android-speech

Overview of the Android Speech Project

The Android Speech project is designed to simplify the use of speech recognition and text-to-speech functionalities on Android devices. This project, maintained with support for regular updates, focuses on providing easy-to-use tools for developers to implement voice interaction in their mobile applications effortlessly.

Setup and Initialization

Integrating with Gradle

To begin using the Android Speech library, developers need to add the following dependency to their project's Gradle file:

implementation 'net.gotev:speech:x.y.z'

Developers should replace x.y.z with the latest version number available in the Maven Central repository to ensure they are using the most recent features and improvements.

Initial Setup in an Activity

Initialization of the library is straightforward. Within any Android Activity, the following setup is required:

public class YourActivity extends Activity {

    Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.your_layout);

        Speech.init(this, getPackageName());
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        // To prevent memory leaks when the activity is destroyed
        Speech.getInstance().shutdown();
    }
}

This setup ensures that speech functionalities are initialized correctly and resources are cleaned up when no longer needed.

Usage Guide

Speech Recognition

To enable speech recognition, developers should ensure that the android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO permission is granted. Here's an example of how to implement speech recognition in an activity:

try {
    Speech.getInstance().startListening(new SpeechDelegate() {
        @Override
        public void onStartOfSpeech() {
            Log.i("speech", "Speech recognition is now active");
        }

        @Override
        public void onSpeechRmsChanged(float value) {
            Log.d("speech", "RMS is now: " + value);
        }

        @Override
        public void onSpeechPartialResults(List<String> results) {
            String result = String.join(" ", results);
            Log.i("speech", "Partial result: " + result);
        }

        @Override
        public void onSpeechResult(String result) {
            Log.i("speech", "Result: " + result);
        }
    });
} catch (SpeechRecognitionNotAvailable exc) {
    Log.e("speech", "Speech recognition is not available on this device!");
} catch (GoogleVoiceTypingDisabledException exc) {
    Log.e("speech", "Google voice typing must be enabled!");
}

If speech recognition is unavailable, the library can redirect users to install the necessary Google App.

Resource Management

Proper handling of resources is critical. In the activity's onDestroy method, developers must call:

@Override
protected void onDestroy() {
    Speech.getInstance().shutdown();
}

This step prevents potential memory leaks.

Visual Feedback with Progress Animation

To enhance the user interface, the library supports progress animations during speech input. This requires adding a SpeechProgressView to the layout:

<LinearLayout
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:id="@+id/linearLayout">

    <net.gotev.speech.ui.SpeechProgressView
        android:id="@+id/progress"
        android:layout_width="120dp"
        android:layout_height="150dp"/>
</LinearLayout>

The SpeechProgressView can be customized in terms of color and maximum bar height, providing flexibility in visual design.

Text-to-Speech Functionality

For converting text into speech, the library offers simple methods:

Speech.getInstance().say("say something");

Additionally, developers can add callbacks to handle events such as speech start, completion, and errors.

Configuration Options

The library provides various configuration options accessible through the Speech.getInstance() method. Developers are encouraged to explore the JavaDocs for comprehensive configuration details. Logging can be enabled for debugging purposes, and custom logging strategies can be implemented if needed.

Setting Languages and Voices

Recent updates introduced functions to manage languages and voices for both speech recognition and text-to-speech. Developers can retrieve and set supported languages and voices, ensuring that the application's voice interactions align with user preferences.

Credits and Contributions

The project acknowledges contributions from various developers, with specific thanks to contributors like Kristiyan Petrov for code reviews and bug fixes. The Android Speech library is built upon an open-source license, encouraging community involvement and enhancement.

In summary, the Android Speech project provides developers with a robust toolkit to integrate voice-related features into Android applications effectively. Its ease of use, coupled with comprehensive customization options, makes it a valuable resource for creating interactive, voice-enabled mobile experiences.