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Design and Development of Voice based Writing Machine for Alphabet

Conference Paper · April 2019

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

Design and Development of Voice based Writing

Machine for Alphabet

J.Jenitta1, Durga Prasad.V2 and Usha.M.M3

1
Associate Professor, 2,3Students’
Dept of ECE, AMCEC

Abstract
The people without arms couldn’t write the exam or what they feel. Speech is one of the
means through which physically challenged people express their thoughts. Robotic arm is
programmed device which can perform similar functions as a human arm. Proposed system
is developed for the differently abled people who do not have the ability to write, due to
absence of arm, which may limit the quality of creative expressions. Windows speech
recognizer is used for speech recognition and conversion of the same into text. Benbox
software acts as the interface between the user and the writing machine. Proposed system
uses Arduino Uno R3 processor for executing the commands. The accuracy of 80% is
achieved in the proposed method.
Keyboards: Writing machine, physically challenged people, Speech recognition.

1. Introduction
Robotics may be a combined science that uses the continued progressions of technology,
material science, sensor fabrication, manufacturing techniques, and advanced algorithms.
The study and follow of robotics can expose a dabbler or skilled to many totally different
avenues of study. Robotics deals with the planning, construction, operation, and use of
robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information
processing. Robots are designed to assist human in their work and reduced human efforts.
Robots, like computers, are powerful tools that open horizons to their human creators. They
do not tire, and can stand up to environmental conditions that we cannot endure nowadays,
robots are designed to mimic human behavior and perform tasks similar to human. Many
researchers are developing robotic arm for performing basic functions like human arm.
Among different functions, writing skills is one of function. The proposed robotic arm can
be used by physically challenged person for writing operation.

Figure 1: Illustration of speech to text conversion

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2. Literature survey
Many people have been working on writing machine, which converts, the codes/commands
of the user into movement of pen. In few of the systems smaller memory of the
microcontroller, have not allowed the user to achieve their requirement. Less memory of
microcontroller would only allow storing the commands of just few letters, which would
restrict the system in achieving the requirement of the user.
In [1] Abhishek & Anil Kumar explains about the development of a CNC machine which
moves in the X, Y, Z direction. The device was built and controlled using stepper motors
and linear movements of the DVD drivers and Arduino controllers. Also a stepper motor
driver is used for each motor to control the movement efficiently since Arduino has issues
controlling the motors by itself.
In [2] Prachi Khilari aims to recapitulate and match up to different speech recognition
systems as well as approaches for the speech to text conversion. The paper also explains
about the types of speech, types of speaker models and the different types of vocabulary
thereby developing a speech to text conversion system. Explains how the handicapped and
visually impaired can use this technology in their day to day lives.
In [3] Rajesh Mehra & Suraj Malik represents the overall design and implementation of
DSP based speech recognition and text conversion system. This paper represents voice
oriented command for converting into text. They intended to compute the entire speech
processing in real time. This involves simultaneously accepting the input from the user and
using software filters to analyze the data. The comparison was then to be established by
using correlation and μ law commanding techniques. In this paper, voice recognition is
achieved using MATLAB. The voice command is a person sovereign. The voice command
is stored in the data base with the help of the function keys. The real time speech input is
processed within the speech recognition system where the desired feature of the speech
words area unit extracted, filtered out and matched with the existing sample stored in the
database. Then the required MATLAB processes are done to convert the received data and
into text form. A system based on voice recognition was built and implemented. The system
is targeted at old and disabled folks and conjointly to robotics applications. The system
controls extended and multiple appliances by victimization speech recognition technology.
It can be applied in various applications such as voice activated wheel chairs, robotic control
appliances etc.
In [4] Manoj Kumar & Riyaz Ahmed explains about the design of robotic arm control using
MATLAB. The objective of this system is to develop a program that can control robotic arm
using MATLAB. To make the movement for robotic arm, 2 servo motors are used at joints.
Arduino Uno is programmed as per the required instructions and interfaced with system to
control the servo motor. This proposed method uses the MATLAB software to create the
program of robotic arm. This paper presented a prototype of human gesture approach for
writing on white board. In this approach they have used the shapes of all the 26 letters in
English. A vision based system which in general represents a web camera enables to
recognize human gestures. The entire setup shows that the trajectories of the movement of
hand gestures can be easily tracked and as per the identified path, robot arm moves such that
the final output is the written format of English Alphabet.

3. Proposed Work
In this proposed work the speech input of the user is converted into written document by the
pen. Fig.3 is the block diagram of the proposed system. Microphone is used as the input
device to the system. Inbuilt microphone of the computer or an external microphone
connected to the computer can be used for recognizing the speech input taken through the
microphone, it in turn converts the recognized speech to text. Windows speech recognizer
allows controlling PC with voice, without a keyboard or mouse.

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Figure 2: Block diagram of proposed work

Speech recognition was primarily designed to help people with disabilities that can‟t use a
mouse or keyboard. Speech recognition goes to sleep mode when not in use it needs to be
invoked by saying “start listening” voice command to turn it back on.

Figure 3: CNC shield Expansion board

Once the speech is converted to text it is directly given to the “Benbox” software which acts
as the interface between the user and the writing machine. Benbox is a laser engraving
software for CNC machines. It comes in the category of shareware and is Arduino friendly
engraving software supported by windows. It comes in two versions V3.3 and V3.7. The
proposed work is embedded system consisting of both software and hardware. Microsoft
speech recognizer and Benbox comprise the software part. Stepper motors, servo motors and
other components forms the hardware part.

Figure 4: A Stepper motor connected to Arduino using A4988 driver

Fig.3 shows CNC shield expansion board. Expansion board for the motor driver used to
connect more than 1 motor driver to a single board. Fig.4 shows connection of a Stepper
motor to Arduino using A4988 driver. The A4988 motor driver is a complete micro-

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stepping motor driver with built-in translator for easy operation. The translator is the key to
the easy implementation of the A4988. Simply inputting one pulse on the STEP input drives
the motor one micro-step.
Arduino uno R3 processor is used for processing the commands for motor movements. The
hardware is constructed in three orthogonal axes, movement in the three principle axis are
attained using motors. X and Y axis moments are achieved using micro stepping motors. In
the Z direction the movement is achieved using a servo motor. Rectangular slab of 11x10cm
is taken to construct the hardware. The rectangular slab can be a sun board or thin plywood
which allows the motor screw to be fixed up. The flexible pen is made by fixing a spring at
the back of the refill of a ball point pen or a gel pen. A thread is tied to the refill which when
pulled upwards creates tension in the spring and pulls the nib upwards.
The pen is fixed to the servo motor. The movement of motors in the principle axis results in
the movement of pen which produces the written document of the user speech input.
Benbox converts the text data into respective G codes which tells the writing machine,
number of steps of motor rotation, direction of motor rotation ( clockwise or anti clockwise),
duration of motor rotation etc. G code is the name alternatively used for numerical control
programming language. It is mainly used in manufacturing of computer-aided control
automated machine tools.

Figure 5: Hardware module of the proposed work

4. Results

Figure 6: Speech to text converted result using Microsoft speech recognizer

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Figure 7: Written document of letter ‘L’

Fig 6 shows the speech to text converted result of all 26 letters using Microsoft speech
recognizer. From the above figure it is identified that letters d, i, l, r, t was not recognized
properly. Fig 7 depicts letter „L‟ written by the writing machine after the process of speech
to text conversion. In this proposed system the accuracy of 80% is achieved.

5. Conclusion and Future Scope

In this proposed system, we have used a robotic assembly to write the document from what
the user speaks. This process is done by speech to text conversion and text to the written
document. The accuracy of 80% is achieved in the proposed system.
In future, the accuracy of the proposed system can be improved. The system can be
implemented to work for additional functions such as pick and place and other activities that
will help the disabled in their day to day activities. Human assistance for changing set of
paper can also be automated. A separate hardware module can be built that performs the
operation of speech to text conversion.

Acknowledgement
It is our privilege to express gratitude to IEEE Bangalore section (BS-SIP 2018) for
sponsoring our work. Our sincere credits to our parents, friends, one and all who have
directly or indirectly helped us in the successful completion of this work.

References
[1]. D.P.S. Pranav, D. Anil Kumar & I. Abhishek “Development of Arduino Controlled
CNC/3D Printer”, International Journal of Emerging Research in Management
&Technology, ISSN: 2278-9359, Vol-5, Issue-7 2016.
[2]. Prof. Bhope V & Ms.Prachi Khilari “A Review on Speech to Text Conversion
Methods”, International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Engineering &
Technology Vol 4 Issue 7, 2015.
[3]. Suraj Mallik1, Rajesh Mehra2 “Speech to Text Conversion for Visually Impaired
Person using µ Law Companding”, IOSR Journal of Electronics and Communication
Engineering (IOSR-JECE) e-ISSN: 2278-2834, p- ISSN: 2278-8735.Volume 10, Issue
6, Ver. II 2015, PP 58-62.
[4]. Syed riaz Ahmed, S.R. & Manoj Kumar “Robot Arm Control using Image Processing
and Matlab for simple Writing by Human Gestures”, International Journal of
Mechanical Engineering and Technology, Vol 8, 1401-1405, 2017.

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[5]. lman Yussof, Adzly Anuar & Karina Fernandez, “Algorithm for robot writing using
character segmentation”, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on
Information technology and applications 0-7695-2316-1/05 IEEE 2005.
[6]. Seima Saki, Sabita Devi & Manoj S, “Design of Intelligent Robotic Arm For Visually
Challenged”, Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE Students' Technology Symposium, 978-1-
4244-5974-2/10 IEEE 2010.

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