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Privacy for Smart Speech Technology

Project description

Privacy-preserving smart speech technologies

The rise of smart speech technology has revolutionised consumer access to information and applications. However, privacy risks, including potential breaches by service operators and hackers accessing spoken words and sensitive non-lexical information, are a concern. Privacy-preserving smart speech technologies could help mitigate these risks. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the PSST project aims to develop urgently needed technologies using deep learning. The project will focus on suppressing speaker traits in speech signals, enhancing usability between smart devices and cloud services, and creating novel evaluation schemes for relevant threats. It will establish a high-impact training programme to build expertise in speech processing, machine learning, and privacy-enhancing technologies.

Objective

The unabated rise of smart speech technology, much of which is operated by entities outside of the European Union, has revolutionised consumer access to information and applications using the most convenient interface of all - the human voice. Recently, however, we have come to understand that smart speakers, smartwatches and other voice-operated devices may expose their users to privacy risks. Service operators and hackers alike can access not only spoken words but may also exploit sensitive non-lexical information contained within speech signals (such as health status) for nefarious purposes without the users’ knowledge or consent.
However, innovative privacy-preserving smart speech technologies may mitigate these risks and help to create sustainable business models that are well aligned with EU regulations such as the GDPR and the forthcoming EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. Therefore, the PSST joint doctoral training network will train a new cohort of researchers to develop these urgently-needed technologies using cutting-edge deep learning methods. PSST will focus on the suppression of speaker traits in speech signals, on enhancing usability in interactions between smart devices and cloud services, and on novel evaluation schemes that consider the most relevant threats. The PSST consortium is composed of world-leading research labs in speech processing, privacy and usability, and a larger number of innovative industrial partners. The joint academic-industrial partnership will establish a high-impact training programme that provides doctoral researchers with expertise in speech processing, machine learning and comprehensive knowledge of privacy threats and privacy-enhancing technologies.
PSST partners and researchers will jointly create not only a unique, user-centred view of smart speech technologies but will also promote innovative business models for responsible and sustainable privacy-aware technologies in the EU.

Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN-JD - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks - Joint Doctorates

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01

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Coordinator

AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 859 464,00
Address
OTAKAARI 1
02150 Espoo
Finland

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Region
Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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Participants (6)

Partners (14)

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