azure-ai-voicelive-py

CategoryCoding
AuthorAgentic Awesome Skills 社区
LicenseMIT
Rating4.90/5
Uses12.5K

Azure AI Voice Live SDK

Build real-time voice AI applications with bidirectional WebSocket communication.

Installation

bash
pip install azure-ai-voicelive aiohttp azure-identity

Environment Variables

bash
AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_ENDPOINT=https://<region>.api.cognitive.microsoft.com

For API key auth (not recommended for production)

AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_KEY=<api-key>

Authentication

DefaultAzureCredential (preferred):

python
from azure.ai.voicelive.aio import connect
from azure.identity.aio import DefaultAzureCredential

async with connect(
endpoint=os.environ["AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_ENDPOINT"],
credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),
model="gpt-4o-realtime-preview",
credential_scopes=["https://cognitiveservices.azure.com/.default"]
) as conn:
...

API Key:

python
from azure.ai.voicelive.aio import connect
from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential

async with connect(
endpoint=os.environ["AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_ENDPOINT"],
credential=AzureKeyCredential(os.environ["AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_KEY"]),
model="gpt-4o-realtime-preview"
) as conn:
...

Quick Start

python
import asyncio
import os
from azure.ai.voicelive.aio import connect
from azure.identity.aio import DefaultAzureCredential

async def main():
async with connect(
endpoint=os.environ["AZURE_COGNITIVE_SERVICES_ENDPOINT"],
credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),
model="gpt-4o-realtime-preview",
credential_scopes=["https://cognitiveservices.azure.com/.default"]
) as conn:
# Update session with instructions
await conn.session.update(session={
"instructions": "You are a helpful assistant.",
"modalities": ["text", "audio"],
"voice": "alloy"
})

# Listen for events
async for event in conn:
print(f"Event: {event.type}")
if event.type == "response.audio_transcript.done":
print(f"Transcript: {event.transcript}")
elif event.type == "response.done":
break

asyncio.run(main())

Core Architecture

Connection Resources

The VoiceLiveConnection exposes these resources:

| Resource | Purpose | Key Methods |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| conn.session | Session configuration | update(session=...) |
| conn.response | Model responses | create(), cancel() |
| conn.input_audio_buffer | Audio input | append(), commit(), clear() |
| conn.output_audio_buffer | Audio output | clear() |
| conn.conversation | Conversation state | item.create(), item.delete(), item.truncate() |
| conn.transcription_session | Transcription config | update(session=...) |

Session Configuration

python
from azure.ai.voicelive.models import RequestSession, FunctionTool

await conn.session.update(session=RequestSession(
instructions="You are a helpful voice assistant.",
modalities=["text", "audio"],
voice="alloy", # or "echo", "shimmer", "sage", etc.
input_audio_format="pcm16",
output_audio_format="pcm16",
turn_detection={
"type": "server_vad",
"threshold": 0.5,
"prefix_padding_ms": 300,
"silence_duration_ms": 500
},
tools=[
FunctionTool(
type="function",
name="get_weather",
description="Get current weather",
parameters={
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"location": {"type": "string"}
},
"required": ["location"]
}
)
]
))

Audio Streaming

Send Audio (Base64 PCM16)

python
import base64

Read audio chunk (16-bit PCM, 24kHz mono)

audio_chunk = await read_audio_from_microphone() b64_audio = base64.b64encode(audio_chunk).decode()

await conn.input_audio_buffer.append(audio=b64_audio)

Receive Audio

python
async for event in conn:
    if event.type == "response.audio.delta":
        audio_bytes = base64.b64decode(event.delta)
        await play_audio(audio_bytes)
    elif event.type == "response.audio.done":
        print("Audio complete")

Event Handling

python
async for event in conn:
    match event.type:
        # Session events
        case "session.created":
            print(f"Session: {event.session}")
        case "session.updated":
            print("Session updated")
        
        # Audio input events
        case "input_audio_buffer.speech_started":
            print(f"Speech started at {event.audio_start_ms}ms")
        case "input_audio_buffer.speech_stopped":
            print(f"Speech stopped at {event.audio_end_ms}ms")
        
        # Transcription events
        case "conversation.item.input_audio_transcription.completed":
            print(f"User said: {event.transcript}")
        case "conversation.item.input_audio_transcription.delta":
            print(f"Partial: {event.delta}")
        
        # Response events
        case "response.created":
            print(f"Response started: {event.response.id}")
        case "response.audio_transcript.delta":
            print(event.delta, end="", flush=True)
        case "response.audio.delta":
            audio = base64.b64decode(event.delta)
        case "response.done":
            print(f"Response complete: {event.response.status}")
        
        # Function calls
        case "response.function_call_arguments.done":
            result = handle_function(event.name, event.arguments)
            await conn.conversation.item.create(item={
                "type": "function_call_output",
                "call_id": event.call_id,
                "output": json.dumps(result)
            })
            await conn.response.create()
        
        # Errors
        case "error":
            print(f"Error: {event.error.message}")

Common Patterns

Manual Turn Mode (No VAD)

python
await conn.session.update(session={"turn_detection": None})

Manually control turns

await conn.input_audio_buffer.append(audio=b64_audio) await conn.input_audio_buffer.commit() # End of user turn await conn.response.create() # Trigger response

Interrupt Handling

python
async for event in conn:
    if event.type == "input_audio_buffer.speech_started":
        # User interrupted - cancel current response
        await conn.response.cancel()
        await conn.output_audio_buffer.clear()

Conversation History

python
# Add system message
await conn.conversation.item.create(item={
    "type": "message",
    "role": "system",
    "content": [{"type": "input_text", "text": "Be concise."}]
})

Add user message

await conn.conversation.item.create(item={ "type": "message", "role": "user", "content": [{"type": "input_text", "text": "Hello!"}] })

await conn.response.create()

Voice Options

| Voice | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| alloy | Neutral, balanced |
| echo | Warm, conversational |
| shimmer | Clear, professional |
| sage | Calm, authoritative |
| coral | Friendly, upbeat |
| ash | Deep, measured |
| ballad | Expressive |
| verse | Storytelling |

Azure voices: Use AzureStandardVoice, AzureCustomVoice, or AzurePersonalVoice models.

Audio Formats

| Format | Sample Rate | Use Case |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| pcm16 | 24kHz | Default, high quality |
| pcm16-8000hz | 8kHz | Telephony |
| pcm16-16000hz | 16kHz | Voice assistants |
| g711_ulaw | 8kHz | Telephony (US) |
| g711_alaw | 8kHz | Telephony (EU) |

Turn Detection Options

python
# Server VAD (default)
{"type": "server_vad", "threshold": 0.5, "silence_duration_ms": 500}

Azure Semantic VAD (smarter detection)

{"type": "azure_semantic_vad"} {"type": "azure_semantic_vad_en"} # English optimized {"type": "azure_semantic_vad_multilingual"}

Error Handling

python
from azure.ai.voicelive.aio import ConnectionError, ConnectionClosed

try:
async with connect(...) as conn:
async for event in conn:
if event.type == "error":
print(f"API Error: {event.error.code} - {event.error.message}")
except ConnectionClosed as e:
print(f"Connection closed: {e.code} - {e.reason}")
except ConnectionError as e:
print(f"Connection error: {e}")

References

  • Detailed API Reference: See references/api-reference.md
  • Complete Examples: See references/examples.md
  • All Models & Types: See references/models.md

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

  • Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
  • Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
  • Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
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