scholarly journals The effect of jaw position on perceptual and acoustic characteristics of speech

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
Nancy Solomon ◽  
◽  
Matthew Makashay ◽  
Benjamin Munson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Systematic Difference ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Bite Block ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Spectral Kurtosis ◽  
Second Formant ◽  
Jaw Position

Bite blocks are used to stabilize the jaw and to isolate tongue and lip movements from that of the mandible during speech and nonspeech activities. Ten normally speaking young adults produced sentences with an unconstrained jaw and with unilateral placement of 2-mm and 5-mm bite blocks. Six listeners rated sentences spoken without either bite block as the most natural sounding. Spectral characteristics of /s/, /J/ and /t/ (sibilant frication and stop bursts) differed significantly with than without bite blocks, such that mean spectral energy decreased, and variation and skew of spectral energy increased. Spectral kurtosis did not change for the group, but 2 participants exhibited highly kurtotic /s/ spectra without a bite block that normalized with bite blocks. The second formant frequency for the high vowel /i/ was lower with bite blocks; there was no systematic difference in F2 slope for diphthongs. Segmental and suprasegmental timing of speech articulation was not affected significantly by these small bite blocks. This study provides support for using small bite blocks to isolate the tongue from the jaw without large effects on speech, but cautions that speech is likely to sound less natural than when produced with an unconstrained jaw.

scholarly journals The Effect of Jaw Position on Measures of Tongue Strength and Endurance

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 584-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Pearl Solomon ◽  
Benjamin Munson
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Surface Electromyography ◽  
Tongue Pressure ◽  
Individual Data ◽  
Tongue Strength ◽  
Bite Block ◽  
Discrete Function ◽  
Neurologically Normal ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Jaw Position

Assessment of tongue strength and endurance is common in research and clinical contexts. It is unclear whether the results reveal discrete function by the tongue or combined abilities of the tongue and jaw. One way to isolate the movement of the tongue is to constrain the jaw kinematically by using a bite block. In this study, 10 neurologically normal young adults performed tongue strength and endurance tasks without a bite block ("jaw-free") and with bite blocks of various heights (2, 5, 10, and 15 mm for strength; 5 mm for endurance). Data signals included tongue pressure exerted on an air-filled bulb, surface electromyography (SEMG) from the superior tongue blade, and SEMG from 1 masseter. On average, tongue strength (pressure in kPa) was greatest with no bite block and generally decreased as bite blocks increased in height. Pairwise analyses revealed statistically significant differences for all but 3 comparisons (jaw-free to 2 mm, 2 to 5 mm, and 5 to 10 mm). After removing outlying data from 1 participant, tongue endurance at 50% of tongue strength was significantly greater without a bite block than with one. SEMG data did not differ significantly for the strength task across bite block conditions, but inspection of the individual data revealed a tendency for masseter activity to be lower when the jaw was unconstrained. These results suggest that maximal tongue strength and endurance are best assessed with an unconstrained mandible or with a very small bite block.

Effects of Aging on the Subcortical Encoding of Stop Consonants

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-403
Author(s):  
Dania Rishiq ◽  
Ashley Harkrider ◽  
Cary Springer ◽  
Mark Hedrick
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Second Formant ◽  
Effects Of Aging

Purpose The main purpose of this study was to evaluate aging effects on the predominantly subcortical (brainstem) encoding of the second-formant frequency transition, an essential acoustic cue for perceiving place of articulation. Method Synthetic consonant–vowel syllables varying in second-formant onset frequency (i.e., /ba/, /da/, and /ga/ stimuli) were used to elicit speech-evoked auditory brainstem responses (speech-ABRs) in 16 young adults ( M age = 21 years) and 11 older adults ( M age = 59 years). Repeated-measures mixed-model analyses of variance were performed on the latencies and amplitudes of the speech-ABR peaks. Fixed factors were phoneme (repeated measures on three levels: /b/ vs. /d/ vs. /g/) and age (two levels: young vs. older). Results Speech-ABR differences were observed between the two groups (young vs. older adults). Specifically, older listeners showed generalized amplitude reductions for onset and major peaks. Significant Phoneme × Group interactions were not observed. Conclusions Results showed aging effects in speech-ABR amplitudes that may reflect diminished subcortical encoding of consonants in older listeners. These aging effects were not phoneme dependent as observed using the statistical methods of this study.

Effects of Long-Term Tracheostomy on Spectral Characteristics of Vowel Production

1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1057-1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Saletsky Kamen ◽  
Ben C. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Vowel Production ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Motor Patterns ◽  
Spectral Parameters ◽  
Oral Motor ◽  
Vowel Space

This study investigated the effects of long-term tracheostomy on the development of speech. Eight children who underwent tracheotomy during the prelingual period were compared to matched controls on selected spectral parameters of the speech acoustic signal and standard measures of oral-motor, phonologic, and articulatory proficiency. Analysis of formant frequency values revealed significant between-group differences. Children with histories of long-term tracheostomy showed reduced acoustic vowel space, as defined by group formant frequency values. This suggests that these children were limited in their ability to produce extreme vocal tract configurations for vowels /a,i,u/ postdecannulation. Oral motor patterns were less mature, and sound substitutions were not only more variable for this group, but also reflected a persistent overlay of maladaptive compensations developed during cannulation.

scholarly journals Assessment of tongue weakness and fatigue

2004 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-19
Author(s):  
Nancy Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Critical Level ◽  
Tongue Strength ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Bite Block ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Dysarthric Speech ◽  
Neurologically Normal ◽  
Jaw Position

Assessment of nonspeech tongue function is common in speech-language pathology. This paper reviews techniques used to determine tongue strength and endurance, and describes a constant-effort task. These techniques are intended to reveal and quantify the presence of weakness or fatigue of the tongue. The consequences of performing these tasks with and without a bite block, used to fix jaw position, are considered. Whether nonspeech tongue impairment is associated with speech dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease is another topic of interest. Past studies indicated reduced tongue strength and endurance in Parkinson’s disease, but these measures did not correlate with speech measures. It was hypothesized that weakness and fatigue need to be impaired to a “critical” level before speech is perceptibly affected. To examine whether experimentally induced tongue fatigue affects speech, normal speakers performed prolonged strenuous tongue exercise. Speech deteriorated following these exercises. A new investigation examines whether 1 hour of speech-like tongue exercise (rapid syllable repetitions) affects dysarthric speech. Preliminary data from 6 participants with Parkinson’s disease, 1 person with bulbar ALS, and 6 neurologically normal control subjects indicate that sentences sound more precise but less natural after the exercises. Surprisingly, results did not differ significantly between the groups. Continued collection of data and refinement of tasks will contribute to our understanding of the potential relationships between weakness, fatigue, and speech.

Kinematic and Acoustic Changes to Vowels and Diphthongs in Bite Block Speech

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Christopher Dromey ◽  
Michelle Richins ◽  
Tanner Low
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Sentence Context ◽  
Bite Block ◽  
Transition Duration ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Working Space ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Articulation Index ◽  
Before And After

Purpose We examined the effect of bite block insertion (BBI) on lingual movements and formant frequencies in corner vowel and diphthong production in a sentence context. Method Twenty young adults produced the corner vowels (/u/, /ɑ/, /æ/, /i/) and the diphthong /ɑɪ/ in sentence contexts before and after BBI. An electromagnetic articulograph measured the movements of the tongue back, middle, and front. Results There were significant decreases in the acoustic vowel articulation index and vowel space area following BBI. The kinematic vowel articulation index decreased significantly for the back and middle of the tongue but not for the front. There were no significant acoustic changes post-BBI for the diphthong, other than a longer transition duration. Diphthong kinematic changes after BBI included smaller movements for the back and middle of the tongue, but not the front. Conclusions BBI led to a smaller acoustic working space for the corner vowels. The adjustments made by the front of the tongue were sufficient to compensate for the BBI perturbation in the diphthong, resulting in unchanged formant trajectories. The back and middle of the tongue were likely biomechanically restricted in their displacement by the fixation of the jaw, whereas the tongue front showed greater movement flexibility.

Localized and Distributed Energy in Wave–Current Flow

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Santosh Kumar Singh ◽  
Anatoliy Khait ◽  
Pankaj Kumar Raushan ◽  
Koustuv Debnath
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Field ◽  
Current Flow ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Maximum Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Distributed Energy ◽  
Hilbert Huang Transform ◽  
Mode Function ◽  
Intrinsic Mean ◽  
The Imf

Abstract Evaluation of localized and distributed in time spectral energy in wave–current coexisting environment is investigated in this study. In order to understand the inherent characteristics of the flow under consideration, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) is introduced to determine the instantaneous frequency corresponding to the maximum energy carrying by the velocity field. This frequency is associated with the timescale of the most energetic velocity fluctuations. The intrinsic mean frequency of the intrinsic mode function (IMF) is reduced with the increase in the IMF number. It was shown that the maximum energy is concentrated close to the center of the IMF series. The spectral characteristics obtained by the HHT are carefully compared with those obtained by more conventional Fourier and wavelet transform (FFT and WT, respectively). Addition of the surface wave component to the velocity field of the current-only case leads to the extension of the frequency range containing the dominant portion of the energy.

scholarly journals Acoustic Characteristics of Pakistani English Vowel Sounds

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Abdul Abbasi ◽  
Mansoor Channa ◽  
Masood Memon ◽  
Stephen John ◽  
Irtaza Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Vowel Quality ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
The Voice

The purpose of this investigation was to document acoustic characteristics of Pakistani English (PaKE) vowel sounds. The experiment was designed to examine the properties of ten vowels produced by Pakistani ESL learners. The analysis is based on the voice samples of recorded 50 CVC words. Total 5000 (10  10  50=5000) voiced samples were analyzed. The data consisted of 50 words of ten English vowel sounds [i: ɪ e ɔ: æ ə ɑ: u: ɒ ʊ]. Ten ESL speakers recorded their voice samples on Praat speech processing tool installed on laptop. Three parameters were considered i.e., fundamental frequency (F0), vowel quality (F1-F2) and duration. Formant patterns were judged manually by visual inspection on Praat Speech Processing Tool. Analysis of formant frequency shows numerous differences between male and female of F1 and F2, fundamental frequency and duration of English vowels. The voice samples provide evidence for higher and lower frequency of vowel sounds. Additionally, the data analysis illustrates that there were statistical differences in the values of short and long vowels coupled with vowel space plot showing explicit differences in locating the production of vowels of male & female vowel space acoustic realizations.

Spontaneous skin temperature oscillations in normal human subjects

1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (3) ◽  
pp. R1173-R1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Shusterman ◽  
K. P. Anderson ◽  
O. Barnea
Keyword(s):  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Temperature Variability ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Temperature Oscillations ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
Vasomotor Activity

A noninvasive method based on high-resolution measurements and bandpass filtering of spontaneous skin temperature oscillations (approximately 4.0 x 10(-2) degrees C) in the low-frequency range (0.01-0.04 Hz) was investigated in normal human subjects. We hypothesized that the oscillations (temperature variability) originate from vasomotor activity of small arteries and arterioles in subcutaneous tissues. To test this hypothesis, continuous blood pressure waveforms were obtained with the use of an external piezoelectric sensor. The peak-to-peak envelope of the pressure signal (pressure variability) was used as an indicator of vasomotor activity. The variabilities of temperature and pressure were compared using cross-spectral and coherence analysis. The correlation between the peak frequency of the signals was 0.92, and the coherence was greater than 0.9. The signals demonstrated similar changes in spectral energy and peak frequency in response to mental stress. Reproducibility of the temperature variability in individual subjects was verified by repeating measurements 1-12 wk later. The differences in peak frequency were small (0.0155 +/- 0.001 Hz), and in each subject the signals exhibited similar patterns in response to stress. Correlation between spectral characteristics of the signals suggests that temperature variability can be attributed to changes in blood flow resulting from oscillations in vasomotor smooth muscle tone.

Resolving Turbulent Wakes

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (5) ◽  
pp. 823-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Fourth Order ◽  
Incompressible Flows ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
The Body ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Inertial Subrange ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Turbulent Statistics ◽  
Convective Derivative ◽  
Fifth Order

Resolving the turbulent statistics of bluff-body wakes is a challenging task. Frequently, the streamwise grid point spacing approaching the vortex exit boundary is sacrificed to gain near full resolution of the turbulent scales neighboring the body surface. This choice favors the solution strategies of direct numerical and large-eddy simulations (DNS and LES) that house spectral-like resolving characteristics with inherent dissipation. Herein, two differencing stencils are tested for approximating four forms of the convective derivative in the DNS and LES formulations for incompressible flows. The wake spectral characteristics and conventional parameters are computed for Reynolds numbers Re=200 (laminar wake) and Re=3900. These tests demonstrated reliable stability and spectral-like accuracy of compact fifth-order upwinding for the advective derivative and fourth-order cell-centered Pade´ (with fourth-order upwinding interpolation) for the Arakawa form of the convective derivative. Specifically, observations of the DNS computations suggest that best results of the wake properties are acquired when the inertial subrange of the spectral energy is fully resolved at the grid-scale level. The LES solutions degraded dramatically only when the fifth-order upwind stencil resolved the spanwise periodic turbulence. Although the dynamic subgrid-scale model showed strong participation on the instantaneous level, its spectral contributions were negligible regardless of the chosen grid-scale scheme.

The Effects of Changes in Hearing Status in Cochlear Implant Users on the Acoustic Vowel Space and CV Coarticulation

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harlan Lane ◽  
Melanie Matthies ◽  
Joseph Perkell ◽  
Jennell Vick ◽  
Majid Zandipour
Keyword(s):  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Direct Role ◽  
Hearing Status ◽  
Vowel Formant ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
Deaf Adults ◽  
Second Formant

In order to examine the role of hearing status in controlling coarticulation, eight English vowels in /bVt/ and /dVt/ syllables, embedded in a carrier phrase, were elicited from 7 postlingually deafened adults and 2 speakers with normal hearing. The deaf adults served in repeated recording sessions both before and up to a year after they received cochlear implants and their speech processors were turned on. Each of the two hearing control speakers served in two recording sessions, separated by about 3 months. Measures were made of second formant frequency at obstruent release and at 25 ms intervals until the final obstruent. An index of coarticulation, based on the ratio of F2 at vowel onset to F2 at midvowel target, was computed. Changes in the amount of coarticulation after the change in hearing status were small and nonsystematic for the /bVt/ syllables; those for the /dVt/ syllables averaged a 3% increase—within the range of reliability measures for the 2 hearing control speakers. Locus equations (F2 at vowel onset vs. F2 at vowel midpoint) and ratios of F2 onsets in point vowels were also calculated. Like the index of coarticulation, these measures tended to confirm that hearing status had little if any effect on coarticulation in the deaf speakers, consistent with the hypothesis that hearing does not play a direct role in regulating anticipatory coarticulation in adulthood. With the restoration of some hearing, 2 implant users significantly increased the average spacing between vowels in the formant plane, whereas the remaining 5 decreased that measure. All speakers but one also reduced vowel duration significantly. Four of the speakers reduced dispersion of vowel formant values around vowel midpoint means, but the other 3 did not show this effect.

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