Implantation of voicing on whispered speech using frequency-domain parametric modelling of source and filter information

In this paper we address the transformation of whispered speech into natural voiced speech. Representative state-of-the-art solutions are first reviewed as well as a baseline algorithm. For the most part, these solutions fall in the realm of voice conversion strategies since the output signal is obtained as a projection of an input signal. In this paper, we propose a different approach that addresses flexible parametric synthesis of the voiced signal component, as well as its implantation on the whispered signal, in a linguistically consistent way and while trying to convey idiosyncratic information. The most critical functions of phonetic segmentation, spectral envelope estimation, arbitrary periodic wave shape synthesis, and F0 modulation, are described and their operation illustrated with examples.