted, and additional features such as word timing, alternatives, and the JSON body response are highlighted. The user is guided through the process of using the service with Insomnia, an API client, including how to set up a request and handle audio files. A minor transcription error is mentioned, demonstrating the service's challenge with uncommon words or names not found in its dictionary.

05:01

๐Ÿ“ Using IBM Watson Speech to Text in Applications

The second paragraph emphasizes the ease of using the IBM Watson speech to text service, particularly through the use of a curl command. It outlines the steps to get started with the service, including logging into an IBM Watson or IBM Bluemix account, selecting a language, and creating a service instance. The paragraph also discusses the practical application of the service in demos, proofs of concept, and potentially in a front-end application, suggesting its versatility and utility in various development scenarios.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กIBM Watson Speech to Text

IBM Watson Speech to Text is an artificial intelligence service that converts spoken language into written text. It's a powerful tool for transcribing audio and voice into a format that can be easily read and understood. In the video, it is demonstrated to work in real-time, converting the speaker's words into text as they speak, showcasing its utility in various applications such as transcription services, automated captioning, and more.

๐Ÿ’กArtificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is the underlying technology that enables the IBM Watson Speech to Text service to understand and convert spoken language into written form. The video highlights AI's role in facilitating quick comprehension of audio content.

๐Ÿ’กTranscription

Transcription is the process of converting spoken language into written form. It's a key function of the IBM Watson Speech to Text service, as it allows users to get a written record of audio content. The video demonstrates the transcription process in action, showing how the service can accurately convert spoken words into text.

๐Ÿ’กAPI

API stands for Application Programming Interface, which is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. In the video, the IBM Watson Speech to Text service interacts with an API to perform its transcription tasks. The script mentions the API's role in returning the transcribed text in real-time.

๐Ÿ’กReal-time

Real-time refers to a mode of operation in which the system provides an immediate response without any noticeable delay. The video script describes how the IBM Watson Speech to Text service can convert speech to text in real-time, meaning that the written text appears as the speech is happening, which is crucial for applications requiring instant feedback or processing.

๐Ÿ’กLanguage Support

The script mentions that the IBM Watson Speech to Text service supports multiple languages, including Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. This feature allows the service to cater to a global audience and transcribe content in various linguistic contexts, demonstrating its versatility and adaptability.

๐Ÿ’กMicrophone

In the context of the video, a microphone is the device used to capture audio input for the transcription process. The script describes how users can use a microphone to record audio, which is then converted to text by the IBM Watson Speech to Text service, highlighting the ease of use and the hands-free operation of the service.

๐Ÿ’กInsomnia

Insomnia is a REST client application used for testing and debugging APIs. In the video, Insomnia is used to demonstrate how to interact with the IBM Watson Speech to Text service's API. The script guides viewers through the process of setting up a request in Insomnia, which is then used to send audio files for transcription.

๐Ÿ’กCurl Command

A curl command is a command-line tool used to transfer data using various protocols, including HTTP and HTTPS. In the video, the curl command is shown as a way to interact with the IBM Watson Speech to Text service programmatically. The script provides an example of how to use the curl command to send an audio file for transcription.

๐Ÿ’กContent-Type

Content-Type is an HTTP header used to indicate the nature of the content being sent or received in an HTTP request or response. In the video, when uploading an audio file for transcription, the script mentions setting the Content-Type to 'audio/mpeg', which informs the server about the type of audio file being submitted.

๐Ÿ’กBinary File

A binary file is a type of file that is not meant to be read or edited by a human directly but is instead used by software programs. In the context of the video, the script refers to selecting a binary file when uploading an audio file for transcription, indicating that the audio file is in a binary format that the IBM Watson Speech to Text service can process.

Highlights

IBM Watson Speech to Text service converts audio and voice into written text for quick understanding.

The service supports multiple languages including Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.

Real-time conversion of audio to text is possible using the microphone feature.

The demo page allows users to record audio and see the conversion to text in real time.

Accuracy of the transcription is quite good, as demonstrated in the demo.

Additional features include word timing and alternatives.

The JSON body response shows the actual data received from the API.

Users can try the service from the Insomnia application.

To use the service, users need to log in to their IBM Watson or IBM Bluemix account.

Creating a service instance is straightforward with the 'Create' option in the dashboard.

Credentials and API commands are provided for easy integration.

Insomnia can be used to create a new request and test the service with a cURL command.

The service can handle binary files and requires setting the correct content type.

Transcription errors may occur with non-standard words or names not in the dictionary.

The service can process larger audio files efficiently, as demonstrated with a sample file.

The service requires the text language to match the selected voice language for accurate results.

The synthesized audio is streamed to the client, ensuring real-time processing.

The service is suitable for demos, POCs, and front-end applications.

Easy-to-use cURL commands demonstrate the service's functionality.