News: April 2017

Russians visit Bangor to find out about our language planning and Welsh language support

Academic researchers from Russia were recently welcomed to Canolfan Bedwyr , Bangor University’s Centre for Welsh Language Services, Technology and Research.

Publication date: 12 April 2017

RoboLlywydd and other Welsh Voices

Bangor University has created new tools for producing natural sounding synthetic voices in Welsh. They will be able to read aloud any Welsh text from a computer or mobile device. As part of the Macsen project, funded by the Welsh Government, a quick and easy method was devised for preparing prompts, recording individuals reading them aloud, and using information about Welsh sounds to build synthetic voices that sound very similar to the voice of the individual recorded. In the SeneddLab2017 event in Cardiff recently, the team for the L anguage Technologies Unit , Canolfan Bedwyr had an opportunity to test this method, building a new voice in one hour to give oral information about the Welsh National Assembly, calling it ‘RoboLlywydd’ (‘RoboPresident’).

Publication date: 11 April 2017