The Effect of Source Location, Posture and Language on Speech Intelligibility in Goan Churches

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menino A. S. M. P. Tavares ◽  
S. Rajagopalan ◽  
Satish J. Sharma ◽  
António P. O. Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
English Language ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Source Location ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
Catholic Churches ◽  
Predictive Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Made In

The results presented here are based on field measurements carried out in six Catholic churches (Goa, India). Rapid Speech Transmission Index ( RASTI) and Subjective Speech Intelligibility ( SSI) measurements were made in four different seating zones of a church for three speech source locations (altar, pulpit, high altar), two languages (English, Konkani) and two postures (standing, sitting). The effects of language and postures were not significant. The altar location and the sanctuary of the church were preferable for speech intelligibility. Although the altar location showed better averages than the other speech source locations, the best predictive relationship between RASTI and SSI was the exponential growth of RASTI for the high altar source location with SSI for the English language.

scholarly journals Comparison of Two Types of Combined Measures, STI and U50, for Predicting Speech Intelligibility in Classrooms

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 527-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Ji Cho
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Room Acoustics ◽  
Speech Communication ◽  
Modulation Transfer ◽  
Acoustic Measurements ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
The Mean ◽  
University Classrooms ◽  
Made In

AbstractThe present study reports on the speech intelligibility as measured by speech transmission index (STI) and useful-to-detrimental sound ratios (U50) in university classrooms. Acoustic measurements were made in 12 quietly occupied university classrooms. The measured impulse responses of the classrooms were used to determine the modulation transfer function, m(F), for the STI calculation according to IEC 60268-16. U50values were determined from both signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and C50values. The mean STI and frequency-weighted U50values for the 12 occupied classrooms were strongly linearly related. The results showed that classrooms with U50values of about +0.5 dB correspond to STI values of 0.60, indicating ‘good’ acoustical conditions for speech intelligibility. The results illustrate that the U50measure can be a more practically useful means of assessing and understanding room acoustics conditions for real speech communication in active classrooms.

Binaural speech-to-noise loudness ratio at the speech reception threshold in vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-179
Author(s):  
Nilolina Samardzic ◽  
Brian C.J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
New Method ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Speech Reception ◽  
Typical Error ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
Articulation Index ◽  
Speech Intelligibility Index ◽  
Binaural Listening

Traditional methods for predicting the intelligibility of speech in the presence of noise inside a vehicle, such as the Articulation Index (AI), the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII), and the Speech Transmission Index (STI), are not accurate, probably because they do not take binaural listening into account; the signals reaching the two ears can differ markedly depending on the positions of the talker and listener. We propose a new method for predicting the intelligibility of speech in a vehicle, based on the ratio of the binaural loudness of the speech to the binaural loudness of the noise, each calculated using the method specified in ISO 532-2 (2017). The method was found to give accurate predictions of the speech reception threshold (SRT) measured under a variety of conditions and for different positions of the talker and listener in a car. The typical error in the predicted SRT was 1.3 dB, which is markedly smaller than estimated using the SII and STI (2.0 dB and 2.1 dB, respectively).

scholarly journals Archaeoacoustic Examination of Lazarica Church

Acoustics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 423-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zorana Đorđević ◽  
Dragan Novković ◽  
Uroš Andrić
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Central Dome ◽  
Acoustic Effect ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Medieval Church ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission

The acoustic analysis provides additional information on building tradition and related indoor practice that includes sound, thus deepening our understanding of architectural heritage. In this paper, the sound field of the Orthodox medieval church Lazarica (Kruševac city, Serbia) is examined. Lazarica is a representative of Morava architectural style, developed in the final period of the Serbian medieval state, when also the chanting art thrived, proving the importance of the aural environment in Serbian churches. The church plan is a combination of a traditional inscribed cross and a triconch. After the in situ measurement of acoustic impulse response using EASERA software, we built a computer model in the acoustic simulation software EASE and calibrated it accordingly. Following the parameters (reverberation time (T30), early decay time (EDT) and speech transmission index (STI)), we examined the acoustic effect of the space occupancy, central dome and the iconostasis. In all the cases, no significant deviation between T30 and EDT parameter was observed, which indicates uniform sound energy decay. Closing the dome with a flat ceiling did not show any significant impact on T30, but it lowered speech intelligibility. The height of iconostasis showed no significant influence on the acoustics of Lazarica church.

scholarly journals Relationships between Subjective and Objective Acoustical Measures in Churches

1997 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
António P.O. Carvalho ◽  
António E.J. Morgado ◽  
Luís Henrique
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Room Acoustics ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Architectural Features ◽  
Live Music ◽  
Acoustic Quality ◽  
Catholic Churches ◽  
Made In

This study reports on subjective and objective acoustical field measurements made in a survey of 36 Catholic churches in Portugal built in the last 14 centuries. Monaural acoustical measurements (RT, EDT. C80, D50, TS and L) were taken at several source/receiver locations in each church and a group of college students was asked to judge the subjective quality of music. The listeners in each church evaluated live music performances at similar locations in each room. Evaluation sheets were used to record the listeners' overall impressions of room acoustic quality and also Loudness, Reverberance. Intimacy. Envelopment. Directionality, Balance, Clarity, Echoes and Background Noise. This paper concentrates on the relationships of the subjective parameters with the objective room acoustics measures and with the architectural features of the churches. Correlation analyses and statistical modeling identified significant relationships among the measures. For instance, linear correlation coefficients (| R|) of 0.8–0.9 were found for the relationships: Reverberance/RT and Clarity/C80; the maximum | R| found was 0.93 for Echoes/RT. Regarding architectural features the maximum | R | found was 0.87 between Intimacy and Total Volume.

The Use of Virtual Reflectors to Improve Speech Intelligibility in Open Stage Auditoria

1998 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. El-Zeky ◽  
D.J. Oldham
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Potential Problem ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Conventional Technique ◽  
Energy Fraction ◽  
Human Speech ◽  
Suitable Parameter ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
Reflecting Surfaces

A potential problem encountered with open stage auditoria is poor speech intelligibility arising from the directional nature of human speech sources. The conventional technique of employing large overhead reflecting surfaces to ensure a large early energy fraction to improve intelligibility is shown to be unsuitable in this situation. The use of Virtual Reflectors consisting of microphones and loudspeakers symmetrically located relative to the stage is proposed as a possible solution to the problems of open stage auditoria. It is suggested that the Speech Transmission Index is a suitable parameter for assessing the performance of Virtual Reflectors when in use and that computer modelling could provide a suitable method for investigating the action of Virtual Reflectors.

scholarly journals Acoustic Sensing Analytics Applied to Speech in Reverberation Conditions

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6320
Author(s):  
Piotr Odya ◽  
Jozef Kotus ◽  
Adam Kurowski ◽  
Bozena Kostek
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Acoustic Sensing ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
Natural Remedies ◽  
Polish Language ◽  
Processing Control ◽  
Acoustic Environments ◽  
Acoustic Conditions

The paper aims to discuss a case study of sensing analytics and technology in acoustics when applied to reverberation conditions. Reverberation is one of the issues that makes speech in indoor spaces challenging to understand. This problem is particularly critical in large spaces with few absorbing or diffusing surfaces. One of the natural remedies to improve speech intelligibility in such conditions may be achieved through speaking slowly. It is possible to use algorithms that reduce the rate of speech (RoS) in real time. Therefore, the study aims to find recommended values of RoS in the context of STI (speech transmission index) in different acoustic environments. In the experiments, speech intelligibility for six impulse responses recorded in spaces with different STIs is investigated using a sentence test (for the Polish language). Fifteen subjects with normal hearing participated in these tests. The results of the analytical analysis enabled us to propose a curve specifying the maximum RoS values translating into understandable speech under given acoustic conditions. This curve can be used in speech processing control technology as well as compressive reverse acoustic sensing.

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