Acoustic Analysis of Breathy and Rough Voice Characterizing Elderly Speech

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Miyazaki ◽  
◽  
Mitsunori Mizumachi ◽  
Katsuyuki Niyada
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Acoustic Features ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Listening Tests ◽  
Amplitude Spectra ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Age Range

This paper aims at investigating acoustic features, which can objectively explain breathiness and roughness of elderly speech, respectively. In this paper, acoustic analysis was carried out using word sequences, which were uttered by 153 male speakers in the age range of between 20 and 89 years old. Concerning the breathiness, we confirmed that elderly breathy voices caused energy lift in higher frequency region over 4 kHz in average power spectra during the stationary parts in the uttered vowels. Concerning roughness, we observed the slight fluctuations, which synchronized with vocal cord vibration, in amplitude spectra during stationary parts of vowels. Based on acoustic analysis results, we propose physical parameters for measuring breathiness and roughness, respectively. In this paper, listening tests were carried out to quantitatively give the subject degrees of breathiness and roughness, respectively. It was confirmed that the proposed physical parameters had correlation with each of subjective degrees. Relationships between age and acoustic characteristics of breathiness and roughness were investigated using the proposed parameters. It is confirmed that the degree of breathiness and roughness increased in proportion to age, especially in age ranges over 60 years old.

scholarly journals The importance of word-final vowel duration for non-native portuguese speaker identification by means of Support Vector Machines

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-714
Author(s):  
Suzanne Franks ◽  
Rommel Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Support Vector Machines ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speaker Identification ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Acoustic Features ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Vector Machines

This article studies the acoustic characteristics of some oral vowels in tonic syllables of Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and which acoustic features are important for classifying native versus non-native speakers of BP. We recorded native and non-native speakers of BP for the purpose of the acoustic analysis of the vowels [a], [i], and [u] in tonic syllables. We analyzed the acoustic parameters of each segment using the Support Vector Machines algorithm to identify to which group, native or non-native, a new speaker belongs. When all of the variables were considered, a precision of 91% was obtained. The two most important acoustic cues to determine if a speaker is native or non-native were the durations of [i] and [u] in a word-final position. These findings can contribute to BP speaker identification as well as to the teaching of the pronunciation of Portuguese as a foreign language.

scholarly journals Divriği Hospital - Medieval Healing Venue and Its Acoustic Characteristics

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-83
Author(s):  
Ivana Mihaljinec ◽  
Erdal Eser
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
3D Model ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Acoustic Simulation ◽  
The World ◽  
Concert Halls ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Music Venues ◽  
Architectural Characteristics

Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital as one of the World heritage monuments on UNESCO’s list was the subject of research. More precisely, the focus was on the architecture and the acoustic characteristics of the hospital built in 1228/1229 by Mengüjeck dynasty, a branch of Anatolian Seljuks. For the analysis purposes, a 3D model of the hospital was created, and the acoustic simulation was conducted. The results of the acoustic analysis show that the architectural characteristics of the hospital fulfill the acoustic standards for the good reception of the sound for the audience, and that it can be concluded that Divriği hospital venue supports the hypothesis of being suitable for the healing purposes. Hospital was designed to support the sound realization and to support the environmental soundscape in conjunction with the sounding makams, which supports the music therapy healing effect. It can be concluded that music therapy had acoustical support in the construction of Anatolian Seljuk hospitals, which have characteristics of concert halls and were built as acoustic (music) venues.

scholarly journals Acoustic characteristics of voice and speech in Arabic-speaking stuttering children

2022 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Elsherbeny ◽  
Hemmat Baz ◽  
Omayma Afsah
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Normal Children ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Egyptian Children ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Arabic Speaking ◽  
Voice And Speech

Abstract Background Using different methodologies, several researchers have reported certain acoustical and physiological differences between fluent utterances of stutterers and normally fluent speakers. The aim of this study was to determine acoustic characteristics of voice and speech in Arabic-speaking stuttering children in comparison to normal children and correlate these characteristics with stuttering severity. A sample of 80 Arabic-speaking Egyptian children (including 40 typically developing children and 40 stuttering children) in the age range 5–8 years were subjected to acoustic analysis of voice and speech using the Praat software. Results The stuttering children showed significantly higher values of jitter and shimmer in prolonged /a/ vowel sample, as compared to the normal group. This may reflect the subtle differences in laryngeal functioning or in the complex interaction among the laryngeal, respiratory, and the vocal tract systems in stuttering children. Both jitter and shimmer of prolonged /a/ vowel demonstrated significant positive moderate correlation with stuttering severity as assessed by SSI3. F0 was significantly higher in females than in males, both in normal and stuttering children. Conclusions The present study revealed significant differences in the acoustic parameters of voice and speech between Arabic-speaking stuttering children and normal children. Some of these acoustic parameters were significantly correlated with stuttering severity. Acoustic analysis can be used as simple, quick, and cheap tool for assessment of stuttering in children and might be a valuable addition to the diagnostic set for assessment of stuttering severity.

scholarly journals In situ acoustic analysis of two twentieth-century heritage carillons

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Allan Orr
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Mechanical Action ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Physical Acoustics ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Dynamic Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
And Function

AbstractCarillons are a diverse and global form of musical and civic heritage: musical instruments comprised of a series of 23 or more bells, typically hung in a tower-like structure, tuned chromatically and played from a touch-sensitive manual and pedal console using an elaborate mechanical action. Carillon bells have a distinct series of musical overtones which should be accurately tuned to one another and with other bells they sound alongside. Although these overtones have been previously studied ex situ, this study assesses the acoustic characteristics of two early-twentieth century carillons in Toronto, Canada as a combination of structure, bells, and mechanical action. Thus, the instrument and its context are considered holistically, more accurately reflecting the musical sensitivity of a carillonist. Spectral analysis of audio samples of each bell at different musical dynamic levels enabled the analysis of the acoustic qualities of the bells and the mechanical action of the instruments. The tuning of bells in the instruments varied; most importantly, there was a significant difference between the audial intensity of the bell tones produced by the instruments, demonstrating the importance of the mechanical action as part of the ‘carillon system’. This was represented with a resistive power-law model, that represents the sensitivity of intensity to carillonist musical dynamic level. A discussion of the implications for artistic and heritage practice follows. Understanding the in situ physical acoustics of the carillon as a holistic instrument in its context informs performers, arrangers, and composers of how they can best embrace the instrument’s unique qualities to improve artistic pursuits and support the appreciation of carillons as heritage instruments and function as civic voices.

Grammar of Skolt Saami

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Feist
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Speech Community ◽  
Vowel Length ◽  
Descriptive Grammar ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Endangered Language ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Auxiliary Verb ◽  
Northeast Finland

Skolt Saami is a Finno-Ugric language spoken primarily in northeast Finland by less than 300 people. The aim of this descriptive grammar is to provide an overview of all the major grammatical aspects of the language. It comprises descriptions of Skolt Saami phonology, morphophonology, morphology, morphosyntax and syntax. A compilation of interlinearised texts is provided in Chapter 11. Skolt Saami is a phonologically complex language, displaying contrastive vowel length, consonant gradation, suprasegmental palatalisation and vowel height alternations. It is also well known for being one of the few languages to display three distinctive degrees of quantity; indeed, this very topic has already been the subject of an acoustic analysis (McRobbie-Utasi 1999). Skolt Saami is also a morphologically complex language. Nominals in Skolt Saami belong to twelve different inflectional classes. They inflect for number and nine grammatical cases and may also mark possession, giving rise to over seventy distinct forms. Verbs belong to four different inflectional classes and inflect for person, number, tense and mood. Inflection is marked by suffixes, many of which are fused morphemes. Other typologically interesting features of the language, which are covered in this grammar, include (i) the existence of distinct predicative and attributive forms of adjectives, (ii) the case-marking of subject and object nominals which have cardinal numerals as determiners, and (iii) the marking of negation with a negative auxiliary verb. Skolt Saami is a seriously endangered language and it is thus hoped that this grammar will serve both as a tool to linguistic researchers and as an impetus to the speech community in any future revitalisation efforts.

scholarly journals Application of Model-Based Tests for Analysing the Consequences of Mine Fires

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 767-774
Author(s):  
Magdalena Tutak
Keyword(s):  
Fire Hazard ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Gas Mixture ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Underground Coal Mines ◽  
Mine Fires ◽  
Underground Mine Workings ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Chemical Products

Abstract One of the most common and most dangerous hazards in underground coal mines is fire hazard. Mine fires can be exogenous or endogenous in nature. In the case of the former, a particular hazard is posed by methane fires that occur in dog headings and longwalls. Endogenous and exogenous fires are large hazard for working crew in mining headings and cause economics losses for mining plants. Mine fires result in emission of harmful chemical products and have a crucial impact on the physical parameters of the airflow. The subject of the article concerns the analysis of the consequences of methane fires in dog headings. These consequences were identified by means of model-based tests. For this purpose, a model was developed and boundary conditions were adopted to reflect the actual layout of the headings and the condition of the atmosphere in the area under analysis. The objective of the test was to determine the effects of methane fires on the chemical composition of the atmosphere and the physical parameters of the gas mixture generated in the process. The results obtained clearly indicate that fires have a significant impact on the above-mentioned values. The paper presents the distributions for the physical parameters of the resulting gas mixture and the concentration of fire gases. Moreover, it shows the distributions of temperature and oxygen concentration levels in the headings under analysis. The methodology developed for the application of model-based tests to analyse fire events in mine headings represents a new approach to the problem of investigating the consequences of such fires. It is also suitable for variant analyses of the processes related to the ventilation of underground mine workings as well as for analyses of emergency states. Model-based tests should support the assessment of the methane hazard levels and, subsequently, lead to an improvement of work safety in mines.

scholarly journals Condition Monitoring Technologies for Synthetic Fiber Ropes - a Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Espen Oland ◽  
Rune Schlanbusch ◽  
Shaun Falconer
Keyword(s):  
Condition Monitoring ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Synthetic Fiber ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Condition Monitoring System ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Monitoring Technologies ◽  
Insight Into

This paper presents a review of different condition monitoring technologies for fiber ropes. Specifically, it presents an overview of the articles and patents on the subject, ranging from the early 70’s up until today with the state of the art. Experimental results are also included and discussed in a conditionmonitoring context,where failuremechanisms and changes in physical parameters give improved insight into the degradation process of fiber ropes. From this review, it is found that automatic width measurement has received surprisingly little attention, and might be a future direction for the development of a continuous condition monitoring system for synthetic fiber ropes.

scholarly journals Examining Factors Influencing the Viability of Automatic Acoustic Analysis of Child Speech

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 2487-2501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thea Knowles ◽  
Meghan Clayards ◽  
Morgan Sonderegger
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Center Of Gravity ◽  
Training Data ◽  
Alignment Accuracy ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Phonetic Transcription ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
Child Speech

Purpose Heterogeneous child speech was force-aligned to investigate whether (a) manipulating specific parameters could improve alignment accuracy and (b) forced alignment could be used to replicate published results on acoustic characteristics of /s/ production by children. Method In Part 1, child speech from 2 corpora was force-aligned with a trainable aligner (Prosodylab-Aligner) under different conditions that systematically manipulated input training data and the type of transcription used. Alignment accuracy was determined by comparing hand and automatic alignments as to how often they overlapped (%-Match) and absolute differences in duration and boundary placements. Using mixed-effects regression, accuracy was modeled as a function of alignment conditions, as well as segment and child age. In Part 2, forced alignments derived from a subset of the alignment conditions in Part 1 were used to extract spectral center of gravity of /s/ productions from young children. These findings were compared to published results that used manual alignments of the same data. Results Overall, the results of Part 1 demonstrated that using training data more similar to the data to be aligned as well as phonetic transcription led to improvements in alignment accuracy. Speech from older children was aligned more accurately than younger children. In Part 2, /s/ center of gravity extracted from force-aligned segments was found to diverge in the speech of male and female children, replicating the pattern found in previous work using manually aligned segments. This was true even for the least accurate forced alignment method. Conclusions Alignment accuracy of child speech can be improved by using more specific training and transcription. However, poor alignment accuracy was not found to impede acoustic analysis of /s/ produced by even very young children. Thus, forced alignment presents a useful tool for the analysis of child speech. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7070105

Power spectral density of magnetic field and ion velocity fluctuations from inertial to kinetic ranges

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Šafránková ◽  
Zdeněk Němeček ◽  
František Němec ◽  
Luca Franci ◽  
Alexander Pitňa
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Solar Wind ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Collisionless Plasma ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
Turbulent Cascade

<p>The solar wind is a unique laboratory to study the turbulent processes occurring in a collisionless plasma with high Reynolds numbers. A turbulent cascade—the process that transfers the free energy contained within the large scale fluctuations into the smaller ones—is believed to be one of the most important mechanisms responsible for heating of the solar corona and solar wind. The paper analyzes power spectra of solar wind velocity, density and magnetic field fluctuations that are computed in the frequency range around the break between inertial and kinetic scales. The study uses measurements of the Bright Monitor of the Solar Wind (BMSW) on board the Spektr-R spacecraft with a time resolution of 32 ms complemented with 10 Hz magnetic field observations from the Wind spacecraft propagated to the Spektr-R location. The statistics based on more than 42,000 individual spectra show that: (1) the spectra of both quantities can be fitted by two (three in the case of the density) power-law segments; (2) the median slopes of parallel and perpendicular fluctuation velocity and magnetic field components are different; (3) the break between MHD and kinetic scales as well as the slopes are mainly controlled by the ion beta parameter. These experimental results are compared with high-resolution 2D hybrid particle-in-cell simulations, where the electrons are considered to be a massless, charge-neutralizing fluid with a constant temperature, whereas the ions are described as macroparticles representing portions of their distribution function. In spite of several limitations (lack of the electron kinetics, lower dimensionality), the model results agree well with the experimental findings. Finally, we discuss differences between observations and simulations in relation to the role of important physical parameters in determining the properties of the turbulent cascade.</p>

scholarly journals Interpretation of Extragalactic Jets

1986 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 425-437
Author(s):  
Michael L. Norman
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
Radio Jets ◽  
Extragalactic Jets ◽  
Self Consistent ◽  
Interferometric Observation ◽  
The Subject

The subject of this paper is the interpretation of extragalactic radio jets. In this paper I will focus on what we have learned about the nature of extragalactic jets on the basis of model calculations. By model I mean any set of calculations, whether analytic, semi-analytic or numerical, which, when carried through from their respective assumptions to their internally self-consistent conclusions, help place constraints on the physical parameters and processes in the jets and their associated radio lobes. In this field, a visual inspection of a modern high-resolution radio interferometric observation (see review by PERLEY in these proceedings) often leads to statements like “that looks just like such and such in Landau and Lifschitz; I betcha that’s what’s going on!” This I call a speculation, or, at best, a hypothesis. I am addressing here the step beyond hypothesis, namely modeling, which is necessary to confront not only the object in question, but more importantly, the hypothesis itself. In the end, we will remember only the hypotheses.

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