MultiLing Project

1
Proof of Concept

• Multi-Ling Project
• Ray Carrick
• George Bett
• Alan Blunt
• Keith Edwards
• University of Edinburgh
• SE Ref 6-CIS004

2
What is the Multi-Ling project?

• 8 years UoE research on text generation from
  symbolic object descriptions
• M-PIRO (EU) project in museum domain
• English, Italian, Greek languages
• texts for children, adults, adult experts
• sensitive to viewing history
• small-scale database (100 artefacts)
• not commercial grade performance
• Multi-Ling PoC
• scale up to large databases (200,000 artefacts)
• real-time performance for multiple users
• market assessments in three key sectors

3
M-PIRO
4
PoC Achievements

• Key technical objectives met
• Improved robustness
• more efficient database system (persistent data)
• better algorithms
• Improved scalability
• reduced memory/disk usage per request
• multi-threading support
• improved response time per request
• Improved maintainability
• regression testing environment
• modular interfaces
• open architecture (OpenCCG) for grammar engine
• Market Assessment identified online music domain

5
Application architecture Museum domain
User museum visitor
commands prev/next etc.
user settings class of user language viewing
history
metadata museum artefact facts etc.
language data museum domain grammars, vocab
text generation engine
artefact descriptions
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Application architecture Music domain
User content programmer for internet radio
user settings lang/style prefs themes voice
settings
metadata AllMusic Guide track/artist facts etc.
playlist
commentary text stream
audio mixing
language data music domain grammars, vocab
text generation engine
music
spoken introductions, track links
text to speech synthesis
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Market Structure Online Music delivery

• Broadcasters
• internet radio vs simulcast
• e.g. Live365, Shoutcast, AOL Radio

• Narrowcasters
• personalised/ customised streams
• e.g. Pandora, Last.fm (CBS), Slacker, launchcast

• Retailers
• subscription vs unit sales
• e.g. eMusic, Rhapsody, Napster, Amazon, AOL,
  iTunes

End User PC, Mac etc. Custom portable
device Mobile phone
End User PC, Mac etc. wi-fi internet radio
End User PC, Mac etc. Custom portable
device Mobile phone iPod/mp3 player
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Value proposition for broadcasters

• The user is the content programmer
• Input a playlist
• Process setting preferences for style, themes,
  amount of text, choice of voice etc.
• Output
• if text-to-speech is used
• a new playlist with audio introductions and links
  between tracks for webcasting or download
  (podcast)
• DJ4me adds a voice to jockless radio
• could impact traditional broadcasting c.f.
  JackFM
• if not
• relevant text streams make the webpage stickier
• powerful attractant to advertisers

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Value proposition for narrowcasters

• (A narrowcaster produces a unique stream for each
  listener)
• The user is the end listener
• Input an individual song (selected by the host
  software, not the user)
• Process setting broad preferences, rating and
  reacting to songs, i.e. user interaction
• Output
• if text-to-speech is used
• audio introductions and links between tracks
• personalised commentary on ratings etc, i.e. make
  the user interaction come alive!
• if not
• relevant text streams, updated user profiles

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Value proposition for retailers

• The user is the end listener
• Input an individual song or a playlist
• Process some user preferences could be offered
• Output (assume text-to-speech is used)
• audio introductions for individual tracks
• links between tracks for podcasts/multiple
  downloads
• Opportunities for retailers
• differentiate add value with audio intros/links
  related to downloads
• offset download price with advertising revenue
  and target audio adverts at individual users

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Feature focus
feature
12 months
beyond
6 months

• more languages
• more domains
• advertising?
• games?

• non-music
• metadata
• question/answer
• pairs

• intros/links
• commentary
• auto-updates

text generation from music metadata

• domain/market
• specific
• voice
• editing/morph
• controls?

• browser based
• playlist tool
• user controlled
• text length
• text preview
• media player

• user controlled
• text styles, voice
• characteristics
• non-music themes

user configuration via graphical interface

• range of
• languages
• custom voices

• text-to-speech
• voice integrated

• range of
• voices/engines

speech output

• narrowcast/retail
• (multi-threaded)

• product vs.
• service options

• broadcast
• (single threaded)

system configuration
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Project outline
task category
milestone 1 (mid Nov)
milestone 2 (end Jan)
milestone 3 (end Feb)

• lang. generation
• validated
• user interface
• completed
• -system integrated

• system tested
• speech output
• optimised

• music domain
• lang. generation
• initial user
• interface

Technology

• market report
• analysed
• demonstrator
• features known
• -key partners
• identified

• Marketing strategy
• developed
• key partners
• contacted/NDA
• -demo website
• designed

• demo website
• up running
• -key messages
• -partner feedback

Marketing

• feature roadmap
• funding options
• resource planning
• potential license/
• spinout options

• -angel pitches
• IP negotiations
• resource planning
• infrastructure
• planning

• spinout/licensing
• options identified -staff/resources
• IP license
• Infrastructure
• funding options

Commercial-isation
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Conclusion

• solid, scaleable technology
• large, growing market
• technology enhances online music delivery
• 6 months to commercialisation
• The following slides were produced to support a
  general discussion about the broadcast sector of
  the online music market

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US Internet Radio Growth Projection
monthly audience (millions)
source www.bridgeratings.com
15
UK Internet Radio Growth
24.3 of population have used internet radio
source OFCOM
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US Internet Radio Advertising Trends
millions
source www.bridgeratings.com
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SoundExchange/CRB webcasters

• March CRB royalty rates 2006-2010
• 3x increase in per play new 500/channel fee
• 150-200 of total revenues for typical webcasters
• April Internet Radio Equality Act bill
  introduced in House Senate
• April SoundExchange negotiates w/ NAB/webcasters
• May SoundExchange offer to small webcasters
• small gross annual revenue
• 2002 Small Webcaster Settlement Act extended to
  2010
• Royalty 10 revenue up to 250k, 12 beyond
• August 23 agreement with large webcasters
• 50k cap on per-channel fee
• consensus reporting, anti-stream-ripping focus
• August 29 royalty rates for large webcasters
  still to be resolved

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University of Edinburgh

• School of Informatics