How to install new language or technology model

This article explains how to add a new technology model into the current Speech Engine (SPE) instance. In Speech to Text (STT) and Keyword Spotting (KWS), it can be understood also as adding new language to STT or KWS.

Prerequisites

To proceed, you need to have existing installation of SPE. If you do not have one, check other articles, especially

• Download Speech Platform
• Installation Guide (PSP)
• Quick Start Guide (PSP)

Installation packages are custom created and provided to you by your assigned Phonexia contact. Version of installation package must match the version of your SPE. Your assigned Phonexia contact will ask which version of SPE you are running, but you can speed things up by providing the information already in your request.

How to check SPE version

Go to your SPE installation directory and locate phxadmin (Linux) or phxadmin.exe (Windows) binary. Then run following command:

On Linux run: ./phxadmin --version
On Windows run: phxadmin.exe /version

You should see the output similar to this:

Installation

In our example, we will install Spanish (ES_6) model of Speech to Text and Keyword Spotting (with Phoneme Recognizer) into existing installation.

Installation of new language or technology model can be done in few steps:

1. Unzip installation package to a temporary directory.
2. Each installation package will contain  phxadmin (Linux) or phxadmin.exe (Windows) binary. Using the procedure above verifies that the package version matches your SPE version. If not or in doubt, contact your Phonexia contact.
3. Stop SPE gracefully by sending Ctrl+C to its terminal Window. Wait for it to finish. Based on number of running tasks, it can take some time.
4. When SPE is stopped, merge content of bsapi directory from your temporary folder to your SPE installation.
   
5. In our example, we have installed Spanish model (ES_6 technology model) of Speech to Text and Keyword Spotting (with Phoneme Recognizer). When you install new languages or models, they are turned off by default (green boxes on screenshot).
   To turn the newly added models on, run following command (expectation: SPE is not running).

   On Windows run: phxadmin.exe /configure-tech
   On Linux run: ./phxadmin --configure-tech

   
   You can see that Spanish (ES_6 technology model) now appears as available model. You can enable it by selecting it and assigning number of instances to it. In the above example, 1 instance was configured.

6. Repeat the above steps for enabling also Phoneme Recognition technology and Speech to Text technology for Spanish ES_6 model
7. Remember to save your settings.
8. Now you can start SPE back again and use newly installed languages or technology models.
   To start SPE, run following command:
    
   On Windows run: phxspe.exe
   On Linux run: ./phxspe
9. Optional: If you want to increase or decrease the number of instances of either technology or either model, you can edit the SPE/settings/technologies.xml file with notepad
   
10. Important: in order for the changes to take effect, you need to restart the Speech Engine (phxspe.exe on Windows or phxspe on Linux)

Final note: The binary phxadmin2 | phxadmin2.exe  is production level BETA. We recommend to use only phxadmin | phxadmin.exe for production.