SpeechBot

A real-time voice-enabled chatbot that uses speech recognition, Google's Gemini Pro AI, and text-to-speech synthesis for natural conversations.

Features

• 🎤 Real-time speech recognition
• 🤖 AI-powered responses using Google's Gemini Pro
• 🔊 Natural text-to-speech output
• 💬 Interactive chat interface
• ⚡ Real-time response handling

Tech Stack

Frontend

• HTML5
• CSS3
• JavaScript (ES6+)
• Web Speech API
  • SpeechRecognition
  • SpeechSynthesis

Backend

• Python 3.x
• Flask
• Google Generative AI (Gemini Pro)
• Flask-CORS

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• Node.js and npm
• Google AI API key
• Modern web browser (Chrome recommended)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd voice-chatbot

2. Backend Setup

   # Create and activate virtual environment (optional but recommended)
   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   
   # Install dependencies
   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Environment Configuration

   # Create .env file in the root directory
   echo "GOOGLE_AI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here" > .env

4. Frontend Setup

   # Install Vite (if not already installed)
   npm install

Running the Application

1. Start the Backend Server

   python app.py

   The server will start on http://localhost:5000

2. Start the Frontend Development Server

   npm run dev

   The application will be available at http://localhost:5173

Project Structure

SpeechBot/
├── frontend/
│   ├── index.html          # Main HTML file
│   ├── style.css           # Styles
│   └── main.js             # Frontend logic
├── backend/
│   ├── app.py              # Flask server
│   └── requirements.txt     # Python dependencies
├── .env                    # Environment variables
└── README.md              # Project documentation

Components

1. Speech Recognition

• Uses Web Speech API's SpeechRecognition
• Continuous listening mode
• Error handling for unsupported browsers

2. AI Processing

• Integrates with Google's Gemini Pro
• Processes natural language input
• Generates contextual responses

3. Text-to-Speech

• Natural voice synthesis
• Configurable speech parameters
• Queue management for responses

Usage

1. Click the "Start Listening" button
2. Speak your message
3. Wait for the AI response
4. The response will be displayed and spoken back

Error Handling

The application handles various error scenarios:

• Speech recognition errors
• Network connectivity issues
• API errors
• Browser compatibility issues

Security Considerations

• API key protection using environment variables
• CORS configuration for secure communication
• Input validation on both frontend and backend
• No persistent data storage

Browser Compatibility

Recommended browsers:

• Google Chrome (preferred)
• Microsoft Edge
• Firefox
• Safari (limited support)

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Google AI for Gemini Pro API
• Web Speech API contributors
• Flask and its community

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Speech Recognition Not Working

   • Ensure you're using a supported browser
   • Check microphone permissions
   • Verify stable internet connection

2. API Key Issues

   • Verify .env file configuration
   • Check API key validity
   • Ensure proper environment variable loading

3. Backend Connection Failed

   • Confirm backend server is running
   • Check CORS configuration
   • Verify correct port settings

Support

For issues and feature requests, please create an issue in the repository.