© Mark Ollig
December 1991 saw the release of Dr. Sbaitso, a human-computer interaction program for MS-DOS computers.
Sbaitso is an acronym for “SoundBlaster Acting Intelligent Text-to-Speech Operator.”
Dr. Sbaitso, designed by Creative Labs (aka Creative Technology Ltd.), was a virtual therapist program.
It used a basic speech synthesis engine to engage users in simple conversations.
“I’m here to help you,” says Dr. Sbaitso in a deep, robotic, monotone voice.
Dr. Sbaitso was a digital voice program bundled with Creative Technology’s Sound Blaster Pro audio card.
The card used a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) chip to transform digital audio into analog sound that could be played through speakers or headphones.
Dr. Sbaitso’s audio contained pre-recorded diphones. These are small speech sections composed of two neighboring phonemes, the basic units of sound in language.
By stringing together these diphones, each representing a distinct sound, Dr. Sbaitso could generate synthesized voice responses that mimicked natural speech patterns. In this way, it produced realistic-sounding voice responses based on a PC user’s text input.
Dr. Sbaitso’s primary purpose, though, was to demonstrate and market the audio capabilities of the Sound Blaster Pro CT1350B sound card, which included ports for headphones, speakers, and microphones.
To generate diverse sounds, including musical instruments, the sound card employed the Yamaha YM3812 OPL2 chip with FM synthesis.
This chip’s ability to modify waveforms made it adaptable and cost-effective; it became popular among musicians and sound designers.
Additionally, the card featured a volume control and a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), a widely used protocol for connecting musical instruments with computers.
Dr. Sbaitso relied on First Byte’s Monologue speech synthesis software, developed during the 80s and early 90s.
This software, constrained by the limited computing power of the era, relied on a system of pre-programmed linguistic rules to assemble understandable speech from text.
The program’s scripted responses and limited vocabulary often led to repetitive, humorous, and nonsensical phrases when it struggled to process complex sentences.
Dr. Sbaitso’s text-to-speech responses always used uppercase letters.
The following is a conversation between a PC user and Dr. Sbaitso. I typed Sbaitso’s responses in lowercase for easier reading:
PC user: Hello.
Dr. Sbaitso: Hello. I am Dr. Sbaitso. How can I be of assistance to you today?
PC user: I’m feeling a bit down.
Dr. Sbaitso: Why do you feel that way?
PC user: Well, I had a bad day at work.
Dr. Sbaitso: Tell me more about your work.
PC user: I’m a programmer, and my code keeps crashing.
Dr. Sbaitso: That sounds frustrating. Perhaps you need a break.
PC user: You think I should take a vacation?
Dr. Sbaitso: I do not have enough information to say.
PC user: This isn’t very helpful.
Dr. Sbaitso: Why do you feel that way?
PC user: Forget it. Maybe I’ll just play a game instead.
Dr. Sbaitso: Very well. Goodbye.
Despite being used in the early 1990s, Dr. Sbaitso sparked conversations about privacy and responsible data use that remain relevant today.
Currently, ChatGPT-4, a generative pre-trained transformer model, denotes its architecture and training processes within the area of natural language processing and artificial intelligence.
For this column, I asked the GPT-4 AI app: “How would you compare yourself with the Dr. Sbaitso software program from 1991.”
GPT-4: “Dr. Sbaitso was an early voice synthesis program that used simple pattern-matching techniques, primarily for entertainment and showcasing sound card capabilities.
In contrast, I am powered by GPT-4, a more advanced AI model that provides detailed, context-aware responses across a wide range of topics, aiming for meaningful and useful interactions rather than just entertainment.”
GPT-4 concluded, “This reflects significant advancements in AI and natural language processing over the years.”
To interact with the 1992 version 2.20 of the MS-DOS Dr. Sbaitso program emulator, visit the Internet Archives at archive.org/details/SBAITSO_CGA.
Once there, click on the round power button symbol displayed on the blue screen under the Creative Labs banner.
After a brief loading time, Dr. Sbaitso will appear and audibly greet you with: “Dr. Sbaitso, by Creative Labs. Please tell me your name.”
Type your name and press the “enter” key after the last letter of the name appears.
To start a conversation with Dr. Sbaitso, locate the “>” symbol and blinking command line on the left side of your screen.
Type a short message and hit “enter” to send it to the doctor.
You will now be engaged in conversation with Dr. Sbaitso.
For a list of commands, type “help” and press enter.
To end the conversation, type “quit” or close the browser tab.
While earlier chatbots existed in research settings, Dr. Sbaitso’s bundling with the Sound Blaster Pro brought this type of semi-artificial intelligence software to consumer-level computers.
After not using Dr. Sbaitso for more than 30 years, revisiting this forerunner to today’s AI chatbot technology was a nostalgic blast into the past.
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| My conversation with the MS-DOS Dr. Sbaitso program emulator |