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A Japanese company has developed an artificial intelligence filter that can detect angry screams and translate them into calm speech in order to reduce the stress experienced by call center operators.
日前，一家日本公司研发出了一款人工智能过滤器，可以检测出愤怒的尖叫声并将其转化为平和的话语，从而减轻呼叫中心接线员感受到的压力。
Large tech companies have long been aware of the stress their call center operators are exposed to every single day, with many customers taking out their anger and frustrations on them.
大型科技公司很早就意识到他们的呼叫中心接线员每天承受的压力，许多客户都把自己的怒火和沮丧发泄到他们身上。
Some of the companies have even introduced stress management programs that include relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, or therapy meant to ease irritability and anxiety.
一些公司甚至引入了包括放松技巧、冥想、瑜伽或旨在缓解烦躁和焦虑的理疗等在内的压力管理方案。
However, one Japanese company may have come up with a much more efficient solution -- using AI to completely take screaming and aggressive speech out of the equation.
不过，日本一家公司或许找到了一个更有效的解决方案--运用人工智能将尖叫和攻击性的声音消除掉。
SoftBank claims to have spent three years creating a voice filter that detects screaming and automatically translates it into calm speech.
这家名为“软银”的公司称，他们耗时三年的时间，研发出了一款可以检测出尖叫声，并自动将其转换为平和话语的过滤器。
SoftBank's voice filter consists of two stages, one in which the AI identifies an angry voice and extracts key points of speech, and a second where it uses acoustic tools to transform it into a more natural, even polite tone.
软银公司的语音过滤器分两步进行，第一步是人工智能识别出愤怒的声音并提取出语音要点；第二步是用声学工具将其转化为语调更自然、甚至更礼貌的语气。
Interestingly, the filter doesn't change any of the words spoken by the person, but significantly softens the intonation.
有趣的是，这款过滤器不会改变说话者说出的任何字词，但显著地软化了语调。
The call center operator will still hear any insults uttered, only in a soft tone, which should help reduce their stress and anxiety.
呼叫中心的接线员仍可以听到对方说的任何侮辱性话语，只是听到的语气很柔和，这应该有助于减轻他们的压力和焦虑情绪。
To train the AI, SoftBank's engineers asked 10 actors to record at least 100 common phrases including screams, accusations, threats and demands for an apology.
为了训练人工智能，软银公司的工程师请来了10名演员录制了至少100个常用短语，包括尖叫、指责、威胁和要求道歉。
In total, more than 10,000 pieces of voice data were used to train the AI filter.
总共有超过10000条语音数据被用于训练该人工智能过滤器。
It's unclear when SoftBank plans to implement the new scream-filtering AI into its call centers, but it will be interesting to see how well it works and how it impacts the emotional wellbeing of operators.
目前尚不清楚软银公司计划何时将这款新的人工智能尖叫过滤器应用到呼叫中心，但是届时看到其效果以及对呼叫中心接线员情感健康的影响，应该会是一件很有趣的事情。
