5.2.8 Text to Speech

Introduction

This section describes how to convert a text into a speech and play it through an audio output interface.

Code repository: (https://github.com/D-Robotics/hobot_tts.git)

Supported Platforms

Platform	System	Function
RDK X3, RDK X5	Ubuntu 20.04 (Foxy), Ubuntu 22.04 (Humble)	Subscribe to text messages, convert them into speech, and play them out

Note: Only supports RDK X3, RDK X3 Module is not supported yet.

Preparation

RDK

1. RDK has been flashed with Ubuntu 20.04/22.04 system image provided by D-Robotics.
2. TogetheROS.Bot has been successfully installed on RDK.
3. An audio driver board compatible with D-Robotics has been obtained, and the environment has been set up according to Smart Voice section
4. Connect the audio board's headphone interface with headphones or speakers.

Usage

RDK

1. For the first run, you need to download the models file and extract it. The commands are as follows:

   Foxy

   # Configure the tros.b environment
   source /opt/tros/setup.bash

   Humble

   # Configure the tros.b environment
   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install tros-humble-hobot-tts
   source /opt/tros/humble/setup.bash

   wget http://archive.d-robotics.cc/tros/tts-model/tts_model.tar.gz
   sudo tar -xf tts_model.tar.gz -C /opt/tros/${TROS_DISTRO}/lib/hobot_tts/

2. Run the following command to check if the audio device is normal:

   root@ubuntu:~# ls /dev/snd/
   by-path  controlC0  pcmC0D0c  pcmC0D1p  timer

   If a similar audio playback device like pcmC0D1p appears, it means the device is working fine.

   caution

   When using the audio board for the first time, you need to use srpi-config for configuration, otherwise the audio device will not be recognized.

   For the configuration method, refer to the RDK User Manual Audio Adapter Board

3. Start the hobot_tts program.

   Foxy

   # Configure the tros.b environment
   source /opt/tros/setup.bash

   Humble

   # Configure the tros.b environment
   source /opt/tros/humble/setup.bash

   # Disable debug information
   export GLOG_minloglevel=1
   
   ros2 run hobot_tts hobot_tts

Note: If the audio playback device is not pcmC0D1p, you need to use the playback_device parameter to specify the playback audio device. For example, if the audio playback device is pcmC1D1p, the launch command should be: ros2 run hobot_tts hobot_tts --ros-args -p playback_device:="hw:1,1"

4. Open a new terminal and use the echo command to publish a topic

Foxy

# Configure the tros.b environment
source /opt/tros/setup.bash

Humble

# Configure the tros.b environment
source /opt/tros/humble/setup.bash

ros2 topic pub --once /tts_text std_msgs/msg/String "{data: ""Do you know the horizon? Yes, I know the horizon. It is a line that extends from the ground to the sky, defining the boundary between the ground and the sky.""}"

5. You can hear the playback sound from your headphones or speakers.

Notes

Currently, only Chinese and English text content are supported. Do not publish text messages in other languages.