EmoSpeech: A Corpus of Emotionally Rich and Contextually Detailed Speech Annotations (2412.06581v3)

Abstract: Advances in text-to-speech (TTS) technology have significantly improved the quality of generated speech, closely matching the timbre and intonation of the target speaker. However, due to the inherent complexity of human emotional expression, the development of TTS systems capable of controlling subtle emotional differences remains a formidable challenge. Existing emotional speech databases often suffer from overly simplistic labelling schemes that fail to capture a wide range of emotional states, thus limiting the effectiveness of emotion synthesis in TTS applications. To this end, recent efforts have focussed on building databases that use natural language annotations to describe speech emotions. However, these approaches are costly and require more emotional depth to train robust systems. In this paper, we propose a novel process aimed at building databases by systematically extracting emotion-rich speech segments and annotating them with detailed natural language descriptions through a generative model. This approach enhances the emotional granularity of the database and significantly reduces the reliance on costly manual annotations by automatically augmenting the data with high-level LLMs. The resulting rich database provides a scalable and economically viable solution for developing a more nuanced and dynamic basis for developing emotionally controlled TTS systems.

Analysis of ArXiv Metadata Challenges and Accessibility

The content provided reflects metadata from an arXiv page for a paper identified as (Bian et al., 9 Dec 2024 )v3, which unfortunately lacks access to the full text or PDF version. This presents an intriguing opportunity to discuss the implications of metadata access, document availability, and the persisting challenges in digital academic repositories.

Metadata Challenges in Digital Repositories

ArXiv, a widely utilized preprint repository, serves as a crucial tool for the dissemination of early research findings across numerous disciplines, particularly in the fields of physics, mathematics, and computer science. The absence of access to paper (Bian et al., 9 Dec 2024 )v3 on this platform highlights significant challenges regarding the accessibility of research works. These issues can be attributed to several factors, including the lack of standardized submission requirements from authors and insufficient curation processes that ensure complete records for all submissions.

Implications for Researchers

1. Incomplete Accessibility: The inability to access papers, as demonstrated in this instance, can hinder the collaborative and cumulative nature of scientific research. Researchers rely on comprehensive data to build upon existing knowledge; missing documents impede this progression, resulting in potential research delays and redundancies.
2. Importance of Metadata: Metadata serves as a critical component in digital archives by providing essential information such as author credentials, subject classification, and context. Nevertheless, when a full text is absent, as seen here, metadata alone is insufficient for researchers requiring in-depth content analysis and validation.
3. Reliance on Centralized Platforms: The reliance on centralized digital repositories like arXiv underscores the necessity for robust system design and policy-making that ensure document availability. This includes incorporating redundant systems for document storage and alternate submission methods to improve document retrievability.

Future Considerations

To address these challenges, several key developments could be considered for enhancing digital repository systems:

• Enhanced Submission Guidelines: Developing stricter submission protocols and checks to ensure all necessary components, such as full texts and PDFs, are included by authors at the time of submission.
• Improved Digital Infrastructure: Leveraging advancements in digital archiving technology to create more reliable, redundant, and resilient infrastructure that safeguards against data loss and ensures persistent document availability.
• Policy and Governance: Establishing cohesive policies across scientific publishers and repositories that promote open access compliance, thus facilitating networked and interoperable academic communication.

Conclusion

The situation with paper (Bian et al., 9 Dec 2024 )v3 serves as a pertinent reminder of the ongoing need to enhance accessibility and reliability in digital scholarly communication. By focusing on comprehensive metadata management, reinforced by effective policies and technological infrastructure, the academic community can ensure robust and continuous access to research outputs. This will empower researchers with the resources needed to drive further innovation and discovery.