A voice generation device (10b) is configured to generate a voice corresponding to one or a plurality of characters designated in a pre-defined character string. A controller (10a) for the voice generation device is provided with a character selector (60a) configured to be operable by a user to designate the one or a plurality of characters in the character string, and a voice control operator (60b) configured to be operable by the user to control the state of the voice to be generated by the voice generation device. The controller (10a) is provided with a grip (G) suitable for being held with a hand of the user, and the character selector and the voice control operator are provided on the grip. The character selector and the voice control operator are provided on the grip at such positions as to be operable with different fingers of the user holding the grip.

A method for fabrication of a micromechanical part made of a one-piece synthetic carbon allotrope based material, the method including: forming a substrate with a negative cavity of the micromechanical part to be fabricated; coating the negative cavity of the substrate with a layer of the synthetic carbon allotrope based material in a smaller thickness than the depth of the negative cavity; and removing the substrate to release the one-piece micromechanical part formed in the negative cavity.

A method for fabrication of a micromechanical part made of a one-piece synthetic carbon allotrope based material, the method including: forming a substrate with a negative cavity of the micromechanical part to be fabricated; coating the negative cavity of the substrate with a layer of the synthetic carbon allotrope based material in a smaller thickness than the depth of the negative cavity; and removing the substrate to release the one-piece micromechanical part formed in the negative cavity.

An actuating organ for actuating an indicator in a timepiece, including: a fixing portion; a mobile portion; a first elastic portion connecting the mobile and fixing portions, the first elastic portion guiding the mobile portion relative to the fixing portion and exerting an elastic return action on the mobile portion; an actuation portion engaging with a toothed component of the timepiece upon actuation of the mobile portion relative to the fixing portion to actuate the toothed component, thereby actuating the indicator; and a second elastic portion connecting the actuation portion to the mobile portion, the second elastic portion being arranged to guide the actuation portion relative to the mobile portion so as to allow the actuation portion to retract when leaving the toothed component after release of the mobile portion, the second elastic portion being also arranged to exert an elastic return action on the actuation portion.

A method of forming a decorative surface on a micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, including at least one step a) of forming pores (2) on the surface of the silicon-based substrate over a zone of the silicon-based substrate which corresponds to the decorative surface to be formed, the pores being designed to open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part. A micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, and having, over at least one zone of the silicon-based substrate, pores which are formed in the zone of the silicon-based substrate and open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part in order to form a decorative surface over the zone.

A method of forming a decorative surface on a micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, including at least one step a) of forming pores (2) on the surface of the silicon-based substrate over a zone of the silicon-based substrate which corresponds to the decorative surface to be formed, the pores being designed to open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part. A micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, and having, over at least one zone of the silicon-based substrate, pores which are formed in the zone of the silicon-based substrate and open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part in order to form a decorative surface over the zone.

A monolithic component for a timepiece, in particular for a mechanical timepiece, comprising at least one rigid portion and an elastically flexible portion and designed to transmit the movement of an actuator of the timepiece to a driven part of the timepiece. The monolithic component comprises a rigid frame, a first rigid driving member, and a first elastically flexible structure connecting said frame to said first driving member. The first elastically flexible structure is configured in a manner such as to provide a displacement of said first driving member with at least two degrees of freedom, said displacement being caused as a result of the actuator coming into contact with said first driving member.

Methods, systems and apparatus to characterize audio using transchromagrams are disclosed. An example method includes generating, by executing one or more instructions on a processor, a set of transition matrices based on a plurality of time frames of the audio data, each of the plurality of transition matrices generated based on a different pair of time frames in the plurality of time frames, and indicating probabilities that anterior musical notes in an anterior time frame of the pair transition to posterior musical notes in a posterior time frame of the pair, generating, by executing one or more instructions on a processor, a data structure representing how the audio data changes statistically between the plurality of time frames based on the set of transition matrices, and causing, by executing one or more instructions on a processor, a database to store the data structure within metadata that describes the audio data.

A timepiece mechanism including a deformable rhombus including four coplanar segments pivotally connected in pairs by their vertices, including an input segment adjacent to an output segment, both pivoted about a pivot axis perpendicular to the plane of the rhombus and passing through a first vertex common to the input and output segments and locked in translation in the plane of the rhombus, a lever mounted to pivot about the pivot axis, the lever being kinematically connected in rotation, about the pivot axis, to a second vertex of the rhombus, opposite to the first vertex, a first locking member movable between a first locking position, in which the lever is locked in rotation, and a first unlocking position in which the first locking member does not hinder rotation of the lever, a second locking member movable between a second locking position, in which the second vertex is locked in translation in a radial direction, and a second unlocking position in which the second locking member does not hinder radial movement of the second vertex.

A performance system to allow a performer of an actual performance to more appropriately ascertain the progress of an automatic performance by a performance device. The performance system comprises a performance controller that causes a performance device to carry out an automatic performance of a musical piece, and a notification controller that causes a notification device to carry out an operation to visually notify a performer of an actual performance of a musical piece of the progress of the automatic performance.