Votrax

Votrax International, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Speech synthesis technology
Predecessor	Vocal division of Federal Screw Works
Founded	January 1, 1971; 55 years ago near Detroit, Michigan, United States
Defunct	1996
Fate	Merged and rebranded, later became Maxxar Inc.
Headquarters	Troy, Michigan, United States
Products	Speech synthesizers, integrated circuit phoneme synthesizers, speech-related products

Votrax International, Inc.—initially known as the Vocal division of Federal Screw Works—was a company specializing in speech synthesis technology, operating near Detroit, Michigan from 1971 until 1996. Established as a segment of Federal Screw Works between 1971 and 1973, it adopted the name Votrax in 1974, inspired by its inaugural product, the VS4 "Votrax," and subsequently moved its operations to Troy, Michigan. By 1980, it emerged as an independent entity named Votrax International, Inc., continuing to manufacture speech-related products through 1984.

In 1984, the company reoriented its business model toward commercial telephony and automated audio-response systems. Three years later, in 1987, Votrax merged with Vynet Corp., a frontrunner in voice-recognition prompt technologies. The combined firm functioned under the Votrax Inc. banner until approximately 1992, at which point it either merged with or rebranded as Vysion, Inc., a manufacturer focused on security cameras and related devices. Vysion filed for bankruptcy in June 1994 following an adverse patent lawsuit outcome against PATCO Inc.

Following this downturn, the company resurfaced as Maxxar Inc. in 1995. Maxxar was subsequently acquired by Open Solutions, LLC in 2004; Open Solutions itself was later purchased by Fiserv, Inc. in 2013. Maxxar maintained ownership of the Votrax trademark until its expiration on March 11, 2016.

History

Every Votrax speech synthesizer traces back to a design created in 1970 by Richard T. Gagnon, who licensed his invention to Federal Screw Works, thereby establishing their "Vocal division."

Facing financial distress around 1984, Votrax underwent restructuring to concentrate on commercial telephone interface solutions and discontinued its consumer product lines. During this transition, influential personnel such as Tim and Kathryn F. Gargagliano departed to launch Artic Technologies. The company’s merger with Vynet Corp in 1987 integrated their respective product portfolios.

Products

Votrax engineered and produced pioneering speech synthesizer components including backend modules and integrated circuit phoneme synthesizers. Their technology supported multiple personal computer platforms and was developed collaboratively with the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to create an extensible speech frontend system. Votrax’s innovations found applications in arcade gaming machines, Gottlieb System 80 pinball units, talking terminals, and the Kurzweil Reading Machine designed for visually impaired users.

During the 1970s, Votrax manufactured discrete speech synthesizers featuring epoxy-encapsulated circuit boards for design protection. The company introduced the well-regarded SC-01 integrated circuit speech synthesizer in 1980, which remained in production through at least 1984. Its successor, the SC-02 (SSI-263P), was produced by Silicon Systems Inc., now part of Texas Instruments. Votrax continued marketing SC-01-A and SC-02 chips alongside Personal Speech System units until at least 1990.

Focusing on phoneme-based speech synthesis and text-to-speech conversion algorithms, Votrax co-developed the extensively utilized NRL text-to-phoneme algorithm in 1973. This algorithm powered devices such as the Type 'N Talk, Personal Speech System, and the General Instruments CTS256A-AL2 chip.

The SC-02 chip also featured in the amateur radio DOVE-OSCAR 17 microsatellite project.

Notably, M. D. McIlroy employed a "Votrax"-branded synthesizer as the speech output engine for Unix’s 'speak' command during early Unix releases (1972–73). His algorithmic approach was documented in a Bell Labs technical report.

Among Votrax’s primary commercial offerings were the Type 'N Talk (TNT) and Personal Speech System (PSS). The TNT incorporated a Motorola MC6802 microprocessor with 4K ROM, TTL logic chips, a Motorola 6850 ACIA facilitating RS-232 communication, along with an SC-01A synthesizer chip.

The PSS contained a configuration of 2K RAM and two separate 8K EPROMs holding non-critical data; four TTL chips; a Zilog Z80 microprocessor; and an SC synthesizer chip housed within a black epoxy-coated enclosure that interfaced via RS-232 protocol.

Official

1971-1972:

VS1 (prototype, Gagnon's personal unit)
VS2 (prototype, breadboard version)
VS3 (prototype or unreleased; brochure available)

1972:

VS4 (initial model retailed by Federal Screw Works under "Votrax", features three stacked boards, three formants, passive C/L/C Pi filters, diode-based "ROM", optional RS-232 interface)
VS5 (equipped with four formants)

1973-1974:

VS6.0 (utilizes active op-amp filters, housed in a card cage with multiple cards, employs EPROM for parameter storage)

1974-1975:

VS6.2 (introduced digital amplitude control and likely pitch control)
VS6.G2

Circa 1977:

VS6.4

1978:

ML-1 (large rack-mount or standalone device with card cage, supporting 128 phonemes, digital amplitude and pitch controls, FIFO buffer)
ML-1ES (ML-1 variant including phonemes specific to Spanish)
ML-2ES

1978-1980:

VSA
SVA (first integrated speech synthesizer featuring 6800 microprocessor running NRL frontend)
VSC
VSK (compact potted module used on RS-232 carrier boards; operates on ±12VDC power supply)
VSL (similar to VSK; implemented on Ohio Scientific Model 567 expansion board; powered by ±8VDC)

1980:

CDS1 (mainframe-based SC-01 emulation)
VSB
SC-01 (single-chip IC akin to VSL; manufactured late 1980 to early 1981)
VSM/1 (SC-01 based system with MC6800 running "voxOS")
Speech PAC (SC-01 based circuit boards)
Type 'N Talk

1981:

SC-01-A (IC featuring internal ROM update; produced from 1981 to 1988)
Type 'N Talk (later version based on SC-01-A)

1982:

Personal Speech System (built on SC-01-A)

1983:

SC-02/SSI-263P (IC introduced early 1984)

1984:

Votalker 1B (IBM PC ISA card using SC-02)
Votalker AP (Apple II card based on SC-02)
Votalker C64 (Commodore 64 cartridge employing SC-02)

1985:

SSI-263AP (bug-fixed version of SSI-263P; produced 1985–1995; also marketed as 'ARTIC 263' among other names)

1987:

Votalker IB 2000 (limited run ISA card for IBM PC, software-driven by 6511 processor)

Third party

1978:

Phonic Mirror 'HandiVoice' (VSK) – pioneering commercial communication aid featuring speech synthesis

1979:

Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Voice Synthesizer (simplified VSL variant on larger board)
Enabling Technologies 'Audibraille' (Simple Microcomputer with 128k memory and SVA speech core)

1980:

Colorware's Real Talker voice synthesizer for TRS-80 Color Computer (SC-01 based)
Maryland Computer Services 'Total Talk' (Modified HP-2621 Terminal combining VSB and McIlroy algorithm)
Automated Functions 'VERT' (utilizing VSB and McIlroy algorithm)
Triformatlon System 'FSST-3' (Modified Zenith Z-19 Terminal integrating VSA and NRL algorithm)
IBM 'Audio Typing unit'
Midway Games Wizard of Wor arcade machine (SC-01 based)

1981:

Gottlieb pinball machines using SC-01: Black Hole, Devil's Dare, Mars God of War, Volcano
Microvox/Intex Talker (SC-01-A based)
Alien Group Voice Synthesizer
Midway Games Gorf arcade machine featuring SC-01

1982:

Gottlieb arcade machines Q*bert and Reactor utilizing SC-01
Gottlieb pinball titles: Rocky and Striker
Alpha Products 'VS100' for TRS-80 Model III using SC-01-A
Sweet Micro Systems Mockingboard Speech I and Sound/Speech I incorporating SC-01-A
Heathkit HERO 1 Robot equipped with Votrax SC-01 synthesizer

1983:

Sweet Micro Systems Mockingboard B & C versions employing SC-02/SSI-263P
Gottlieb Q*bert's Quest pinball machine
Tecmar PC-Mate Speech Master ISA card combining SC-01-A with National Semiconductor Digitalker

1984–1996:

Artic Technologies produced multiple cards utilizing SC-01-A, SC-02, and SSI-263AP chips, marketed under the "ARTIC 263" brand

Software support

Scott Adams, recognized as a trailblazer in the realm of home computer text adventures, incorporated Votrax speech capabilities into the VIC-20 editions of several titles, such as Adventureland (VIC-1914) and Voodoo Castle (VIC-1918).

Patents

US Patent 3,836,717 (32 phonemes, 11 or 12 parameters, VS1 through VS5 models featuring passive filters)
US Patent 3,908,085 (64 phonemes, 16 parameters, VS6 model with active filtering)
US Patent 4,128,737 (128 phonemes, 16 parameters, ML-1 series utilizing digital rate control)
US Patent 4,130,730 (64 phonemes, 12 parameters, cost-effective 1818C and VSK/VSL series)
US Patent 4,264,783 (64 phonemes, 12 parameters, VSA/VSB series with digital interpolation and distinct vocal tract filter architecture)
US Patent 4,301,328 (128 phonemes, continuation of patent 4,128,737 including additional rate control claims)
US Patent RE30,991 (reissue of patent 4,130,730 adding two further claims)
US Patent 4,532,495 (speech encoding method employing 4-bit DPCM)
US Patent 4,470,150 (64 phonemes, 12 parameters; unreleased low-cost 1818C design featuring improved timing and inflection)
US Patent 4,433,210 (64 phonemes; prototype SC-01)
US Patent 4,829,573 (64 phonemes; software synthesizer designed for R6511 microprocessor)
International Patents: CA1124865, CA1124866, CA1171179, DE2840596, CH625900

External links