SpeakUp Click

How does it work?

SpeakUp Click is based on the VS1053, an Ogg Vorbis/MP3/AAC/WMA/FLAC/MIDI audio codec from VLSI Solution. This audio codec takes audio samples through an onboard microphone or external one connected to the 3.5mm audio jack. Received input bitstream is decoded and passed through a digital volume control to an 18-bit oversampling, multi-bit, sigma-delta DAC. The decoding is controlled via a serial control bus. In addition, it is possible to add application-specific features like DSP effects to the user RAM. On this Click board™, there is a Line Out header (L, G, R) for connecting the headphones for hearing recorded samples used for comparison.

As a brain, the SpeakUp Click features the STM32F415RG, an ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit MCU from STMicroelectronics. This MCU communicates with the VS1053 via its SPI serial interface and is responsible for processing received data from the audio codec and comparing stored voice data to the received one. It can hold more than 200 voice commands, depending on their length. Moreover, the STM32 in Standalone Mode can execute tasks according to the voice command through the HD1 and HD2 headers which contain GPIOs and 3.3V power rails. The GPIOs can have ON, OFF, Toggle, Pulse, and None states, with additional parameters for Pulse. In Click™ Mode, each recorded voice command is given an index number which can be sent to the host MCU over a USB or UART interface. In addition, the STM32 firmware can also be upgraded via the PROG JTAG header.

The SpeakUp Click, via STM32, establishes the connection with the host MCU via one of the selected mikroBUS™ interfaces (UART, SPI, or I2C). UART interface is set as default, while SPI/I2C can be an additional communication method if users want to create their own libraries. Also, the user is provided with other functions for STM32, such as reset function, interrupt, and PWM from the mikroBUS™ socket. Using onboard push buttons makes it possible to perform some basic configurations without using the software. Push button SW1 is used for recording voice commands that shouldn’t last more than 1 second while pressing SW2 push button for more than 2 seconds erases all recorded voice commands. Both pressed push buttons will reset the Click board™. There are two LEDs, amber and red, to provide the board’s visual status.

We also provide a free SpeakUp application based on the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm that lets you configure this Click board™ through the software. SpeakUp Click board features a mini USB connector to connect the board to the PC and recognizes it as HID. After a successful connection, the SpeakUp Click board™ will perform ambient noise detection and will calibrate itself, which is a process that will last about 10 seconds. The application for the PC allows you to add voice commands to the SpeakUp Click with a predicted time limit per command. The recorded command will be automatically played so you can make sure it is ok and can be named to avoid future confusion. Application settings have the configuration for acceptance threshold, recording timeout, word length, and more.

NOTE:  You can find the complete instructions for using and configuring the SpeakUp Click in our User Manual.

This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on SpeakUp Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
	NC	1	AN	PWM	16	PWM	PWM Signal
Reset	RST	2	RST	INT	15	INT	Interrupt
SPI Chip Select	CS	3	CS	RX	14	TX	UART TX
SPI Clock	SCK	4	SCK	TX	13	RX	UART RX
SPI Data OUT	SDO	5	MISO	SCL	12	SCL	I2C Clock
SPI Data IN	SDI	6	MOSI	SDA	11	SDA	I2C Data
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	NC
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

SpeakUp Click electrical specifications