Vocal Combo Android App

Hello Everyone !!!

Today we are going to implement Three functionality in android application.

First functionality : Voice to Text

Second functionality: Text to Voice

Third functionality: Search Text Meaning

Problem Statement:

Develop an android app in which user will enter a word via keyboard or voice to find meaning of word ,help to pronounce the word.

Final Output:

   

So, Let’s Start with building layout for App :

List down the functionality we are providing in App–

1. Taking input text from keyboard.
2.  voice to text
3. Text to voice
4. Search meaning of word

Preparing Layouts:

1. Taking input Text from keyboard: Using EditText View ,we can have text as input
2. Voice to Text, Text to Voice, Search the word: We need to have a Button View for the user to press to use functionality .
3. Now we will do grouping of similar categories.
   1. We are accepting text from keyboard and voice
   2. We are processing the text for meaning and pronunciation

Home Screen Layout :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    app:layout_behavior="@string/appbar_scrolling_view_behavior"
    tools:context="com.technogrill.apps.app2.VcomboHome"
    tools:showIn="@layout/activity_vcombo_home"
    android:background="@drawable/backgndimg">
<RelativeLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:id="@+id/selectwordsection"
    android:layout_margin="10dp"
    android:background="@drawable/backgndshape">
    <TextView
        android:textColor="#faf3faf5"
        android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
        android:text="Enter Word"
        android:textSize="30dp"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/enter_word_id" />
    <Button
        android:id="@+id/inputtextvoice"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        android:layout_width="50dp"
        android:layout_height="50dp"
        android:layout_below="@+id/word_entry_id"
        android:background="@drawable/ic_keyboard_voice_white_24dp"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:textSize="15dp"
        android:layout_below="@+id/inputtextvoice"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:layout_marginBottom="15dp"
        android:text="Tap mic to speak word."
        android:id="@+id/speaktap"/>
   <android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout
       android:layout_width="match_parent"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:layout_below="@+id/enter_word_id"
       android:id="@+id/word_entry_id"
       android:layout_margin="10dp">
       <EditText
           android:textColor="#faf3faf5"
           android:layout_width="fill_parent"
           android:layout_height="wrap_content"
           android:hint="Type The Word Here..."
           android:focusable="true"/>
   </android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

  <RelativeLayout
      android:layout_width="match_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:background="@drawable/backgndshape"
      android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
      android:layout_marginRight="10dp"
      android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
      android:layout_below="@+id/selectwordsection"
      android:layout_alignStart="@+id/selectwordsection">
      <Button
          android:id="@+id/btn_pronunce"
          android:textColor="#faf3faf5"
          android:textStyle="italic"
          android:background="@drawable/pronounce"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
          android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
          android:layout_marginStart="44dp" />

      <TextView
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          android:layout_alignStart="@+id/btn_pronunce"
          android:layout_below="@+id/btn_pronunce"
          android:text="Tap to pronounce"
          android:id="@+id/textView2"
          android:layout_margin="10dp"/>
      <Button
          android:textColor="#faf3faf5"
          android:textStyle="italic"
          android:background="@drawable/meaning"
          android:id="@+id/btn_meaning"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          android:layout_marginEnd="58dp"
          android:layout_alignBaseline="@+id/btn_pronunce"
          android:layout_alignBottom="@+id/btn_pronunce"
          android:layout_alignParentEnd="true" />

      <TextView
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          android:layout_alignStart="@+id/btn_meaning"
          android:layout_below="@+id/btn_meaning"
          android:layout_margin="10dp"
          android:text="Tap to see meaning" />
  </RelativeLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

Shape.xml for Relative Layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">
    <corners android:radius="5dp"/>
    <size android:height="100dp" android:width="100dp"/>
    <stroke android:color="#000000" android:width="2dp"/>
</shape>

Now Let’s move towards the feature implementation..

Part 1: Link Layout view’s with the class objects.

Button btnpronunce=(Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_pronunce);
Button btnmeaning=(Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_meaning);
EditText editText=((TextInputLayout)findViewById(R.id.word_entry_id)).getEditText();
Button tb=(Button)findViewById(R.id.inputtextvoice);

For Text-to-Speech we are going to use :

tts=new TextToSpeech(VcomboHome.this,this);

Part 2: We are going to use two Listeners :

• Button Click Listeners

btnpronunce.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
       
    }
});

btnmeaning.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
       
    }
});

tb.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {

    }
});

• Text-To-Speech OnInitListener: Implement the TextToSpeech.OninitListeners and override the onInit() method:

public class VcomboHome extends AppCompatActivity implements TextToSpeech.OnInitListener

@Override
public void onInit(int code) {
    if(code==TextToSpeech.SUCCESS){
        tts.setLanguage(Locale.getDefault());
    }else{
        tts=null;
        Toast.makeText(this,"Failed to initialize TTS engine.",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

Part 3.1: Implement functionality voice to text:

tb.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {

        Intent intent=new Intent(RecognizerIntent.ACTION_RECOGNIZE_SPEECH);
        intent.putExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_LANGUAGE_MODEL,"en-US");

        try{
            startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_SPEECH);
            editText.setText(" ");
        }catch(ActivityNotFoundException a){
            Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),"Your device doesn't support voice to text",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }
    }
});

This button will intent to ACTION_RECOGNIZE_SPEECH and re-back with results which also includes the text.so we need to have onActivityResult()

@Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
    switch(requestCode){
        case RESULT_SPEECH:{
            if(resultCode==RESULT_OK && null != data){
                ArrayList<String> text=data.getStringArrayListExtra(RecognizerIntent.EXTRA_RESULTS);
                editText.setText(text.get(0));
            }
            break;
        }
    }
}

Part 3.2:  Implement functionality text to voice :

btnpronunce.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
        if(tts!=null){
            txt=editText.getText().toString();
            if(!txt.contentEquals("")){
                if(!tts.isSpeaking()){
                    tts.speak(txt,TextToSpeech.QUEUE_FLUSH,null);
                }
            }else tts.speak("Please type a word to pronounce..",TextToSpeech.QUEUE_FLUSH,null);
        }
    }
});

when we close the application, According to Activity life cycle, onDestroy method is called. So,we need to stop the tts service and shutdown it.

@Override
protected void onDestroy() {
    if(tts!=null) {
        tts.stop();
        tts.shutdown();
    }
    super.onDestroy();
}

Part 3.3: Implement functionality of getting word meaning:

Using Link to find meaning of word: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wordtosearch .

Intent.ACTION_VIEW will intent you to application which can hold the uri type /http link.

btnmeaning.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
        txt=editText.getText().toString();
        if(!txt.contentEquals("")) {
            Intent i = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("http://www.thefreedictionary.com/" + txt));
            startActivity(i);
        }else Toast.makeText(VcomboHome.this, "No Word Found...", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
});

Do Check Your Activity Class with intent filters is registered at Manifest file as:

<activity
    android:name=".VcomboHome"
    android:label="@string/title_activity_vcombo_home"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

You are now ready to run your application.

Click here to get code files

Where do you can use these functionality?

• You can create a book reader where application will get user read whole text document. Eg. You can make story book reader  for your childrens.
• You can use voice to text and analyze text for performing some actions.
• You can make voice dictionary application.
• You can use voice feature for the blind people benefits.