Automatic translation among spoken languages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter, Sharon M.; Costigan, Kelly

1994-01-01

The Machine Aided Voice Translation (MAVT) system was developed in response to the shortage of experienced military field interrogators with both foreign language proficiency and interrogation skills. Combining speech recognition, machine translation, and speech generation technologies, the MAVT accepts an interrogator's spoken English question and translates it into spoken Spanish. The spoken Spanish response of the potential informant can then be translated into spoken English. Potential military and civilian applications for automatic spoken language translation technology are discussed in this paper.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in a Control Center Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirani, Joseph; Calvelage, Steven

2010-01-01

The technology of transmitting voice over data networks has been available for over 10 years. Mass market VoIP services for consumers to make and receive standard telephone calls over broadband Internet networks have grown in the last 5 years. While operational costs are less with VoIP implementations as opposed to time division multiplexing (TDM) based voice switches, is it still advantageous to convert a mission control center s voice system to this newer technology? Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) has converted its mission voice services to a commercial product that utilizes VoIP technology. Results from this testing, design, and installation have shown unique considerations that must be addressed before user operations. There are many factors to consider for a control center voice design. Technology advantages and disadvantages were investigated as they refer to cost. There were integration concerns which could lead to complex failure scenarios but simpler integration for the mission infrastructure. MSFC HOSC will benefit from this voice conversion with less product replacement cost, less operations cost and a more integrated mission services environment.

Technologies for Self-Determination for Youth with Developmental Disabilities. Technologies for Voice: A Critical Issues Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skouge, James R.; Kelly, Mary L.; Roberts, Kelly D.; Leake, David W.; Stodden, Robert A.

2007-01-01

This paper focuses on "technologies for voice" that are related to the self-determination of youth with developmental disabilities. The authors describe a self-determination model that values family-focused, community-referenced pedagogies employing "new media" to give voice to youth and their families. In line with the adage that a picture is…

Vocal responses to unanticipated perturbations in voice loudness feedback: an automatic mechanism for stabilizing voice amplitude.

PubMed

Bauer, Jay J; Mittal, Jay; Larson, Charles R; Hain, Timothy C

2006-04-01

The present study tested whether subjects respond to unanticipated short perturbations in voice loudness feedback with compensatory responses in voice amplitude. The role of stimulus magnitude (+/- 1,3 vs 6 dB SPL), stimulus direction (up vs down), and the ongoing voice amplitude level (normal vs soft) were compared across compensations. Subjects responded to perturbations in voice loudness feedback with a compensatory change in voice amplitude 76% of the time. Mean latency of amplitude compensation was 157 ms. Mean response magnitudes were smallest for 1-dB stimulus perturbations (0.75 dB) and greatest for 6-dB conditions (0.98 dB). However, expressed as gain, responses for 1-dB perturbations were largest and almost approached 1.0. Response magnitudes were larger for the soft voice amplitude condition compared to the normal voice amplitude condition. A mathematical model of the audio-vocal system captured the main features of the compensations. Previous research has demonstrated that subjects can respond to an unanticipated perturbation in voice pitch feedback with an automatic compensatory response in voice fundamental frequency. Data from the present study suggest that voice loudness feedback can be used in a similar manner to monitor and stabilize voice amplitude around a desired loudness level.

Internet Telephony

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-01

compression technology . The ubiquity of routed Internet Protocol (IP) networks, and the desire to trim telephony costs are the major driving forces of the...mid- 󈨞s, data and voice began to merge, propelled by advances in compression technology . The ubiquity of routed Internet Protocol (IP) networks...transmit voice over IP networks that are privately owned or publicly utilized. If we have the technology to transmit Voice over the Internet then why not

Evaluation of Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Adaptive, Digital Remote Microphone Technology and a Speech Enhancement Sound Processing Algorithm.

PubMed

Wolfe, Jace; Morais, Mila; Schafer, Erin; Agrawal, Smita; Koch, Dawn

2015-05-01

Cochlear implant recipients often experience difficulty with understanding speech in the presence of noise. Cochlear implant manufacturers have developed sound processing algorithms designed to improve speech recognition in noise, and research has shown these technologies to be effective. Remote microphone technology utilizing adaptive, digital wireless radio transmission has also been shown to provide significant improvement in speech recognition in noise. There are no studies examining the potential improvement in speech recognition in noise when these two technologies are used simultaneously. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits and limitations associated with the simultaneous use of a sound processing algorithm designed to improve performance in noise (Advanced Bionics ClearVoice) and a remote microphone system that incorporates adaptive, digital wireless radio transmission (Phonak Roger). A two-by-two way repeated measures design was used to examine performance differences obtained without these technologies compared to the use of each technology separately as well as the simultaneous use of both technologies. Eleven Advanced Bionics (AB) cochlear implant recipients, ages 11 to 68 yr. AzBio sentence recognition was measured in quiet and in the presence of classroom noise ranging in level from 50 to 80 dBA in 5-dB steps. Performance was evaluated in four conditions: (1) No ClearVoice and no Roger, (2) ClearVoice enabled without the use of Roger, (3) ClearVoice disabled with Roger enabled, and (4) simultaneous use of ClearVoice and Roger. Speech recognition in quiet was better than speech recognition in noise for all conditions. Use of ClearVoice and Roger each provided significant improvement in speech recognition in noise. The best performance in noise was obtained with the simultaneous use of ClearVoice and Roger. ClearVoice and Roger technology each improves speech recognition in noise, particularly when used at the same time. Because ClearVoice does not degrade performance in quiet settings, clinicians should consider recommending ClearVoice for routine, full-time use for AB implant recipients. Roger should be used in all instances in which remote microphone technology may assist the user in understanding speech in the presence of noise. American Academy of Audiology.

Scientific bases of human-machine communication by voice.

PubMed Central

Schafer, R W

1995-01-01

The scientific bases for human-machine communication by voice are in the fields of psychology, linguistics, acoustics, signal processing, computer science, and integrated circuit technology. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the basic scientific and technological issues in human-machine communication by voice and to point out areas of future research opportunity. The discussion is organized around the following major issues in implementing human-machine voice communication systems: (i) hardware/software implementation of the system, (ii) speech synthesis for voice output, (iii) speech recognition and understanding for voice input, and (iv) usability factors related to how humans interact with machines. PMID:7479802

Voice Recognition: A New Assessment Tool?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Darla

2005-01-01

This article presents the results of a study conducted in Anchorage, Alaska, that evaluated the accuracy and efficiency of using voice recognition (VR) technology to collect oral reading fluency data for classroom-based assessments. The primary research question was as follows: Is voice recognition technology a valid and reliable alternative to…

Speech technology and cinema: can they learn from each other?

PubMed

Pauletto, Sandra

2013-10-01

The voice is the most important sound of a film soundtrack. It represents a character and it carries language. There are different types of cinematic voices: dialogue, internal monologues, and voice-overs. Conventionally, two main characteristics differentiate these voices: lip synchronization and the voice's attributes that make it appropriate for the character (for example, a voice that sounds very close to the audience can be appropriate for a narrator, but not for an onscreen character). What happens, then, if a film character can only speak through an asynchronous machine that produces a 'robot-like' voice? This article discusses the sound-related work and experimentation done by the author for the short film Voice by Choice. It also attempts to discover whether speech technology design can learn from its cinematic representation, and if such uncommon film protagonists can contribute creatively to transform the conventions of cinematic voices.

IP voice over ATM satellite: experimental results over satellite channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraf, Koroush A.; Butts, Norman P.

1999-01-01

IP telephony, a new technology to provide voice communication over traditional data networks, has the potential to revolutionize telephone communication within the modern enterprise. This innovation uses packetization techniques to carry voice conversations over IP networks. This packet switched technology promises new integrated services, and lower cost long-distance communication compared to traditional circuit switched telephone networks. Future satellites will need to carry IP traffic efficiently in order to stay competitive in servicing the global data- networking and global telephony infrastructure. However, the effects of Voice over IP over switched satellite channels have not been investigated in detail. To fully understand the effects of satellite channels on Voice over IP quality; several experiments were conducted at Lockheed Martin Telecommunications' Satellite Integration Lab. The result of those experiments along with suggested improvements for voice communication over satellite are presented in this document. First, a detailed introduction of IP telephony as a suitable technology for voice communication over future satellites is presented. This is followed by procedures for the experiments, along with results and strategies. In conclusion we hope that these capability demonstrations will alleviate any uncertainty regarding the applicability of this technology to satellite networks.

Human factors issues associated with the use of speech technology in the cockpit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kersteen, Z. A.; Damos, D.

1983-01-01

The human factors issues associated with the use of voice technology in the cockpit are summarized. The formulation of the LHX avionics suite is described and the allocation of tasks to voice in the cockpit is discussed. State-of-the-art speech recognition technology is reviewed. Finally, a questionnaire designed to tap pilot opinions concerning the allocation of tasks to voice input and output in the cockpit is presented. This questionnaire was designed to be administered to operational AH-1G Cobra gunship pilots. Half of the questionnaire deals specifically with the AH-1G cockpit and the types of tasks pilots would like to have performed by voice in this existing rotorcraft. The remaining portion of the questionnaire deals with an undefined rotorcraft of the future and is aimed at determining what types of tasks these pilots would like to have performed by voice technology if anything was possible, i.e. if there were no technological constraints.

Multipath for Agricultural and Rural Information Services in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Ningning; Zang, Zhiyuan; Gao, Lingwang; Shi, Qiang; Li, Jie; Xing, Chunlin; Shen, Zuorui

Internet cannot provide perfect information services for farmers in rural regions in China, because farmers in rural regions can hardly access the internet by now. But the wide coverage of mobile signal, telephone line, and television network, etc. gave us a chance to solve the problem. The integrated pest management platform of Northern fruit trees were developed based on the integrated technology, which can integrate the internet, mobile and fixed-line telephone network, and television network, to provide integrated pest management(IPM) information services for farmers in rural regions in E-mail, telephone-voice, short message, voice mail, videoconference or other format, to users' telephone, cell phone, personal computer, personal digital assistant(PDA), television, etc. alternatively. The architecture and the functions of the system were introduced in the paper. The system can manage the field monitoring data of agricultural pests, deal with enquiries to provide the necessary information to farmers accessing the interactive voice response(IVR) in the system with the experts on-line or off-line, and issue the early warnings about the fruit tree pests when it is necessary according to analysis on the monitoring data about the pests of fruit trees in variety of ways including SMS, fax, voice and intersystem e-mail.The system provides a platform and a new pattern for agricultural technology extension with a high coverage rate of agricultural technology in rural regions, and it can solve the problem of agriculture information service 'last kilometer' in China. The effectiveness of the system was certified.

The use of an automated interactive voice response system to manage medication identification calls to a poison center.

PubMed

Krenzelok, Edward P; Mrvos, Rita

2009-05-01

In 2007, medication identification requests (MIRs) accounted for 26.2% of all calls to U.S. poison centers. MIRs are documented with minimal information, but they still require an inordinate amount of work by specialists in poison information (SPI). An analysis was undertaken to identify options to reduce the impact of MIRs on both human and financial resources. All MIRs (2003-2007) to a certified regional poison information center were analyzed to determine call patterns and staffing. The data were used to justify an efficient and cost-effective solution. MIRs represented 42.3% of the 2007 call volume. Optimal staffing would require hiring an additional four full-time equivalent SPI. An interactive voice response (IVR) system was developed to respond to the MIRs. The IVR was used to develop the Medication Identification System that allowed the diversion of up to 50% of the MIRs, enhancing surge capacity and allowing specialists to address the more emergent poison exposure calls. This technology is an entirely voice-activated response call management system that collects zip code, age, gender and drug data and stores all responses as .csv files for reporting purposes. The query bank includes the 200 most common MIRs, and the system features text-to-voice synthesis that allows easy modification of the drug identification menu. Callers always have the option of engaging a SPI at any time during the IVR call flow. The IVR is an efficient and effective alternative that creates better staff utilization.

An effect of loudness of advisory speech on a choice response task

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utsuki, Narisuke; Takeuchi, Yoshinori; Nomiyama, Takenori

1995-03-01

Recent technologies have realized talking advisory/guidance systems in which machines give advice and guidance to operators in speech. However, nonverbal aspects of spoken messages may have significant effects on an operator's behavior. Twelve subjects participated in a TV game-like choice response task where they were asked to choose a 'true' target from three invader-like figures displayed on a CRT screen. The subjects had received a prerecorded advice designating either left, center, or right target that would be true before each choice. The position of the 'true' targets and advice were preprogrammed in pseudorandom sequences. In other words, there was no way for the subjects to predict the 'true' target and there was no relationship between spoken advice and the true target position. The subjects tended to make more choices corresponding to the presented messages when the messages were presented in a louder voice than in a softer voice. Choice response time was significantly shorter when the response was the same as the advice indicated. The shortening of response time was slightly greater when advice was presented in a louder voice. This study demonstrates that spoken advice may result in faster and less deliberate reponses in accordance with the presented messages which are given by talking guidance systems.

VoIP in a Campus Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Dan

2005-01-01

Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony, or voice-over IP (VoIP), has proved to be a wise decision for many organizations. This technology crosses the boundaries of public and private networks, enterprise and residential markets, voice and data technologies, as well as local and long-distance services. The convergence of voice and data into a single,…

Empowering Student Voice through Interactive Design and Digital Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yanghee; Searle, Kristin

2017-01-01

Over the last two decades online technology and digital media have provided space for students to participate and express their voices. This paper further explores how new digital technologies, such as humanoid robots and wearable electronics, can be used to offer additional spaces where students' voices are heard. In these spaces, young students…

A perspective on early commercial applications of voice-processing technology for telecommunications and aids for the handicapped.

PubMed Central

Seelbach, C

1995-01-01

The Colloquium on Human-Machine Communication by Voice highlighted the global technical community's focus on the problems and promise of voice-processing technology, particularly, speech recognition and speech synthesis. Clearly, there are many areas in both the research and development of these technologies that can be advanced significantly. However, it is also true that there are many applications of these technologies that are capable of commercialization now. Early successful commercialization of new technology is vital to ensure continuing interest in its development. This paper addresses efforts to commercialize speech technologies in two markets: telecommunications and aids for the handicapped. PMID:7479814

Voice responses to changes in pitch of voice or tone auditory feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivasankar, Mahalakshmi; Bauer, Jay J.; Babu, Tara; Larson, Charles R.

2005-02-01

The present study was undertaken to examine if a subject's voice F0 responded not only to perturbations in pitch of voice feedback but also to changes in pitch of a side tone presented congruent with voice feedback. Small magnitude brief duration perturbations in pitch of voice or tone auditory feedback were randomly introduced during sustained vowel phonations. Results demonstrated a higher rate and larger magnitude of voice F0 responses to changes in pitch of the voice compared with a triangular-shaped tone (experiment 1) or a pure tone (experiment 2). However, response latencies did not differ across voice or tone conditions. Data suggest that subjects responded to the change in F0 rather than harmonic frequencies of auditory feedback because voice F0 response prevalence, magnitude, or latency did not statistically differ across triangular-shaped tone or pure-tone feedback. Results indicate the audio-vocal system is sensitive to the change in pitch of a variety of sounds, which may represent a flexible system capable of adapting to changes in the subject's voice. However, lower prevalence and smaller responses to tone pitch-shifted signals suggest that the audio-vocal system may resist changes to the pitch of other environmental sounds when voice feedback is present. .

AdaRTE: adaptable dialogue architecture and runtime engine. A new architecture for health-care dialogue systems.

PubMed

Rojas-Barahona, L M; Giorgino, T

2007-01-01

Spoken dialogue systems have been increasingly employed to provide ubiquitous automated access via telephone to information and services for the non-Internet-connected public. In the health care context, dialogue systems have been successfully applied. Nevertheless, speech-based technology is not easy to implement because it requires a considerable development investment. The advent of VoiceXML for voice applications contributed to reduce the proliferation of incompatible dialogue interpreters, but introduced new complexity. As a response to these issues, we designed an architecture for dialogue representation and interpretation, AdaRTE, which allows developers to layout dialogue interactions through a high level formalism that offers both declarative and procedural features. AdaRTE aim is to provide a ground for deploying complex and adaptable dialogues whilst allows the experimentation and incremental adoption of innovative speech technologies. It provides the dynamic behavior of Augmented Transition Networks and enables the generation of different backends formats such as VoiceXML. It is especially targeted to the health care context, where a framework for easy dialogue deployment could reduce the barrier for a more widespread adoption of dialogue systems.

Using the Web to Market Your Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Nora

2001-01-01

With careful planning and a strategic focus, today's technology can greatly enhance a district's marketing efforts. Websites can offer features such as interactive school assignment (based on home address), ability to check student progress, education portals (24-hour news channels), one-to-one communication, and interactive voice responses. (MLH)

75 FR 30845 - Request Voucher for Grant Payment and Line of Credit Control System (LOCCS) Voice Response System...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... request vouchers for distribution of grant funds using the automated Voice Response System (VRS). An... Payment and Line of Credit Control System (LOCCS) Voice Response System Access Authorization AGENCY... subject proposal. Payment request vouchers for distribution of grant funds using the automated Voice...

Voice Assessment of Student Work: Recent Studies and Emerging Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckhouse, Barry; Carroll, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Although relatively little attention has been given to the voice assessment of student work, at least when compared with more traditional forms of text-based review, the attention it has received strongly points to a promising form of review that has been hampered by the limits of an emerging technology. A fresh review of voice assessment in light…

Temporal voice areas exist in autism spectrum disorder but are dysfunctional for voice identity recognition

PubMed Central

Borowiak, Kamila; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2016-01-01

The ability to recognise the identity of others is a key requirement for successful communication. Brain regions that respond selectively to voices exist in humans from early infancy on. Currently, it is unclear whether dysfunction of these voice-sensitive regions can explain voice identity recognition impairments. Here, we used two independent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to investigate voice processing in a population that has been reported to have no voice-sensitive regions: autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our results refute the earlier report that individuals with ASD have no responses in voice-sensitive regions: Passive listening to vocal, compared to non-vocal, sounds elicited typical responses in voice-sensitive regions in the high-functioning ASD group and controls. In contrast, the ASD group had a dysfunction in voice-sensitive regions during voice identity but not speech recognition in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus/gyrus (STS/STG)—a region implicated in processing complex spectrotemporal voice features and unfamiliar voices. The right anterior STS/STG correlated with voice identity recognition performance in controls but not in the ASD group. The findings suggest that right STS/STG dysfunction is critical for explaining voice recognition impairments in high-functioning ASD and show that ASD is not characterised by a general lack of voice-sensitive responses. PMID:27369067

Voice interactive electronic warning systems (VIEWS) - An applied approach to voice technology in the helicopter cockpit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voorhees, J. W.; Bucher, N. M.

1983-01-01

The cockpit has been one of the most rapidly changing areas of new aircraft design over the past thirty years. In connection with these developments, a pilot can now be considered a decision maker/system manager as well as a vehicle controller. There is, however, a trend towards an information overload in the cockpit, and information processing problems begin to occur for the rotorcraft pilot. One approach to overcome the arising difficulties is based on the utilization of voice technology to improve the information transfer rate in the cockpit with respect to both input and output. Attention is given to the background of speech technology, the application of speech technology within the cockpit, voice interactive electronic warning system (VIEWS) simulation, and methodology. Information subsystems are considered along with a dynamic simulation study, and data collection.

A Survey of Equipment in the Singing Voice Studio and Its Perceived Effectiveness by Vocologists and Student Singers.

PubMed

Gerhard, Julia; Rosow, David E

2016-05-01

Speech-language pathologists have long used technology for the clinical measurement of the speaking voice, but present research shows that vocal pedagogues and voice students are becoming more accepting of technology in the studio. As a result, the equipment and technology used in singing voice studios by speech-language pathologists and vocal pedagogues are changing. Although guides exist regarding equipment and technology necessary for developing a voice laboratory and private voice studio, there are no data documenting the current implementation of these items and their perceived effectiveness. This study seeks to document current trends in equipment used in voice laboratories and studios. Two separate surveys were distributed to 60 vocologists and approximately 300 student singers representative of the general singing student population. The surveys contained questions about the inventory of items found in voice studios and perceived effectiveness of these items. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses and statistical analyses when applicable. Twenty-six of 60 potential vocologists responded, and 66 student singers responded. The vocologists reported highly uniform inventories and ratings of studio items. There were wide-ranging differences between the inventories reported by the vocologist and student singer groups. Statistically significant differences between ratings of effectiveness of studio items were found for 11 of the 17 items. In all significant cases, vocologists rated usefulness to be higher than student singers. Although the order of rankings of vocologists and student singers was similar, a much higher percentage of vocologists report the items as being efficient and effective than students. The historically typical studio items, including the keyboard and mirror, were ranked as most effective by both vocologists and student singers. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Voice Harmonic Complexity on ERP Responses to Pitch-Shifted Auditory Feedback

PubMed Central

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Korzyukov, Oleg; Larson, Charles R.

2011-01-01

Objective The present study investigated the neural mechanisms of voice pitch control for different levels of harmonic complexity in the auditory feedback. Methods Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to +200 cents pitch perturbations in the auditory feedback of self-produced natural human vocalizations, complex and pure tone stimuli during active vocalization and passive listening conditions. Results During active vocal production, ERP amplitudes were largest in response to pitch shifts in the natural voice, moderately large for non-voice complex stimuli and smallest for the pure tones. However, during passive listening, neural responses were equally large for pitch shifts in voice and non-voice complex stimuli but still larger than that for pure tones. Conclusions These findings suggest that pitch change detection is facilitated for spectrally rich sounds such as natural human voice and non-voice complex stimuli compared with pure tones. Vocalization-induced increase in neural responses for voice feedback suggests that sensory processing of naturally-produced complex sounds such as human voice is enhanced by means of motor-driven mechanisms (e.g. efference copies) during vocal production. Significance This enhancement may enable the audio-vocal system to more effectively detect and correct for vocal errors in the feedback of natural human vocalizations to maintain an intended vocal output for speaking. PMID:21719346

Advanced Electronic Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-15

Electronics 15 III. Materials Research 15 TV. Microelectronics 16 V. Surface- Wave Technology 16 DATA SYSTEMS DIVISION 2 INTRODUCTION This...Processing Digital Voice Processing Packet Speech Wideband Integrated Voice/Data Technology Radar Signal Processing Technology Nuclear Safety Designs...facilities make it possible to track the status of these jobs, retrieve their job control language listings, and direct a copy of printed or punched

Keys to the Adoption and Use of Voice Recognition Technology in Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goette, Tanya

2000-01-01

Presents results from a field study of individuals with disabilities who used voice recognition technology (VRT). Results indicated that task-technology fit, training, the environment, and disability limitations were the differentiating items, and that using VRT for a trial period may be the major factor in successful adoption of the technology.…

Smartphone App for Voice Disorders

MedlinePlus

... on. Feature: Taste, Smell, Hearing, Language, Voice, Balance Smartphone App for Voice Disorders Past Issues / Fall 2013 ... developed a mobile monitoring device that relies on smartphone technology to gather a week's worth of talking, ...

Wireless infrared communications for space and terrestrial applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crimmins, James W.

1993-01-01

Voice and data communications via wireless (and fiberless) optical means has been commonplace for many years. However, continuous advances in optoelectronics and microelectronics have resulted in significant advances in wireless optical communications over the last decade. Wilton has specialized in diffuse infrared voice and data communications since 1979. In 1986, NASA Johnson Space Center invited Wilton to apply its wireless telecommunications and factory floor technology to astronaut voice communications aboard the shuttle. In September, 1988 a special infrared voice communications system flew aboard a 'Discovery' Shuttle mission as a flight experiment. Since then the technology has been further developed, resulting in a general purpose of 2Mbs wireless voice/data LAN which has been tested for a variety of applications including use aboard Spacelab. Funds for Wilton's wireless IR development were provided in part by NASA's Technology Utilization Office and by the NASA Small Business Innovative Research Program. As a consequence, Wilton's commercial product capability has been significantly enhanced to include diffuse infrared wireless LAN's as well as wireless infrared telecommunication systems for voice and data.

Vibrant Student Voices: Exploring Effects of the Use of Clickers in Large College Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekstra, Angel

2008-01-01

Teachers have begun using student response systems (SRSs) in an effort to enhance the learning process in higher education courses. Research providing detailed information about how interactive technologies affect students as they learn is crucial for professors who seek to improve teaching quality, attendance rates and student learning. This…

78 FR 17276 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-20

... information collection in field offices via personal contact (face-to-face or telephone interview) using the... voice recognition technology, or by keying in responses using a telephone key pad. The SSIMWR allows... Development Worksheets: Face-to-Face Interview and Telephone Interview--20 CFR 416.204(b) and 422.135--0960...

77 FR 76591 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-28

... voice recognition technology, or by keying in responses using a telephone key pad. The SSIMWR allows... Worksheets: Face-to-Face Interview and Telephone Interview--20 CFR 416.204(b) and 422.135--0960- 0780. SSA... each interview either over the telephone or through a face-to-face discussion with the centenarian...

Listening to Country Voices: Preparing, Attracting and Retaining Teachers for Rural and Remote Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrow, Allan; Herschell, Paul; Millwater, Jan

1999-01-01

Examines the need for better preparation of teachers to live and work in rural Australia. Uses responses from a rural Queensland community meeting to discuss preparation needs related to multiage classrooms, cultural differences, and school-community involvement. Describes a new internship/mentor program at Queensland University of Technology that…

Telemedicine to promote patient safety: Use of phone-based interactive voice response system (IVRS) to reduce adverse safety events in predialysis CKD

PubMed Central

Weiner, Shoshana; Fink, Jeffery C.

2017-01-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have several features conferring upon them a high risk of adverse safety events, which are defined as incidents with unintended harm related to processes of care or medications. These characteristics include impaired renal function, polypharmacy, and frequent health system encounters. The consequences of such events in CKD can include new or prolonged hospitalization, accelerated renal function loss, acute kidney injury, end-stage renal disease and death. Health information technology administered via telemedicine presents opportunities for CKD patients to remotely communicate safety-related findings to providers for the purpose of improving their care. However, many CKD patients have limitations which hinder their use of telemedicine and access to the broad capabilities of health information technology. In this review we summarize previous assessments of the pre-dialysis CKD populations’ proficiency in using telemedicine modalities and describe the use of interactive voice-response system (IVRS) to gauge the safety phenotype of the CKD patient. We discuss the potential for expanded IVRS use in CKD to address the safety threats inherent to this population. PMID:28224940

Cutaneous sensory nerve as a substitute for auditory nerve in solving deaf-mutes’ hearing problem: an innovation in multi-channel-array skin-hearing technology

PubMed Central

Li, Jianwen; Li, Yan; Zhang, Ming; Ma, Weifang; Ma, Xuezong

2014-01-01

The current use of hearing aids and artificial cochleas for deaf-mute individuals depends on their auditory nerve. Skin-hearing technology, a patented system developed by our group, uses a cutaneous sensory nerve to substitute for the auditory nerve to help deaf-mutes to hear sound. This paper introduces a new solution, multi-channel-array skin-hearing technology, to solve the problem of speech discrimination. Based on the filtering principle of hair cells, external voice signals at different frequencies are converted to current signals at corresponding frequencies using electronic multi-channel bandpass filtering technology. Different positions on the skin can be stimulated by the electrode array, allowing the perception and discrimination of external speech signals to be determined by the skin response to the current signals. Through voice frequency analysis, the frequency range of the band-pass filter can also be determined. These findings demonstrate that the sensory nerves in the skin can help to transfer the voice signal and to distinguish the speech signal, suggesting that the skin sensory nerves are good candidates for the replacement of the auditory nerve in addressing deaf-mutes’ hearing problems. Scientific hearing experiments can be more safely performed on the skin. Compared with the artificial cochlea, multi-channel-array skin-hearing aids have lower operation risk in use, are cheaper and are more easily popularized. PMID:25317171

Communication strategies and timeliness of response to life critical telemetry alarms.

PubMed

Bonzheim, Kimberly A; Gebara, Rani I; O'Hare, Bridget M; Ellis, R Darin; Brand, Monique A; Balar, Salil D; Stockman, Rita; Sciberras, Annette M; Haines, David E

2011-05-01

A centralized electrocardiogram telemetry monitoring system (TMS) facilitates early identification of critical arrhythmias and acute medical decompensation. Timely intervention can only be performed if abnormalities are communicated rapidly to the direct caregiver. The study objectives were to measure effectiveness of bi-directional voice communication badges versus one-way alphanumeric pagers for telemetry alarm response and communication loop closure. A sequential observational pilot study of nursing response to TMS alarms compared communication technologies on four nursing units in a 1,061 bed tertiary care hospital with 264 TMS channels of telemetry over a 2-year period. Subsequently, the communication technologies were compared in a randomized fashion on a 68-bed progressive cardiac care unit. Caregivers were blinded to the protocol. All alarm responses were recorded during two periods using either pagers or voice communication devices. Alarm response time and closure of the communication loop were analyzed in a blinded fashion. The direct communication functionality of the badge significantly shortened the time to first contact, time to completion, and rate of closure of the communication loop in both the pilot and study phases. Median time to first contact with the communication badge was 0.5  min, compared to 1.6  min with pager communication (p < 0.0003). Communication loop closure was achieved in 100% of clinical alarms using the badge versus 19% with the pager (p < 0.0001). Communication badge technology reduced alarm time to first contact and completion as well as facilitated communication loop closures. Immediate two-way communication significantly impacted practice, alarm management, and resulted in faster bedside care.

Response time effects of alerting tone and semantic context for synthesized voice cockpit warnings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, C. A.; Williams, D. H.

1980-01-01

Some handbooks and human factors design guides have recommended that a voice warning should be preceded by a tone to attract attention to the warning. As far as can be determined from a search of the literature, no experimental evidence supporting this exists. A fixed-base simulator flown by airline pilots was used to test the hypothesis that the total 'system-time' to respond to a synthesized voice cockpit warning would be longer when the message was preceded by a tone because the voice itself was expected to perform both the alerting and the information transfer functions. The simulation included realistic ATC radio voice communications, synthesized engine noise, cockpit conversation, and realistic flight routes. The effect of a tone before a voice warning was to lengthen response time; that is, responses were slower with an alerting tone. Lengthening the voice warning with another work, however, did not increase response time.

Effects of voice harmonic complexity on ERP responses to pitch-shifted auditory feedback.

PubMed

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Korzyukov, Oleg; Larson, Charles R

2011-12-01

The present study investigated the neural mechanisms of voice pitch control for different levels of harmonic complexity in the auditory feedback. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to+200 cents pitch perturbations in the auditory feedback of self-produced natural human vocalizations, complex and pure tone stimuli during active vocalization and passive listening conditions. During active vocal production, ERP amplitudes were largest in response to pitch shifts in the natural voice, moderately large for non-voice complex stimuli and smallest for the pure tones. However, during passive listening, neural responses were equally large for pitch shifts in voice and non-voice complex stimuli but still larger than that for pure tones. These findings suggest that pitch change detection is facilitated for spectrally rich sounds such as natural human voice and non-voice complex stimuli compared with pure tones. Vocalization-induced increase in neural responses for voice feedback suggests that sensory processing of naturally-produced complex sounds such as human voice is enhanced by means of motor-driven mechanisms (e.g. efference copies) during vocal production. This enhancement may enable the audio-vocal system to more effectively detect and correct for vocal errors in the feedback of natural human vocalizations to maintain an intended vocal output for speaking. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vocal Responses to Perturbations in Voice Auditory Feedback in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Liu, Hanjun; Wang, Emily Q.; Metman, Leo Verhagen; Larson, Charles R.

2012-01-01

Background One of the most common symptoms of speech deficits in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) is significantly reduced vocal loudness and pitch range. The present study investigated whether abnormal vocalizations in individuals with PD are related to sensory processing of voice auditory feedback. Perturbations in loudness or pitch of voice auditory feedback are known to elicit short latency, compensatory responses in voice amplitude or fundamental frequency. Methodology/Principal Findings Twelve individuals with Parkinson's disease and 13 age- and sex- matched healthy control subjects sustained a vowel sound (/α/) and received unexpected, brief (200 ms) perturbations in voice loudness (±3 or 6 dB) or pitch (±100 cents) auditory feedback. Results showed that, while all subjects produced compensatory responses in their voice amplitude or fundamental frequency, individuals with PD exhibited larger response magnitudes than the control subjects. Furthermore, for loudness-shifted feedback, upward stimuli resulted in shorter response latencies than downward stimuli in the control subjects but not in individuals with PD. Conclusions/Significance The larger response magnitudes in individuals with PD compared with the control subjects suggest that processing of voice auditory feedback is abnormal in PD. Although the precise mechanisms of the voice feedback processing are unknown, results of this study suggest that abnormal voice control in individuals with PD may be related to dysfunctional mechanisms of error detection or correction in sensory feedback processing. PMID:22448258

Effective technologies for noninvasive remote monitoring in heart failure.

PubMed

Conway, Aaron; Inglis, Sally C; Clark, Robyn A

2014-06-01

Trials of new technologies to remotely monitor for signs and symptoms of worsening heart failure are continually emerging. The extent to which technological differences impact the effectiveness of noninvasive remote monitoring for heart failure management is unknown. This study examined the effect of specific technology used for noninvasive remote monitoring of people with heart failure on all-cause mortality and heart failure-related hospitalizations. A subanalysis of a large systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Studies were stratified according to the specific type of technology used, and separate meta-analyses were performed. Four different types of noninvasive remote monitoring technologies were identified, including structured telephone calls, videophone, interactive voice response devices, and telemonitoring. Only structured telephone calls and telemonitoring were effective in reducing the risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR]=0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-1.01; p=0.06; and RR=0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.77; p<0.0001, respectively) and heart failure-related hospitalizations (RR=0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.87; p<0.001; and RR=0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.91; p=0.003, respectively). More research data are required for videophone and interactive voice response technologies. This subanalysis identified that only two of the four specific technologies used for noninvasive remote monitoring in heart failure improved outcomes. When results of studies that involved these disparate technologies were combined in previous meta-analyses, significant improvements in outcomes were identified. As such, this study has highlighted implications for future meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials focused on evaluating the effectiveness of remote monitoring in heart failure.

Researching the Use of Voice Recognition Writing Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honeycutt, Lee

2003-01-01

Notes that voice recognition technology (VRT) has become accurate and fast enough to be useful in a variety of writing scenarios. Contends that little is known about how this technology might affect writing process or perceptions of silent writing. Explores future use of VRT by examining past research in the technology of dictation. (PM)

Educational Technology and Student Voice: Examining Teacher Candidates' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byker, Erik Jon; Putman, S. Michael; Handler, Laura; Polly, Drew

2017-01-01

Student Voice is a term that honors the participatory roles that students have when they enter learning spaces like classrooms. Student Voice is the recognition of students' choice, creativity, and freedom. Seminal educationists--like Dewey and Montessori--centered the purposes of education in the flourishing and valuing of Student Voice. This…

Involvement of the left insula in the ecological validity of the human voice

PubMed Central

Tamura, Yuri; Kuriki, Shinji; Nakano, Tamami

2015-01-01

A subtle difference between a real human and an artificial object that resembles a human evokes an impression of a large qualitative difference between them. This suggests the existence of a neural mechanism that processes the sense of humanness. To examine the presence of such a mechanism, we compared the behavioral and brain responses of participants who listened to human and artificial singing voices created from vocal fragments of a real human voice. The behavioral experiment showed that the song sung by human voices more often elicited positive feelings and feelings of humanness than the same song sung by artificial voices, although the lyrics, melody, and rhythm were identical. Functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed significantly higher activation in the left posterior insula in response to human voices than in response to artificial voices. Insular activation was not merely evoked by differences in acoustic features between the voices. Therefore, these results suggest that the left insula participates in the neural processing of the ecological quality of the human voice. PMID:25739519

Giving Voice to Emotion: Voice Analysis Technology Uncovering Mental States is Playing a Growing Role in Medicine, Business, and Law Enforcement.

PubMed

Allen, Summer

2016-01-01

It's tough to imagine anything more frustrating than interacting with a call center. Generally, people don't reach out to call centers when they?re happy-they're usually trying to get help with a problem or gearing up to do battle over a billing error. Add in an automatic phone tree, and you have a recipe for annoyance. But what if that robotic voice offering you a smorgasbord of numbered choices could tell that you were frustrated and then funnel you to an actual human being? This type of voice analysis technology exists, and it's just one example of the many ways that computers can use your voice to extract information about your mental and emotional state-including information you may not think of as being accessible through your voice alone.

Evaluation of a voice recognition system for the MOTAS pseudo pilot station function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houck, J. A.

1982-01-01

The Langley Research Center has undertaken a technology development activity to provide a capability, the mission oriented terminal area simulation (MOTAS), wherein terminal area and aircraft systems studies can be performed. An experiment was conducted to evaluate state-of-the-art voice recognition technology and specifically, the Threshold 600 voice recognition system to serve as an aircraft control input device for the MOTAS pseudo pilot station function. The results of the experiment using ten subjects showed a recognition error of 3.67 percent for a 48-word vocabulary tested against a programmed vocabulary of 103 words. After the ten subjects retrained the Threshold 600 system for the words which were misrecognized or rejected, the recognition error decreased to 1.96 percent. The rejection rates for both cases were less than 0.70 percent. Based on the results of the experiment, voice recognition technology and specifically the Threshold 600 voice recognition system were chosen to fulfill this MOTAS function.

Designing of Intelligent Multilingual Patient Reported Outcome System (IMPROS)

PubMed Central

Pourasghar, Faramarz; Partovi, Yeganeh

2015-01-01

Background: By self-reporting outcome procedure the patients themselves record disease symptoms outside medical centers and then report them to medical staff in specific periods of time. One of the self-reporting methods is the application of interactive voice response (IVR), in which some pre-designed questions in the form of voice tracks would be played and then the caller responses the questions by pressing phone’s keypad bottoms. Aim: The present research explains the main framework of such system designing according to IVR technology that is for the first time designed and administered in Iran. Methods: Interactive Voice Response system was composed by two main parts of hardware and software. Hardware section includes one or several digital phone lines, a modem card with voice playing capability and a PC. IVR software on the other hand, acts as an intelligent control center, records call information and controls incoming data. Results: One of the main features of the system is its capability to be administered in common PCs, utilizing simple and cheap modems, high speed to take responses and it’s appropriateness to low literate patients. The system is applicable for monitoring chronic diseases, cancer and also in psychological diseases and can be suitable for taking care of elders and Children who require long term cares. Other features include user-friendly, decrease in direct and indirect costs of disease treatment and enjoying from high level of security to access patients’ profiles. Conclusions: Intelligent multilingual patient reported outcome system (IMPROS) by controlling diseases gives the opportunity to patients to have more participation during treatment and it improves mutual interaction between patient and medical staff. Moreover it increases the quality of medical services, Additional to empowering patients and their followers. PMID:26635441

It's not what you hear, it's the way you think about it: appraisals as determinants of affect and behaviour in voice hearers.

PubMed

Peters, E R; Williams, S L; Cooke, M A; Kuipers, E

2012-07-01

Previous studies have suggested that beliefs about voices mediate the relationship between actual voice experience and behavioural and affective response. We investigated beliefs about voice power (omnipotence), voice intent (malevolence/benevolence) and emotional and behavioural response (resistance/engagement) using the Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire - Revised (BAVQ-R) in 46 voice hearers. Distress was assessed using a wide range of measures: voice-related distress, depression, anxiety, self-esteem and suicidal ideation. Voice topography was assessed using measures of voice severity, frequency and intensity. We predicted that beliefs about voices would show a stronger association with distress than voice topography. Omnipotence had the strongest associations with all measures of distress included in the study whereas malevolence was related to resistance, and benevolence to engagement. As predicted, voice severity, frequency and intensity were not related to distress once beliefs were accounted for. These results concur with previous findings that beliefs about voice power are key determinants of distress in voice hearers, and should be targeted specifically in psychological interventions.

Normal voice processing after posterior superior temporal sulcus lesion.

PubMed

Jiahui, Guo; Garrido, Lúcia; Liu, Ran R; Susilo, Tirta; Barton, Jason J S; Duchaine, Bradley

2017-10-01

The right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) shows a strong response to voices, but the cognitive processes generating this response are unclear. One possibility is that this activity reflects basic voice processing. However, several fMRI and magnetoencephalography findings suggest instead that pSTS serves as an integrative hub that combines voice and face information. Here we investigate whether right pSTS contributes to basic voice processing by testing Faith, a patient whose right pSTS was resected, with eight behavioral tasks assessing voice identity perception and recognition, voice sex perception, and voice expression perception. Faith performed normally on all the tasks. Her normal performance indicates right pSTS is not necessary for intact voice recognition and suggests that pSTS activations to voices reflect higher-level processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

17 Ways to Say Yes: Toward Nuanced Tone of Voice in AAC and Speech Technology

PubMed Central

Pullin, Graham; Hennig, Shannon

2015-01-01

Abstract People with complex communication needs who use speech-generating devices have very little expressive control over their tone of voice. Despite its importance in human interaction, the issue of tone of voice remains all but absent from AAC research and development however. In this paper, we describe three interdisciplinary projects, past, present and future: The critical design collection Six Speaking Chairs has provoked deeper discussion and inspired a social model of tone of voice; the speculative concept Speech Hedge illustrates challenges and opportunities in designing more expressive user interfaces; the pilot project Tonetable could enable participatory research and seed a research network around tone of voice. We speculate that more radical interactions might expand frontiers of AAC and disrupt speech technology as a whole. PMID:25965913

Infusing Technology into Customer Relationships: Balancing High-Tech and High-Touch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salomann, Harald; Kolbe, Lutz; Brenner, Walter

In today's business environment, self-service is becoming increasingly important. In order to promote their self-service activities, banks have created online-only products and airlines offer exclusive discounts for passengers booking online. Self-service technologies' practical applications demonstrate this approach's potential. For example, Amtrak introduced an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system, allowing cost savings of 13m; likewise Royal Mail installed an IVR system leading to a reduction of its customer service costs by 25% (Economist 2004).

Do What I Say! Voice Recognition Makes Major Advances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruley, C. Dorsey

1994-01-01

Explains voice recognition technology applications in the workplace, schools, and libraries. Highlights include a voice-controlled work station using the DragonDictate system that can be used with dyslexic students, converting text to speech, and converting speech to text. (LRW)

Is children's listening effort in background noise influenced by the speaker's voice quality?

PubMed

Sahlén, Birgitta; Haake, Magnus; von Lochow, Heike; Holm, Lucas; Kastberg, Tobias; Brännström, K Jonas; Lyberg-Åhlander, Viveka

2018-07-01

The present study aims at exploring the influence of voice quality on listening effort in children performing a language comprehension test with sentences of increasing difficulty. Listening effort is explored in relation to gender ( = cisgender). The study has a between-groups design. Ninety-three mainstreamed children aged 8;2 to 9;3 with typical language development participated. The children were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 46/47) with equal allocation of boys and girls and for the analysis to four groups depending of gender and voice condition. Working memory capacity and executive functions were tested in quiet. A digital version of a language comprehension test (the TROG-2) was used to measure the effect of voice quality on listening effort, measured as response time in a forced-choice paradigm. The groups listened to sentences through recordings of the same female voice, one group with a typical voice and one with a dysphonic voice, both in competing multi-talker babble noise. Response times were logged after a time buffer between the sentence-ending and indication of response. There was a significant increase in response times with increased task difficulty and response times between the two voice conditions differed significantly. The girls in the dysphonic condition were slower with increasing task difficulty. A dysphonic voice clearly adds to the noise burden and listening effort is greater in girls than in boys when the teacher speaks with dysphonic voice in a noisy background. These findings might mirror gender differences as for coping strategies in challenging contexts and have important implications for education.

Exploring expressivity and emotion with artificial voice and speech technologies.

PubMed

Pauletto, Sandra; Balentine, Bruce; Pidcock, Chris; Jones, Kevin; Bottaci, Leonardo; Aretoulaki, Maria; Wells, Jez; Mundy, Darren P; Balentine, James

2013-10-01

Emotion in audio-voice signals, as synthesized by text-to-speech (TTS) technologies, was investigated to formulate a theory of expression for user interface design. Emotional parameters were specified with markup tags, and the resulting audio was further modulated with post-processing techniques. Software was then developed to link a selected TTS synthesizer with an automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine, producing a chatbot that could speak and listen. Using these two artificial voice subsystems, investigators explored both artistic and psychological implications of artificial speech emotion. Goals of the investigation were interdisciplinary, with interest in musical composition, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), commercial voice announcement applications, human-computer interaction (HCI), and artificial intelligence (AI). The work-in-progress points towards an emerging interdisciplinary ontology for artificial voices. As one study output, HCI tools are proposed for future collaboration.

Network Speech Systems Technology Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstein, C. J.

1980-09-01

This report documents work performed during FY 1980 on the DCA-sponsored Network Speech Systems Technology Program. The areas of work reported are: (1) communication systems studies in Demand-Assignment Multiple Access (DAMA), voice/data integration, and adaptive routing, in support of the evolving Defense Communications System (DCS) and Defense Switched Network (DSN); (2) a satellite/terrestrial integration design study including the functional design of voice and data interfaces to interconnect terrestrial and satellite network subsystems; and (3) voice-conferencing efforts dealing with support of the Secure Voice and Graphics Conferencing (SVGC) Test and Evaluation Program. Progress in definition and planning of experiments for the Experimental Integrated Switched Network (EISN) is detailed separately in an FY 80 Experiment Plan Supplement.

Single-channel voice-response-system program documentation volume I : system description

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-01-01

This report documents the design and implementation of a Voice Response System (VRS) using Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) voice coding. Implemented on a Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11/20,R this VRS system supports a single ...

Mechanics of human voice production and control

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhaoyan

2016-01-01

As the primary means of communication, voice plays an important role in daily life. Voice also conveys personal information such as social status, personal traits, and the emotional state of the speaker. Mechanically, voice production involves complex fluid-structure interaction within the glottis and its control by laryngeal muscle activation. An important goal of voice research is to establish a causal theory linking voice physiology and biomechanics to how speakers use and control voice to communicate meaning and personal information. Establishing such a causal theory has important implications for clinical voice management, voice training, and many speech technology applications. This paper provides a review of voice physiology and biomechanics, the physics of vocal fold vibration and sound production, and laryngeal muscular control of the fundamental frequency of voice, vocal intensity, and voice quality. Current efforts to develop mechanical and computational models of voice production are also critically reviewed. Finally, issues and future challenges in developing a causal theory of voice production and perception are discussed. PMID:27794319

Mechanics of human voice production and control.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaoyan

2016-10-01

As the primary means of communication, voice plays an important role in daily life. Voice also conveys personal information such as social status, personal traits, and the emotional state of the speaker. Mechanically, voice production involves complex fluid-structure interaction within the glottis and its control by laryngeal muscle activation. An important goal of voice research is to establish a causal theory linking voice physiology and biomechanics to how speakers use and control voice to communicate meaning and personal information. Establishing such a causal theory has important implications for clinical voice management, voice training, and many speech technology applications. This paper provides a review of voice physiology and biomechanics, the physics of vocal fold vibration and sound production, and laryngeal muscular control of the fundamental frequency of voice, vocal intensity, and voice quality. Current efforts to develop mechanical and computational models of voice production are also critically reviewed. Finally, issues and future challenges in developing a causal theory of voice production and perception are discussed.

Voice Technologies in Libraries: A Look into the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Holley R., Ed.; And Others

1991-01-01

Discussion of synthesized speech and voice recognition focuses on a forum that addressed the potential for speech technologies in libraries. Topics discussed by three contributors include possible library applications in technical processing, book receipt, circulation control, and database access; use by disabled and illiterate users; and problems…

Patients' perspectives of a multifaceted intervention with a focus on technology: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Lambert-Kerzner, Anne; Havranek, Edward P; Plomondon, Mary E; Albright, Karen; Moore, Ashley; Gryniewicz, Kelsey; Magid, David; Ho, P Michael

2010-11-01

Few studies have investigated the effectiveness of multifaceted interventions from the study participants' perspective. We conducted qualitative interviews to understand patients' experiences with a multifaceted blood pressure (BP) control intervention involving interactive voice response technology, home BP monitoring, and pharmacist-led BP management. In the randomized study, the intervention resulted in clinically significant decreases in BP. We used insights generated from in-depth interviews from all study participants randomly assigned to the multifaceted intervention or usual care (n=146) to create a model explaining the observed improvements in health behavior and clinical outcomes. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis methods and consultative and reflexive team analysis. Six explanatory factors emerged from the patients' interviews: (1) improved relationships with medical personnel; (2) increased knowledge of hypertension; (3) increased participation in their health care and personal empowerment; (4) greater understanding of the impact of health behavior on BP; (5) high satisfaction with technology used in the intervention; and, for some patients, (6) increased health care utilization. Eighty-six percent of the intervention patients and 62% of the usual care patients stated that study participation had a positive effect on them. Of those expressing a positive effect, 68% (intervention) and 55% (usual care) reached their systolic BP goal. Establishing bidirectional conversations between patients and providers is a key element of successful hypertension management. Home BP monitoring coupled with interactive voice response technology reporting facilitates such conversations.

78 FR 71676 - Submission for Review: 3206-0201, Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season Express...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-29

... (FEHB) Open Season Express Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System and Open Season Web site AGENCY: U.S... Benefits (FEHB) Open Season Express Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System and the Open Season Web site... Season Express Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System, and the Open Season Web site, Open Season Online...

Recruitment and Retention Challenges in a Technology-Based Study with Older Adults Discharged from a Geriatric Rehabilitation Unit.

PubMed

McCloskey, Rose; Jarrett, Pamela; Stewart, Connie; Keeping-Burke, Lisa

2015-01-01

Technology has the potential to offer support to older adults after being discharged from geriatric rehabilitation. This article highlights recruitment and retention challenges in a study examining an interactive voice response telephone system designed to monitor and support older adults and their informal caregivers following discharge from a geriatric rehabilitation unit. A prospective longitudinal study was planned to examine the feasibility of an interactive voice telephone system in facilitating the transition from rehabilitation to home for older adults and their family caregivers. Patient participants were required to make daily calls into the system. Using standardized instruments, data was to be collected at baseline and during home visits. Older adults and their caregivers may not be willing to learn how to use new technology at the time of hospital discharge. Poor recruitment and retention rates prevented analysis of findings. The importance of recruitment and retention in any study should never be underestimated. Target users of any intervention need to be included in both the design of the intervention and the study examining its benefit. Identifying the issues associated with introducing technology with a group of older rehabilitation patients should assist others who are interested in exploring the role of technology in facilitating hospital discharge. © 2014 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

When the face fits: recognition of celebrities from matching and mismatching faces and voices.

PubMed

Stevenage, Sarah V; Neil, Greg J; Hamlin, Iain

2014-01-01

The results of two experiments are presented in which participants engaged in a face-recognition or a voice-recognition task. The stimuli were face-voice pairs in which the face and voice were co-presented and were either "matched" (same person), "related" (two highly associated people), or "mismatched" (two unrelated people). Analysis in both experiments confirmed that accuracy and confidence in face recognition was consistently high regardless of the identity of the accompanying voice. However accuracy of voice recognition was increasingly affected as the relationship between voice and accompanying face declined. Moreover, when considering self-reported confidence in voice recognition, confidence remained high for correct responses despite the proportion of these responses declining across conditions. These results converged with existing evidence indicating the vulnerability of voice recognition as a relatively weak signaller of identity, and results are discussed in the context of a person-recognition framework.

Interactions between observer and stimuli fertility status: Endocrine and perceptual responses to intrasexual vocal fertility cues.

PubMed

Ostrander, Grant M; Pipitone, R Nathan; Shoup-Knox, Melanie L

2018-02-01

Both men and women find female voices more attractive at higher fertility times in the menstrual cycle, suggesting the voice is a cue to fertility and/or hormonal status. Preference for fertile females' voices provides males with an obvious reproduction advantage, however the advantage for female listeners is less clear. One possibility is that attention to the fertility status of potential rivals may enable women to enhance their own reproductive strategies through intrasexual competition. If so, the response to having high fertility voices should include hormonal changes that promote competitive behavior. Furthermore, attention and response to such cues should vary as a function of the observer's own fertility, which influences her ability to compete for mates. The current study monitored variation in cortisol and testosterone levels in response to evaluating the attractiveness of voices of other women. All 33 participants completed this task once during ovulation then again during the luteal phase. The voice stimuli were recorded from naturally cycling women at both high and low fertility, and from women using hormonal birth control. We found that listeners rated high fertility voices as more attractive compared to low fertility, with the effect being stronger when listeners were ovulating. Testosterone was elevated following voice ratings suggesting threat detection or the anticipation of competition, but no stress response was found. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The auditory cross-section (AXS) test battery: A new way to study afferent/efferent relations linking body periphery (ear, voice, heart) with brainstem and cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauter, Judith

2002-05-01

Several noninvasive methods are available for studying the neural bases of human sensory-motor function, but their cost is prohibitive for many researchers and clinicians. The auditory cross section (AXS) test battery utilizes relatively inexpensive methods, yet yields data that are at least equivalent, if not superior in some applications, to those generated by more expensive technologies. The acronym emphasizes access to axes-the battery makes it possible to assess dynamic physiological relations along all three body-brain axes: rostro-caudal (afferent/efferent), dorso-ventral, and right-left, on an individually-specific basis, extending from cortex to the periphery. For auditory studies, a three-level physiological ear-to-cortex profile is generated, utilizing (1) quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG); (2) the repeated evoked potentials version of the auditory brainstem response (REPs/ABR); and (3) otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). Battery procedures will be explained, and sample data presented illustrating correlated multilevel changes in ear, voice, heart, brainstem, and cortex in response to circadian rhythms, and challenges with substances such as antihistamines and Ritalin. Potential applications for the battery include studies of central auditory processing, reading problems, hyperactivity, neural bases of voice and speech motor control, neurocardiology, individually-specific responses to medications, and the physiological bases of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and related treatments.

Using Technology to Claim Rights to Free Maternal Health Care: Lessons about Impact from the My Health, My Voice Pilot Project in India.

PubMed

Dasgupt, Jashodhara; Sandhya, Y K; Lobis, Samantha; Verma, Pravesh; Schaaf, Marta

2015-12-10

My Health, My Voice is a human rights-based project that pilots the use of technology to monitor and display online data regarding informal payments for maternal health care in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. SAHAYOG, an organization based in Uttar Pradesh, partnered with a grassroots women's forum to inform women about their entitlements, to publicize the project, and to implement a toll-free hotline where women could report health providers' demands for informal payments. Between January 2012 and May 2013, the hotline recorded 873 reports of informal payment demands. Monitoring and evaluation revealed that the project enhanced women's knowledge of their entitlements, as well as their confidence to claim their rights. Anecdotal evidence suggests that health providers' demands for informal payments were reduced in response to the project, although hospital and district officials did not regularly consult the data. The use of technology accorded greater legitimacy among governmental stakeholders. Future research should examine the sustainability of changes, as well as the mechanisms driving health sector responsiveness. Copyright © 2015 Dasgupta et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Voice Recognition Software Accuracy with Second Language Speakers of English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coniam, D.

1999-01-01

Explores the potential of the use of voice-recognition technology with second-language speakers of English. Involves the analysis of the output produced by a small group of very competent second-language subjects reading a text into the voice recognition software Dragon Systems "Dragon NaturallySpeaking." (Author/VWL)

Cockpit voice recognition program at Princeton University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, C. Y.

1983-01-01

Voice recognition technology (VRT) is applied to aeronautics, particularly on the pilot workload alleviation. The VRT does not have to prove its maturity any longer. The feasibility of voice tuning of radio and DME are demonstrated since there are immediate advantages to the pilot and can be completed in a reasonable time.

Technologies for Self-Determination for Youth with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skouge, James R.; Kelly, Mary L.; Roberts, Kelly D.; Leake, David W.; Stodden, Robert A.

2007-01-01

This paper focuses on "technologies for voice" that are related to the self-determination of youth with developmental disabilities. The authors describe a self-determination model that values family-focused, community-referenced pedagogies employing "new media" to give voice to youth and their families. In line with the adage that a picture is…

VoIP to the Rescue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milner, Jacob

2005-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is everywhere. The technology lets users make and receive phone calls over the Internet, transporting voice traffic alongside data traffic such as instant messages (IMs) and e-mail. While the number of consumer customers using VoIP increases every week, the technology is finding its way into K-12 education as…

Home Diabetes Monitoring through Touch-Tone Computer Data Entry and Voice Synthesizer Response

PubMed Central

Arbogast, James G.; Dodrill, William H.

1984-01-01

Current studies suggest that the control of Diabetes mellitus can be improved with home monitoring of blood sugars. Voice synthesizers and recent technology, allowing decoding of Touch-Tone® pulses into their digital equivalents, make it possible for diabetics with no more sophisticated equipment than a Touch-Tone® telephone to enter their blood sugars directly into a medical office computer. A working prototype that can provide physicians with timely, logically oriented information about their diabetics is discussed along with plans to expand this concept into giving the patients uncomplicated therapeutic advice without the need for a direct patient/physician interaction. The potential impact on health care costs and the management of other chronic diseases is presented.

Micro-Based Speech Recognition: Instructional Innovation for Handicapped Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Carin E.; Scott, Brian L.

A new voice based learning system (VBLS), which allows the handicapped user to interact with a microcomputer by voice commands, is described. Speech or voice recognition is the computerized process of identifying a spoken word or phrase, including those resulting from speech impediments. This new technology is helpful to the severely physically…

Student Voice in the Mobile Phone Environment: A Grounded Theory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daher, Wajeeh

2017-01-01

Student voice is recently attracting educational researchers' attention for its influence on various aspects of student lives and futures, as well as social life in general. Mobile technologies are proliferating in social and practical life. This article studies student voice in carrying out outdoor activities with mobile phones. Thirty middle…

Supporting Graduate Student Writers with VoiceThread

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Michelle; Moore, Noreen S.

2018-01-01

This qualitative case study examined the influence of the use of VoiceThread technology on the feedback process for thesis writing in two online asynchronous graduate courses. The influence on instructor feedback process and graduate student writers' perceptions of the use of VoiceThread were the foci of the study. Master's-level students (n = 18)…

ELearning Strategic Planning 2020: The Voice of Future Students as Stakeholders in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finger, Glenn; Smart, Vicky

2013-01-01

Most universities are undertaking information technology (IT) strategic planning. The development of those plans often includes the voices of academics and sometimes engages alumni and current students. However, few engage and acknowledge the voice of future students. This paper is situated within the "Griffith University 2020 Strategic…

Understanding The Neural Mechanisms Involved In Sensory Control Of Voice Production

PubMed Central

Parkinson, Amy L.; Flagmeier, Sabina G.; Manes, Jordan L.; Larson, Charles R.; Rogers, Bill; Robin, Donald A.

2012-01-01

Auditory feedback is important for the control of voice fundamental frequency (F0). In the present study we used neuroimaging to identify regions of the brain responsible for sensory control of the voice. We used a pitch-shift paradigm where subjects respond to an alteration, or shift, of voice pitch auditory feedback with a reflexive change in F0. To determine the neural substrates involved in these audio-vocal responses, subjects underwent fMRI scanning while vocalizing with or without pitch-shifted feedback. The comparison of shifted and unshifted vocalization revealed activation bilaterally in the superior temporal gyrus (STG) in response to the pitch shifted feedback. We hypothesize that the STG activity is related to error detection by auditory error cells located in the superior temporal cortex and efference copy mechanisms whereby this region is responsible for the coding of a mismatch between actual and predicted voice F0. PMID:22406500

Innovative Technology for the Assisted Delivery of Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT[R]LOUD) for Parkinson Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Angela E.; Ramig, Lorraine O.; Matos, Carlos E. C.; Petska-Cable, Jill A.; Spielman, Jennifer L.; Pogoda, Janice M.; Gilley, Phillip M.; Sapir, Shimon; Bennett, John K.; McFarland, David H.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a newly developed assistive technology system, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Companion (LSVT[R] Companion[TM], hereafter referred to as "Companion"), to support the delivery of LSVT[R]LOUD, an efficacious speech intervention for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Method: Sixteen…

Students' Voices about Information and Communication Technology in Upper Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olofsson, Anders D.; Lindberg, Ola J.; Fransson, Göran

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore upper secondary school students' voices on how information and communication technology (ICT) could structure and support their everyday activities and time at school. Design/methodology/approach: In all, 11 group interviews were conducted with a total of 46 students from three upper secondary…

Crossing Cultures with Multi-Voiced Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Styslinger, Mary E.; Whisenant, Alison

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the benefits of using multi-voiced journals as a teaching strategy in reading instruction. Multi-voiced journals, an adaptation of dual-voiced journals, encourage responses to reading in varied, cultured voices of characters. It is similar to reading journals in that they prod students to connect to the lives…

Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus).

PubMed

Saito, Atsuko; Shinozuka, Kazutaka

2013-07-01

Domestic cats have had a 10,000-year history of cohabitation with humans and seem to have the ability to communicate with humans. However, this has not been widely examined. We studied 20 domestic cats to investigate whether they could recognize their owners by using voices that called out the subjects' names, with a habituation-dishabituation method. While the owner was out of the cat's sight, we played three different strangers' voices serially, followed by the owner's voice. We recorded the cat's reactions to the voices and categorized them into six behavioral categories. In addition, ten naive raters rated the cats' response magnitudes. The cats responded to human voices not by communicative behavior (vocalization and tail movement), but by orienting behavior (ear movement and head movement). This tendency did not change even when they were called by their owners. Of the 20 cats, 15 demonstrated a lower response magnitude to the third voice than to the first voice. These habituated cats showed a significant rebound in response to the subsequent presentation of their owners' voices. This result indicates that cats are able to use vocal cues alone to distinguish between humans.

Using Voice Boards: Pedagogical Design, Technological Implementation, Evaluation and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaneske, Elisabeth; Oates, Briony

2011-01-01

We present a case study to evaluate the use of a Wimba Voice Board to support asynchronous audio discussion. We discuss the learning strategy and pedagogic rationale when a Voice Board was implemented within an MA module for language learners, enabling students to create learning objects and facilitating peer-to-peer learning. Previously students…

Using Voice Boards: Pedagogical Design, Technological Implementation, Evaluation and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaneske, Elisabeth; Oates, Briony

2010-01-01

We present a case study to evaluate the use of a Wimba Voice Board to support asynchronous audio discussion. We discuss the learning strategy and pedagogic rationale when a Voice Board was implemented within an MA module for language learners, enabling students to create learning objects and facilitating peer-to-peer learning. Previously students…

Toward a Trustworthy Voice: Increasing the Effectiveness of Automated Outreach Calls to Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening among African Americans

PubMed Central

Albright, Karen; Richardson, Terri; Kempe, Karin L; Wallace, Kristin

2014-01-01

Introduction: Colorectal cancer screening rates are lower among African-American members of Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) than among members of other races and ethnicities. This study evaluated use of a linguistically congruent voice in interactive voice response outreach calls about colorectal cancer screening as a strategy to increase call completion and response. Methods: After an initial discussion group to assess cultural acceptability of the project, 6 focus groups were conducted with 33 KPCO African-American members. Participants heard and discussed recordings of 5 female voices reading the same segment of the standard-practice colorectal cancer message using interactive voice response. The linguistic palette included the voices of a white woman, a lightly accented Latina, and 3 African-American women. Results: Participants strongly preferred the African-American voices, particularly two voices. Participants considered these voices the most trustworthy and reported that they would be the most effective at increasing motivation to complete an automated call. Participants supported the use of African-American voices when designing outgoing automated calls for African Americans because the sense of familiarity engendered trust among listeners. Participants also indicated that effective automated messages should provide immediate clarity of purpose; explain why the issue is relevant to African Americans; avoid sounding scripted; emphasize that the call is for the listener’s benefit only; sound personable, warm, and positive; and not create fear among listeners. Discussion: Establishing linguistic congruence between African Americans and the voices used in automated calls designed to reach them may increase the effectiveness of outreach efforts. PMID:24867548

The voices of seduction: cross-gender effects in processing of erotic prosody

PubMed Central

Ethofer, Thomas; Wiethoff, Sarah; Anders, Silke; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Grodd, Wolfgang

2007-01-01

Gender specific differences in cognitive functions have been widely discussed. Considering social cognition such as emotion perception conveyed by non-verbal cues, generally a female advantage is assumed. In the present study, however, we revealed a cross-gender interaction with increasing responses to the voice of opposite sex in male and female subjects. This effect was confined to erotic tone of speech in behavioural data and haemodynamic responses within voice sensitive brain areas (right middle superior temporal gyrus). The observed response pattern, thus, indicates a particular sensitivity to emotional voices that have a high behavioural relevance for the listener. PMID:18985138

Validation of the Acoustic Voice Quality Index in the Japanese Language.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Kiyohito; Barsties, Ben; Iwahashi, Toshihiko; Iwahashi, Mio; Kato, Chieri; Iwaki, Shinobu; Sasai, Hisanori; Miyauchi, Akira; Matsushiro, Naoki; Inohara, Hidenori; Ogawa, Makoto; Maryn, Youri

2017-03-01

The Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) is a multivariate construct for quantification of overall voice quality based on the analysis of continuous speech and sustained vowel. The stability and validity of the AVQI is well established in several language families. However, the Japanese language has distinct characteristics with respect to several parameters of articulatory and phonatory physiology. The aim of the study was to confirm the criterion-related concurrent validity of AVQI, as well as its responsiveness to change and diagnostic accuracy for voice assessment in the Japanese-speaking population. This is a retrospective study. A total of 336 voice recordings, which included 69 pairs of voice recordings (before and after therapeutic interventions), were eligible for the study. The auditory-perceptual judgment of overall voice quality was evaluated by five experienced raters. The concurrent validity, responsiveness to change, and diagnostic accuracy of the AVQI were estimated. The concurrent validity and responsiveness to change based on the overall voice quality was indicated by high correlation coefficients 0.828 and 0.767, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an excellent diagnostic accuracy for discrimination between dysphonic and normophonic voices (area under the curve: 0.905). The best threshold level for the AVQI of 3.15 corresponded with a sensitivity of 72.5% and specificity of 95.2%, with the positive and negative likelihood ratios of 15.1 and 0.29, respectively. We demonstrated the validity of the AVQI as a tool for assessment of overall voice quality and that of voice therapy outcomes in the Japanese-speaking population. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural effects of environmental advertising: An fMRI analysis of voice age and temporal framing.

PubMed

Casado-Aranda, Luis-Alberto; Martínez-Fiestas, Myriam; Sánchez-Fernández, Juan

2018-01-15

Ecological information offered to society through advertising enhances awareness of environmental issues, encourages development of sustainable attitudes and intentions, and can even alter behavior. This paper, by means of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and self-reports, explores the underlying mechanisms of processing ecological messages. The study specifically examines brain and behavioral responses to persuasive ecological messages that differ in temporal framing and in the age of the voice pronouncing them. The findings reveal that attitudes are more positive toward future-framed messages presented by young voices. The whole-brain analysis reveals that future-framed (FF) ecological messages trigger activation in brain areas related to imagery, prospective memories and episodic events, thus reflecting the involvement of past behaviors in future ecological actions. Past-framed messages (PF), in turn, elicit brain activations within the episodic system. Young voices (YV), in addition to triggering stronger activation in areas involved with the processing of high-timbre, high-pitched and high-intensity voices, are perceived as more emotional and motivational than old voices (OV) as activations in anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala. Messages expressed by older voices, in turn, exhibit stronger activation in areas formerly linked to low-pitched voices and voice gender perception. Interestingly, a link is identified between neural and self-report responses indicating that certain brain activations in response to future-framed messages and young voices predicted higher attitudes toward future-framed and young voice advertisements, respectively. The results of this study provide invaluable insight into the unconscious origin of attitudes toward environmental messages and indicate which voice and temporal frame of a message generate the greatest subconscious value. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance, Accuracy, Data Delivery, and Feedback Methods in Order Selection: A Comparison of Voice, Handheld, and Paper Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludwig, Timothy D.; Goomas, David T.

2007-01-01

Field study was conducted in auto-parts after-market distribution centers where selectors used handheld computers to receive instructions and feedback about their product selection process. A wireless voice-interaction technology was then implemented in a multiple baseline fashion across three departments of a warehouse (N = 14) and was associated…

Theatre Voice Training and Technology in Teaching Oral Skills: Integrating the Components of a Speech Event

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardison, Debra M.; Sonchaeng, Chayawan

2005-01-01

This paper provides a sequence of specific techniques and examples for implementing theatre voice training and technology in teaching ESL/EFL oral skills. A layered approach is proposed based on information processing theory in which the focus of learner attention is shifted in stages from the physiological to the linguistic and then to the…

Onset and Maturation of Fetal Heart Rate Response to the Mother's Voice over Late Gestation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisilevsky, Barbara S.; Hains, Sylvia M. J.

2011-01-01

Background: Term fetuses discriminate their mother's voice from a female stranger's, suggesting recognition/learning of some property of her voice. Identification of the onset and maturation of the response would increase our understanding of the influence of environmental sounds on the development of sensory abilities and identify the period when…

Blindness and Selective Mutism: One Student's Response to Voice-Output Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Mary; Johnson, Ashli; Herzberg, Tina

2014-01-01

This case study was designed to measure the response of one student with blindness and selective mutism to the intervention of voice-output devices across two years and two different teachers in two instructional settings. Before the introduction of the voice output devices, the student did not choose to communicate using spoken language or…

Criteria for Appraising Computer-Based Simulations for Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

activity abroad that most contributed to their increase in fluency was ‘hanging out’ with Russian friends, defined as visiting, eating, and watching...approach is testing that learning has indeed occurred, in that a teacher must evaluate not only linguistic accuracy but also fluency in the proper...written responses, with student input analyzed using voice processing technology. Cultural Proficiency in Arabic Fluency in a foreign language

Vocal education for the professional voice user and singer.

PubMed

Murry, T; Rosen, C A

2000-10-01

Providing education on voice-related anatomy, physiology, and vocal hygiene information is the responsibility of every voice care professional. This article discusses the importance of a vocal education program for singers and professional voice users. An outline of a vocal education lecture is provided.

McGurk Effect in Gender Identification: Vision Trumps Audition in Voice Judgments.

PubMed

Peynircioǧlu, Zehra F; Brent, William; Tatz, Joshua R; Wyatt, Jordan

2017-01-01

Demonstrations of non-speech McGurk effects are rare, mostly limited to emotion identification, and sometimes not considered true analogues. We presented videos of males and females singing a single syllable on the same pitch and asked participants to indicate the true range of the voice-soprano, alto, tenor, or bass. For one group of participants, the gender shown on the video matched the gender of the voice heard, and for the other group they were mismatched. Soprano or alto responses were interpreted as "female voice" decisions and tenor or bass responses as "male voice" decisions. Identification of the voice gender was 100% correct in the preceding audio-only condition. However, whereas performance was also 100% correct in the matched video/audio condition, it was only 31% correct in the mismatched video/audio condition. Thus, the visual gender information overrode the voice gender identification, showing a robust non-speech McGurk effect.

Shielding voices: The modulation of binding processes between voice features and response features by task representations.

PubMed

Bogon, Johanna; Eisenbarth, Hedwig; Landgraf, Steffen; Dreisbach, Gesine

2017-09-01

Vocal events offer not only semantic-linguistic content but also information about the identity and the emotional-motivational state of the speaker. Furthermore, most vocal events have implications for our actions and therefore include action-related features. But the relevance and irrelevance of vocal features varies from task to task. The present study investigates binding processes for perceptual and action-related features of spoken words and their modulation by the task representation of the listener. Participants reacted with two response keys to eight different words spoken by a male or a female voice (Experiment 1) or spoken by an angry or neutral male voice (Experiment 2). There were two instruction conditions: half of participants learned eight stimulus-response mappings by rote (SR), and half of participants applied a binary task rule (TR). In both experiments, SR instructed participants showed clear evidence for binding processes between voice and response features indicated by an interaction between the irrelevant voice feature and the response. By contrast, as indicated by a three-way interaction with instruction, no such binding was found in the TR instructed group. These results are suggestive of binding and shielding as two adaptive mechanisms that ensure successful communication and action in a dynamic social environment.

Synthesized speech rate and pitch effects on intelligibility of warning messages for pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, C. A.; Marchionda-Frost, K.

1984-01-01

In civilian and military operations, a future threat-warning system with a voice display could warn pilots of other traffic, obstacles in the flight path, and/or terrain during low-altitude helicopter flights. The present study was conducted to learn whether speech rate and voice pitch of phoneme-synthesized speech affects pilot accuracy and response time to typical threat-warning messages. Helicopter pilots engaged in an attention-demanding flying task and listened for voice threat warnings presented in a background of simulated helicopter cockpit noise. Performance was measured by flying-task performance, threat-warning intelligibility, and response time. Pilot ratings were elicited for the different voice pitches and speech rates. Significant effects were obtained only for response time and for pilot ratings, both as a function of speech rate. For the few cases when pilots forgot to respond to a voice message, they remembered 90 percent of the messages accurately when queried for their response 8 to 10 sec later.

Advanced distributed simulation technology: Digital Voice Gateway Reference Guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanhook, Dan; Stadler, Ed

1994-01-01

The Digital Voice Gateway (referred to as the 'DVG' in this document) transmits and receives four full duplex encoded speech channels over the Ethernet. The information in this document applies only to DVG's running firmware of the version listed on the title page. This document, previously named Digital Voice Gateway Reference Guide, BBN Systems and Technologies Corporation, Cambridge, MA 02138, was revised for revision 2.00. This new revision changes the network protocol used by the DVG, to comply with the SINCGARS radio simulation (For SIMNET 6.6.1). Because of the extensive changes to revision 2.00 a separate document was created rather than supplying change pages.

Military and Government Applications of Human-Machine Communication by Voice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstein, Clifford J.

1995-10-01

This paper describes a range of opportunities for military and government applications of human-machine communication by voice, based on visits and contacts with numerous user organizations in the United States. The applications include some that appear to be feasible by careful integration of current state-of-the-art technology and others that will require a varying mix of advances in speech technology and in integration of the technology into applications environments. Applications that are described include (1) speech recognition and synthesis for mobile command and control; (2) speech processing for a portable multifunction soldier's computer; (3) speech- and language-based technology for naval combat team tactical training; (4) speech technology for command and control on a carrier flight deck; (5) control of auxiliary systems, and alert and warning generation, in fighter aircraft and helicopters; and (6) voice check-in, report entry, and communication for law enforcement agents or special forces. A phased approach for transfer of the technology into applications is advocated, where integration of applications systems is pursued in parallel with advanced research to meet future needs.

Voice in Political Decision-Making: The Effect of Group Voice on Perceived Trustworthiness of Decision Makers and Subsequent Acceptance of Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terwel, Bart W.; Harinck, Fieke; Ellemers, Naomi; Daamen, Dancker D. L.

2010-01-01

The implementation of carbon dioxide capture and storage technology (CCS) is considered an important climate change mitigation strategy, but the viability of this technology will depend on public acceptance of CCS policy decisions. The results of three experiments with students as participants show that whether or not interest groups receive an…

What does voice-processing technology support today?

PubMed Central

Nakatsu, R; Suzuki, Y

1995-01-01

This paper describes the state of the art in applications of voice-processing technologies. In the first part, technologies concerning the implementation of speech recognition and synthesis algorithms are described. Hardware technologies such as microprocessors and DSPs (digital signal processors) are discussed. Software development environment, which is a key technology in developing applications software, ranging from DSP software to support software also is described. In the second part, the state of the art of algorithms from the standpoint of applications is discussed. Several issues concerning evaluation of speech recognition/synthesis algorithms are covered, as well as issues concerning the robustness of algorithms in adverse conditions. Images Fig. 3 PMID:7479720

Secure Networks for First Responders and Special Forces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

When NASA needed help better securing its communications with orbiting satellites, the Agency called on Western DataCom Co., Inc., to help develop a prototype Internet Protocol (IP) router. Westlake, Ohio-based Western DataCom designs, develops, and manufactures hardware that secures voice, video, and data transmissions over any IP-based network. The technology that it jointly developed with NASA is now serving as a communications solution in military and first-response situations.

Keratinocyte Spray Technology for the Improved Healing of Cutaneous Sulfur Mustard Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

evaluations using cells harvested at lower degrees of confluence. REFERENCES Arroyo CM, Schafer RJ, Kurt EM, Broomfield CA, Carmichael AJ...Broomfield CA, Carmichael AJ. (1999) Response of normal human keratinocytes to sulfur mustard (HD): cytokine release using a non-enzymatic...Westchester Hall SUNY, NY 11794-8702 Voice: (n/a) Kertinocyte Spray, Jan30_2009Patient: USex: N/AAge: ?DOB: 30- Jan -09Biopsy Taken: 02-Feb-09Biopsy Received

Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research.

PubMed

Manfredi, C; Lebacq, J; Cantarella, G; Schoentgen, J; Orlandi, S; Bandini, A; DeJonckere, P H

2017-01-01

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room. The voice stimuli consisted in synthesized deviant voice samples (median of fundamental frequency: 120 and 200 Hz) with three levels of jitter and three levels of added noise. All voice samples were analyzed using PRAAT software. The results show high correlations between jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio measured on the recordings via both smartphones, the microphone, and measured directly on the sound files from the synthesizer. Smartphones thus appear adequate for reliable recording and digitizing of pathologic voices. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Male and female voices activate distinct regions in the male brain.

PubMed

Sokhi, Dilraj S; Hunter, Michael D; Wilkinson, Iain D; Woodruff, Peter W R

2005-09-01

In schizophrenia, auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are likely to be perceived as gender-specific. Given that functional neuro-imaging correlates of AVHs involve multiple brain regions principally including auditory cortex, it is likely that those brain regions responsible for attribution of gender to speech are invoked during AVHs. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a paradigm utilising 'gender-apparent' (unaltered) and 'gender-ambiguous' (pitch-scaled) male and female voice stimuli to test the hypothesis that male and female voices activate distinct brain areas during gender attribution. The perception of female voices, when compared with male voices, affected greater activation of the right anterior superior temporal gyrus, near the superior temporal sulcus. Similarly, male voice perception activated the mesio-parietal precuneus area. These different gender associations could not be explained by either simple pitch perception or behavioural response because the activations that we observed were conjointly activated by both 'gender-apparent' and 'gender-ambiguous' voices. The results of this study demonstrate that, in the male brain, the perception of male and female voices activates distinct brain regions.

Voice Response System Statistics Program : Operational Handbook.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-06-01

This report documents the Voice Response System (VRS) Statistics Program developed for the preflight weather briefing VRS. It describes the VRS statistical report format and contents, the software program structure, and the program operation.

Distress, omnipotence, and responsibility beliefs in command hallucinations.

PubMed

Ellett, Lyn; Luzon, Olga; Birchwood, Max; Abbas, Zarina; Harris, Abi; Chadwick, Paul

2017-09-01

Command hallucinations are considered to be one of the most distressing and disturbing symptoms of schizophrenia. Building on earlier studies, we compare key attributes in the symptomatic, affective, and cognitive profiles of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and hearing voices that do (n = 77) or do not (n = 74) give commands. The study employed a cross-sectional design, in which we assessed voice severity, distress and control (PSYRATs), anxiety and depression (HADS), beliefs about voices (BAVQ-R), and responsibility beliefs (RIQ). Clinical and demographic variables were also collected. Command hallucinations were found to be more distressing and controlling, perceived as more omnipotent and malevolent, linked to higher anxiety and depression, and resisted more than hallucinations without commands. Commanding voices were also associated with higher conviction ratings for being personally responsible for preventing harm. The findings suggest key differences in the affective and cognitive profiles of people who hear commanding voices, which have important implications for theory and psychological interventions. Command hallucinations are associated with higher distress, malevolence, and omnipotence. Command hallucinations are associated with higher responsibility beliefs for preventing harm. Responsibility beliefs are associated with voice-related distress. Future psychological interventions for command hallucinations might benefit from focussing not only on omnipotence, but also on responsibility beliefs, as is done in psychological therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder. Limitations The cross-sectional design does not assess issues of causality. We did not measure the presence or severity of delusions. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Administration of Neuropsychological Tests Using Interactive Voice Response Technology in the Elderly: Validation and Limitations

PubMed Central

Miller, Delyana Ivanova; Talbot, Vincent; Gagnon, Michèle; Messier, Claude

2013-01-01

Interactive voice response (IVR) systems are computer programs, which interact with people to provide a number of services from business to health care. We examined the ability of an IVR system to administer and score a verbal fluency task (fruits) and the digit span forward and backward in 158 community dwelling people aged between 65 and 92 years of age (full scale IQ of 68–134). Only six participants could not complete all tasks mostly due to early technical problems in the study. Participants were also administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale fourth edition (WAIS-IV) and Wechsler Memory Scale fourth edition subtests. The IVR system correctly recognized 90% of the fruits in the verbal fluency task and 93–95% of the number sequences in the digit span. The IVR system typically underestimated the performance of participants because of voice recognition errors. In the digit span, these errors led to the erroneous discontinuation of the test: however the correlation between IVR scoring and clinical scoring was still high (93–95%). The correlation between the IVR verbal fluency and the WAIS-IV Similarities subtest was 0.31. The correlation between the IVR digit span forward and backward and the in-person administration was 0.46. We discuss how valid and useful IVR systems are for neuropsychological testing in the elderly. PMID:23950755

Impact of data link technology on railroad dispatching operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-10-01

This study examined data link communication as an alternative channel to voice radio for railroad dispatchers. The goal was to compare how data link affected performance compared to voice radio only communications on measures related to safety, produ...

An Evaluation of the Use of Voice Boards, E-Book Readers and Virtual Worlds in a Postgraduate Distance Learning Applied Linguistics and TESOL Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogerson-Revell, Pamela; Nie, Ming; Armellini, Alejandro

2012-01-01

We researched the incorporation of three learning technologies (voice boards, i.e. voice-based discussion boards, e-book readers, and Second Life virtual world), into the Master's Programme in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages offered by distance learning at the University of Leicester. This small-scale study…

Literature review of voice recognition and generation technology for Army helicopter applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christ, K. A.

1984-08-01

This report is a literature review on the topics of voice recognition and generation. Areas covered are: manual versus vocal data input, vocabulary, stress and workload, noise, protective masks, feedback, and voice warning systems. Results of the studies presented in this report indicate that voice data entry has less of an impact on a pilot's flight performance, during low-level flying and other difficult missions, than manual data entry. However, the stress resulting from such missions may cause the pilot's voice to change, reducing the recognition accuracy of the system. The noise present in helicopter cockpits also causes the recognition accuracy to decrease. Noise-cancelling devices are being developed and improved upon to increase the recognition performance in noisy environments. Future research in the fields of voice recognition and generation should be conducted in the areas of stress and workload, vocabulary, and the types of voice generation best suited for the helicopter cockpit. Also, specific tasks should be studied to determine whether voice recognition and generation can be effectively applied.

Vocalization-Induced Enhancement of the Auditory Cortex Responsiveness during Voice F0 Feedback Perturbation

PubMed Central

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Karvelis, Laura; Liu, Hanjun; Larson, Charles R.

2009-01-01

Objective The present study investigated whether self-vocalization enhances auditory neural responsiveness to voice pitch feedback perturbation and how this vocalization-induced neural modulation can be affected by the extent of the feedback deviation. Method Event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 15 subjects in response to +100, +200 and +500 cents pitch-shifted voice auditory feedback during active vocalization and passive listening to the playback of the self-produced vocalizations. Result The amplitude of the evoked P1 (latency: 73.51 ms) and P2 (latency: 199.55 ms) ERP components in response to feedback perturbation were significantly larger during vocalization than listening. The difference between P2 peak amplitudes during vocalization vs. listening was shown to be significantly larger for +100 than +500 cents stimulus. Conclusion Results indicate that the human auditory cortex is more responsive to voice F0 feedback perturbations during vocalization than passive listening. Greater vocalization-induced enhancement of the auditory responsiveness to smaller feedback perturbations may imply that the audio-vocal system detects and corrects for errors in vocal production that closely match the expected vocal output. Significance Findings of this study support previous suggestions regarding the enhanced auditory sensitivity to feedback alterations during self-vocalization, which may serve the purpose of feedback-based monitoring of one’s voice. PMID:19520602

A study on the application of voice interaction in automotive human machine interface experience design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhaohui; Huang, Xiemin

2018-04-01

This paper, firstly, introduces the application trend of the integration of multi-channel interactions in automotive HMI ((Human Machine Interface) from complex information models faced by existing automotive HMI and describes various interaction modes. By comparing voice interaction and touch screen, gestures and other interaction modes, the potential and feasibility of voice interaction in automotive HMI experience design are concluded. Then, the related theories of voice interaction, identification technologies, human beings' cognitive models of voices and voice design methods are further explored. And the research priority of this paper is proposed, i.e. how to design voice interaction to create more humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios to enhance interactive experiences of automotive HMI. The specific scenarios in driving behaviors suitable for the use of voice interaction are studied and classified, and the usability principles and key elements for automotive HMI voice design are proposed according to the scenario features. Then, through the user participatory usability testing experiment, the dialogue processes of voice interaction in automotive HMI are defined. The logics and grammars in voice interaction are classified according to the experimental results, and the mental models in the interaction processes are analyzed. At last, the voice interaction design method to create the humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios in the driving environment is proposed.

Military and government applications of human-machine communication by voice.

PubMed Central

Weinstein, C J

1995-01-01

This paper describes a range of opportunities for military and government applications of human-machine communication by voice, based on visits and contacts with numerous user organizations in the United States. The applications include some that appear to be feasible by careful integration of current state-of-the-art technology and others that will require a varying mix of advances in speech technology and in integration of the technology into applications environments. Applications that are described include (1) speech recognition and synthesis for mobile command and control; (2) speech processing for a portable multifunction soldier's computer; (3) speech- and language-based technology for naval combat team tactical training; (4) speech technology for command and control on a carrier flight deck; (5) control of auxiliary systems, and alert and warning generation, in fighter aircraft and helicopters; and (6) voice check-in, report entry, and communication for law enforcement agents or special forces. A phased approach for transfer of the technology into applications is advocated, where integration of applications systems is pursued in parallel with advanced research to meet future needs. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 PMID:7479718

Bias in child maltreatment self-reports using Interactive Voice Response

PubMed Central

Kepple, Nancy J.; Freisthler, Bridget; Johnson-Motoyama, Michelle

2014-01-01

Few methods estimate the prevalence of child maltreatment in the general population due to concerns about socially desirable responding and mandated reporting laws. Innovative methods, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), may obtain better estimates that address these concerns. This study examined the utility of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for child maltreatment behaviors by assessing differences between respondents who completed and did not complete a survey using IVR technology. A mixed-mode telephone survey was conducted in English and Spanish in 50 cities in California during 2009. Caregivers (n = 3,023) self-reported abusive and neglectful parenting behaviors for a focal child under the age of 13 using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing and IVR. We used Hierarchical Generalized Linear Models to compare survey completion by caregivers nested within cities for the full sample and age-specific ranges. For demographic characteristics, caregivers born in the United States were more likely to complete the survey when controlling for covariates. Parenting stress, provision of physical needs, and provision of supervisory needs were not associated with survey completion in the full multivariate model. For caregivers of children 0 to 4 years (n = 838), those reporting they could often or always hear their child from another room had a higher likelihood of survey completion. The findings suggest IVR could prove to be useful for future surveys that aim to estimate abusive and/or neglectful parenting behaviors given the limited bias observed for demographic characteristics and problematic parenting behaviors. Further research should expand upon its utility to advance estimation rates. PMID:24819534

Multidimensional assessment of strongly irregular voices such as in substitution voicing and spasmodic dysphonia: a compilation of own research.

PubMed

Moerman, Mieke; Martens, Jean-Pierre; Dejonckere, Philippe

2015-04-01

This article is a compilation of own research performed during the European COoperation in Science and Technology (COST) action 2103: 'Advance Voice Function Assessment', an initiative of voice and speech processing teams consisting of physicists, engineers, and clinicians. This manuscript concerns analyzing largely irregular voicing types, namely substitution voicing (SV) and adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD). A specific perceptual rating scale (IINFVo) was developed, and the Auditory Model Based Pitch Extractor (AMPEX), a piece of software that automatically analyses running speech and generates pitch values in background noise, was applied. The IINFVo perceptual rating scale has been shown to be useful in evaluating SV. The analysis of strongly irregular voices stimulated a modification of the European Laryngological Society's assessment protocol which was originally designed for the common types of (less severe) dysphonia. Acoustic analysis with AMPEX demonstrates that the most informative features are, for SV, the voicing-related acoustic features and, for AdSD, the perturbation measures. Poor correlations between self-assessment and acoustic and perceptual dimensions in the assessment of highly irregular voices argue for a multidimensional approach.

National Voice Response System (VRS) Implementation Plan Alternatives Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-07-01

This study examines the alternatives available to implement a national Voice Response System (VRS) for automated preflight weather briefings and flight plan filing. Four major hardware configurations are discussed. A computerized analysis model was d...

Twenty-Channel Voice Response System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-06-01

This report documents the design and implementation of a Voice Response System, which provides Direct-User Access to the FAA's aviation-weather data base. This system supports 20 independent audio channels, and as of this report, speaks three weather...

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors and voice symptoms, voice handicap, and respiratory tract diseases.

PubMed

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi J; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-11-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the connections between voice ergonomic risk factors found in classrooms and voice-related problems in teachers. Voice ergonomic assessment was performed in 39 classrooms in 14 elementary schools by means of a Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment--Handbook and Checklist. The voice ergonomic risk factors assessed included working culture, noise, indoor air quality, working posture, stress, and access to a sound amplifier. Teachers from the above-mentioned classrooms reported their voice symptoms, respiratory tract diseases, and completed a Voice Handicap Index (VHI). The more voice ergonomic risk factors found in the classroom the higher were the teachers' total scores on voice symptoms and VHI. Stress was the factor that correlated most strongly with voice symptoms. Poor indoor air quality increased the occurrence of laryngitis. Voice ergonomics were poor in the classrooms studied and voice ergonomic risk factors affected the voice. It is important to convey information on voice ergonomics to education administrators and those responsible for school planning and taking care of school buildings. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The prevalence of voice disorders in 911 emergency telecommunicators.

PubMed

Johns-Fiedler, Heidi; van Mersbergen, Miriam

2015-05-01

Emergency 911 dispatchers or telecommunicators have been cited as occupational voice users who could be at risk for voice disorders. To test the theoretical assumption that the 911 emergency telecommunicators (911ETCs) are exposed to risk for voice disorders because of their heavy vocal load, this study assessed the prevalence of voice complaints in 911ETCs. A cross-sectional survey was sent to two large national organizations for 911ETCs with 71 complete responses providing information about voice health, voice complaints, and work load. Although 911ETCs have a higher rate of reported voice symptoms and score higher on the Voice Handicap Index-10 than the general public, they have a voice disorder diagnosis prevalence that mirrors the prevalence of the general population. The 911ETCs may be underserved in the voice community and would benefit from education on vocal health and treatments for voice complaints. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Loud and angry: sound intensity modulates amygdala activation to angry voices in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Simon, Doerte; Becker, Michael; Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Straube, Thomas

2017-03-01

Angry expressions of both voices and faces represent disorder-relevant stimuli in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although individuals with SAD show greater amygdala activation to angry faces, previous work has failed to find comparable effects for angry voices. Here, we investigated whether voice sound-intensity, a modulator of a voice's threat-relevance, affects brain responses to angry prosody in SAD. We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore brain responses to voices varying in sound intensity and emotional prosody in SAD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Angry and neutral voices were presented either with normal or high sound amplitude, while participants had to decide upon the speaker's gender. Loud vs normal voices induced greater insula activation, and angry vs neutral prosody greater orbitofrontal cortex activation in SAD as compared with HC subjects. Importantly, an interaction of sound intensity, prosody and group was found in the insula and the amygdala. In particular, the amygdala showed greater activation to loud angry voices in SAD as compared with HC subjects. This finding demonstrates a modulating role of voice sound-intensity on amygdalar hyperresponsivity to angry prosody in SAD and suggests that abnormal processing of interpersonal threat signals in amygdala extends beyond facial expressions in SAD. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Loud and angry: sound intensity modulates amygdala activation to angry voices in social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Simon, Doerte; Becker, Michael; Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Miltner, Wolfgang H.R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Angry expressions of both voices and faces represent disorder-relevant stimuli in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although individuals with SAD show greater amygdala activation to angry faces, previous work has failed to find comparable effects for angry voices. Here, we investigated whether voice sound-intensity, a modulator of a voice’s threat-relevance, affects brain responses to angry prosody in SAD. We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore brain responses to voices varying in sound intensity and emotional prosody in SAD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Angry and neutral voices were presented either with normal or high sound amplitude, while participants had to decide upon the speaker’s gender. Loud vs normal voices induced greater insula activation, and angry vs neutral prosody greater orbitofrontal cortex activation in SAD as compared with HC subjects. Importantly, an interaction of sound intensity, prosody and group was found in the insula and the amygdala. In particular, the amygdala showed greater activation to loud angry voices in SAD as compared with HC subjects. This finding demonstrates a modulating role of voice sound-intensity on amygdalar hyperresponsivity to angry prosody in SAD and suggests that abnormal processing of interpersonal threat signals in amygdala extends beyond facial expressions in SAD. PMID:27651541

Interference effects of vocalization on dual task performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, J. M.; Goodman, L. S.; Pianka, M. J.

1984-09-01

Voice command and control systems have been proposed as a potential means of off-loading the typically overburdened visual information processing system. However, prior to introducing novel human-machine interfacing technologies in high workload environments, consideration must be given to the integration of the new technologists within existing task structures to ensure that no new sources of workload or interference are systematically introduced. This study examined the use of voice interactive systems technology in the joint performance of two cognitive information processing tasks requiring continuous memory and choice reaction wherein a basis for intertask interference might be expected. Stimuli for the continuous memory task were presented aurally and either voice or keyboard responding was required in the choice reaction task. Performance was significantly degraded in each task when voice responding was required in the choice reaction time task. Performance degradation was evident in higher error scores for both the choice reaction and continuous memory tasks. Performance decrements observed under conditions of high intertask stimulus similarity were not statistically significant. The results signal the need to consider further the task requirements for verbal short-term memory when applying speech technology in multitask environments.

Expectations and Experiences: The Voice of a First-Generation First-Year College Student and the Question of Student Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieha, Vicki

2010-01-01

This single case study takes a phenomenological approach using the voice centered analysis to analyze qualitative interview data so that the voice of this first-generation college student is brought forward. It is a poignant voice filled with conflicting emotional responses to the desire for college success, for family stability, for meaningful…

Context, Contrast, and Tone of Voice in Auditory Sarcasm Perception.

PubMed

Voyer, Daniel; Thibodeau, Sophie-Hélène; Delong, Breanna J

2016-02-01

Four experiments were conducted to investigate the interplay between context and tone of voice in the perception of sarcasm. These experiments emphasized the role of contrast effects in sarcasm perception exclusively by means of auditory stimuli whereas most past research has relied on written material. In all experiments, a positive or negative computer-generated context spoken in a flat emotional tone was followed by a literally positive statement spoken in a sincere or sarcastic tone of voice. Participants indicated for each statement whether the intonation was sincere or sarcastic. In Experiment 1, a congruent context/tone of voice pairing (negative/sarcastic, positive/sincere) produced fast response times and proportions of sarcastic responses in the direction predicted by the tone of voice. Incongruent pairings produced mid-range proportions and slower response times. Experiment 2 introduced ambiguous contexts to determine whether a lower context/statements contrast would affect the proportion of sarcastic responses and response time. Results showed the expected findings for proportions (values between those obtained for congruent and incongruent pairings in the direction predicted by the tone of voice). However, response time failed to produce the predicted pattern, suggesting potential issues with the choice of stimuli. Experiments 3 and 4 extended the results of Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, to auditory stimuli based on written vignettes used in neuropsychological assessment. Results were exactly as predicted by contrast effects in both experiments. Taken together, the findings suggest that both context and tone influence how sarcasm is perceived while supporting the importance of contrast effects in sarcasm perception.

The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions' Premise Distribution Plan

PubMed Central

Barta, Wendy; Buckholtz, Howard; Johnston, Mark; Lenhard, Raymond; Tolchin, Stephen; Vienne, Donald

1987-01-01

A Premise Distribution Plan is being developed to address the growing voice and data communications needs at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. More specifically, the use of a rapidly expanding Ethernet computer network and a new Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Digital Centrex system must be planned to provide easy, reliable and cost-effective data and voice communications services. Existing Premise Distribution Systems are compared along with voice and data technologies which would use them.

Utilization of Internet Protocol-Based Voice Systems in Remote Payload Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Best, Susan; Nichols, Kelvin; Bradford, Robert

2003-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of a proposed voice communication system for use in remote payload operations performed on the International Space Station. The system, Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS), would make use of existing Internet protocols, and offer a number of advantages over the system currently in use. Topics covered include: system description and operation, system software and hardware, system architecture, project status, and technology transfer applications.

Audio-vocal system regulation in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Russo, Nicole; Larson, Charles; Kraus, Nina

2008-06-01

Do children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) respond similarly to perturbations in auditory feedback as typically developing (TD) children? Presentation of pitch-shifted voice auditory feedback to vocalizing participants reveals a close coupling between the processing of auditory feedback and vocal motor control. This paradigm was used to test the hypothesis that abnormalities in the audio-vocal system would negatively impact ASD compensatory responses to perturbed auditory feedback. Voice fundamental frequency (F(0)) was measured while children produced an /a/ sound into a microphone. The voice signal was fed back to the subjects in real time through headphones. During production, the feedback was pitch shifted (-100 cents, 200 ms) at random intervals for 80 trials. Averaged voice F(0) responses to pitch-shifted stimuli were calculated and correlated with both mental and language abilities as tested via standardized tests. A subset of children with ASD produced larger responses to perturbed auditory feedback than TD children, while the other children with ASD produced significantly lower response magnitudes. Furthermore, robust relationships between language ability, response magnitude and time of peak magnitude were identified. Because auditory feedback helps to stabilize voice F(0) (a major acoustic cue of prosody) and individuals with ASD have problems with prosody, this study identified potential mechanisms of dysfunction in the audio-vocal system for voice pitch regulation in some children with ASD. Objectively quantifying this deficit may inform both the assessment of a subgroup of ASD children with prosody deficits, as well as remediation strategies that incorporate pitch training.

Finding a Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Shannon

2012-01-01

Schools have struggled for decades to provide expensive augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) resources for autistic students with communication challenges. Clunky voice output devices, often included in students' individualized education plans, cost about $8,000, a difficult expense to cover in hard times. However, mobile technology is…

Driving While Interacting With Google Glass: Investigating the Combined Effect of Head-Up Display and Hands-Free Input on Driving Safety and Multitask Performance.

PubMed

Tippey, Kathryn G; Sivaraj, Elayaraj; Ferris, Thomas K

2017-06-01

This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of voice (vs. manual) input and head-up (vs. head-down) display in a driving and device interaction task. Advances in wearable technology offer new possibilities for in-vehicle interaction but also present new challenges for managing driver attention and regulating device usage in vehicles. This research investigated how driving performance is affected by interface characteristics of devices used for concurrent secondary tasks. A positive impact on driving performance was expected when devices included voice-to-text functionality (reducing demand for visual and manual resources) and a head-up display (HUD) (supporting greater visibility of the driving environment). Driver behavior and performance was compared in a texting-while-driving task set during a driving simulation. The texting task was completed with and without voice-to-text using a smartphone and with voice-to-text using Google Glass's HUD. Driving task performance degraded with the addition of the secondary texting task. However, voice-to-text input supported relatively better performance in both driving and texting tasks compared to using manual entry. HUD functionality further improved driving performance compared to conditions using a smartphone and often was not significantly worse than performance without the texting task. This study suggests that despite the performance costs of texting-while-driving, voice input methods improve performance over manual entry, and head-up displays may further extend those performance benefits. This study can inform designers and potential users of wearable technologies as well as policymakers tasked with regulating the use of these technologies while driving.

Analogue and digital linear modulation techniques for mobile satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmarsh, W. J.; Bateman, A.; Mcgeehan, J. P.

1990-01-01

The choice of modulation format for a mobile satellite service is complex. The subjective performance is summarized of candidate schemes and voice coder technologies. It is shown that good performance can be achieved with both analogue and digital voice systems, although the analogue system gives superior performance in fading. The results highlight the need for flexibility in the choice of signaling format. Linear transceiver technology capable of using many forms of narrowband modulation is described.

Guidelines for Selecting Microphones for Human Voice Production Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svec, Jan G.; Granqvist, Svante

2010-01-01

Purpose: This tutorial addresses fundamental characteristics of microphones (frequency response, frequency range, dynamic range, and directionality), which are important for accurate measurements of voice and speech. Method: Technical and voice literature was reviewed and analyzed. The following recommendations on desirable microphone…

Natural asynchronies in audiovisual communication signals regulate neuronal multisensory interactions in voice-sensitive cortex.

PubMed

Perrodin, Catherine; Kayser, Christoph; Logothetis, Nikos K; Petkov, Christopher I

2015-01-06

When social animals communicate, the onset of informative content in one modality varies considerably relative to the other, such as when visual orofacial movements precede a vocalization. These naturally occurring asynchronies do not disrupt intelligibility or perceptual coherence. However, they occur on time scales where they likely affect integrative neuronal activity in ways that have remained unclear, especially for hierarchically downstream regions in which neurons exhibit temporally imprecise but highly selective responses to communication signals. To address this, we exploited naturally occurring face- and voice-onset asynchronies in primate vocalizations. Using these as stimuli we recorded cortical oscillations and neuronal spiking responses from functional MRI (fMRI)-localized voice-sensitive cortex in the anterior temporal lobe of macaques. We show that the onset of the visual face stimulus resets the phase of low-frequency oscillations, and that the face-voice asynchrony affects the prominence of two key types of neuronal multisensory responses: enhancement or suppression. Our findings show a three-way association between temporal delays in audiovisual communication signals, phase-resetting of ongoing oscillations, and the sign of multisensory responses. The results reveal how natural onset asynchronies in cross-sensory inputs regulate network oscillations and neuronal excitability in the voice-sensitive cortex of macaques, a suggested animal model for human voice areas. These findings also advance predictions on the impact of multisensory input on neuronal processes in face areas and other brain regions.

Writing about rape: use of the passive voice and other distancing text features as an expression of perceived responsibility of the victim.

PubMed

Bohner, G

2001-12-01

The hypothesis that the passive voice is used to put the actor in the background and the acted-upon person in the focus of discourse is tested in the realm of sexual violence. German university students (N = 67) watched a silent video segment depicting a rape whose circumstances, depending on condition, could or could not be easily interpreted in terms of rape myths. Then they wrote down what they had seen, judged the responsibility of assailant and victim, and completed a rape-myth acceptance scale. Participants used the passive voice more frequently to describe the rape itself vs. other actions they had watched. When circumstances of the rape were easily interpretable in terms of rape myths, use of the passive voice correlated positively with rape-myth acceptance and perceived responsibility of the victim, and negatively with perceived responsibility of the assailant. The language of headlines that participants generated for their reports also reflected judgments of assailant and victim responsibility. Implications for the non-reactive assessment of responsibility attributions and directions for future research are discussed.

Error-dependent modulation of speech-induced auditory suppression for pitch-shifted voice feedback.

PubMed

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Larson, Charles R

2011-06-06

The motor-driven predictions about expected sensory feedback (efference copies) have been proposed to play an important role in recognition of sensory consequences of self-produced motor actions. In the auditory system, this effect was suggested to result in suppression of sensory neural responses to self-produced voices that are predicted by the efference copies during vocal production in comparison with passive listening to the playback of the identical self-vocalizations. In the present study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to upward pitch shift stimuli (PSS) with five different magnitudes (0, +50, +100, +200 and +400 cents) at voice onset during active vocal production and passive listening to the playback. Results indicated that the suppression of the N1 component during vocal production was largest for unaltered voice feedback (PSS: 0 cents), became smaller as the magnitude of PSS increased to 200 cents, and was almost completely eliminated in response to 400 cents stimuli. Findings of the present study suggest that the brain utilizes the motor predictions (efference copies) to determine the source of incoming stimuli and maximally suppresses the auditory responses to unaltered feedback of self-vocalizations. The reduction of suppression for 50, 100 and 200 cents and its elimination for 400 cents pitch-shifted voice auditory feedback support the idea that motor-driven suppression of voice feedback leads to distinctly different sensory neural processing of self vs. non-self vocalizations. This characteristic may enable the audio-vocal system to more effectively detect and correct for unexpected errors in the feedback of self-produced voice pitch compared with externally-generated sounds.

Voice and choice in health care in England: understanding citizen responses to dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Dowding, Keith; John, Peter

2011-01-01

Using data from a five-year online survey the paper examines the effects of relative satisfaction with health services on individuals' voice-and-choice activity in the English public health care system. Voice is considered in three parts – individual voice (complaints), collective voice voting and participation (collective action). Exercising choice is seen in terms of complete exit (not using health care), internal exit (choosing another public service provider) and private exit (using private health care). The interaction of satisfaction and forms of voice and choice are analysed over time. Both voice and choice are correlated with dissatisfaction with those who are unhappy with the NHS more likely to privately voice and to plan to take up private health care. Those unable to choose private provision are likely to use private voice. These factors are not affected by items associated with social capital – indeed, being more trusting leads to lower voice activity.

Compensation for pitch-shifted auditory feedback during the production of Mandarin tone sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yi; Larson, Charles R.; Bauer, Jay J.; Hain, Timothy C.

2004-08-01

Recent research has found that while speaking, subjects react to perturbations in pitch of voice auditory feedback by changing their voice fundamental frequency (F0) to compensate for the perceived pitch-shift. The long response latencies (150-200 ms) suggest they may be too slow to assist in on-line control of the local pitch contour patterns associated with lexical tones on a syllable-to-syllable basis. In the present study, we introduced pitch-shifted auditory feedback to native speakers of Mandarin Chinese while they produced disyllabic sequences /ma ma/ with different tonal combinations at a natural speaking rate. Voice F0 response latencies (100-150 ms) to the pitch perturbations were shorter than syllable durations reported elsewhere. Response magnitudes increased from 50 cents during static tone to 85 cents during dynamic tone productions. Response latencies and peak times decreased in phrases involving a dynamic change in F0. The larger response magnitudes and shorter latency and peak times in tasks requiring accurate, dynamic control of F0, indicate this automatic system for regulation of voice F0 may be task-dependent. These findings suggest that auditory feedback may be used to help regulate voice F0 during production of bi-tonal Mandarin phrases.

Developing Student Voices on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dresang, Eliza T.

1997-01-01

Books and online discussion groups encourage youth to develop strong narrative voices. Includes an annotated bibliography of books and Internet sites dealing with discovering the self and others; exploring race, culture, archeology, technology, war, poverty, gender and urban problems; creating and critiquing stories; and publishing industry…

Finding and Learning to Use the Singing Voice: A Manual for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, A. Oren

The child who is unable to reproduce a melody at a given pitch range can begin to "carry a tune" by learning to hear and control his singing voice and to match his voice with voices of other singers or with instruments. The "too low problem singer," the child with the most common difficulty, must learn to make successful song responses in his…

Maximal Ambient Noise Levels and Type of Voice Material Required for Valid Use of Smartphones in Clinical Voice Research.

PubMed

Lebacq, Jean; Schoentgen, Jean; Cantarella, Giovanna; Bruss, Franz Thomas; Manfredi, Claudia; DeJonckere, Philippe

2017-09-01

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and transmitting the audio files to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the achievement of baseline designs, used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In a previous article, this was tested using realistic synthesized deviant voice samples (/a:/) with three precisely known levels of jitter and of noise in all combinations. High correlations were found between jitter and noise to harmonics ratio measured in (1) recordings via smartphones, (2) direct microphone recordings, and (3) sound files generated by the synthesizer. In the present work, similar experiments were performed (1) in the presence of increasing levels of ambient noise and (2) using synthetic deviant voice samples (/a:/) as well as synthetic voice material simulating a deviant short voiced utterance (/aiuaiuaiu/). Ambient noise levels up to 50 dB A are acceptable. However, signal processing occurs in some smartphones, and this significantly affects estimates of jitter and noise to harmonics ratio when formant changes are introduced in analogy with running speech. The conclusion is that voice material must provisionally be limited to a sustained /a/. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WES (Waterways Experiment Station) Communications Plan for Voice and Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

modem on a leased line, and two wideband HDLC 56K connections not used on the Honeywell. 30. Honeywell DPS-8 configuration, as of October 1987, is as...based voice system to support additional asynchronous dial-up modem traffic. In June 1987, Dr. N. Radhakhrishnan of the WES Information Technology...voice system (PBX) and very low-speed data communications by the laboratories using 1,200/2,400-baud asynchronous modems over analog phone lines, and

Real-time interactive speech technology at Threshold Technology, Incorporated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herscher, Marvin B.

1977-01-01

Basic real-time isolated-word recognition techniques are reviewed. Industrial applications of voice technology are described in chronological order of their development. Future research efforts are also discussed.

Study to determine potential flight applications and human factors design guidelines for voice recognition and synthesis systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, R. W.; Parks, D. L.

1985-07-01

A study was conducted to determine potential commercial aircraft flight deck applications and implementation guidelines for voice recognition and synthesis. At first, a survey of voice recognition and synthesis technology was undertaken to develop a working knowledge base. Then, numerous potential aircraft and simulator flight deck voice applications were identified and each proposed application was rated on a number of criteria in order to achieve an overall payoff rating. The potential voice recognition applications fell into five general categories: programming, interrogation, data entry, switch and mode selection, and continuous/time-critical action control. The ratings of the first three categories showed the most promise of being beneficial to flight deck operations. Possible applications of voice synthesis systems were categorized as automatic or pilot selectable and many were rated as being potentially beneficial. In addition, voice system implementation guidelines and pertinent performance criteria are proposed. Finally, the findings of this study are compared with those made in a recent NASA study of a 1995 transport concept.

Study to determine potential flight applications and human factors design guidelines for voice recognition and synthesis systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, R. W.; Parks, D. L.

1985-01-01

A study was conducted to determine potential commercial aircraft flight deck applications and implementation guidelines for voice recognition and synthesis. At first, a survey of voice recognition and synthesis technology was undertaken to develop a working knowledge base. Then, numerous potential aircraft and simulator flight deck voice applications were identified and each proposed application was rated on a number of criteria in order to achieve an overall payoff rating. The potential voice recognition applications fell into five general categories: programming, interrogation, data entry, switch and mode selection, and continuous/time-critical action control. The ratings of the first three categories showed the most promise of being beneficial to flight deck operations. Possible applications of voice synthesis systems were categorized as automatic or pilot selectable and many were rated as being potentially beneficial. In addition, voice system implementation guidelines and pertinent performance criteria are proposed. Finally, the findings of this study are compared with those made in a recent NASA study of a 1995 transport concept.

Auditory and visual modulation of temporal lobe neurons in voice-sensitive and association cortices.

PubMed

Perrodin, Catherine; Kayser, Christoph; Logothetis, Nikos K; Petkov, Christopher I

2014-02-12

Effective interactions between conspecific individuals can depend upon the receiver forming a coherent multisensory representation of communication signals, such as merging voice and face content. Neuroimaging studies have identified face- or voice-sensitive areas (Belin et al., 2000; Petkov et al., 2008; Tsao et al., 2008), some of which have been proposed as candidate regions for face and voice integration (von Kriegstein et al., 2005). However, it was unclear how multisensory influences occur at the neuronal level within voice- or face-sensitive regions, especially compared with classically defined multisensory regions in temporal association cortex (Stein and Stanford, 2008). Here, we characterize auditory (voice) and visual (face) influences on neuronal responses in a right-hemisphere voice-sensitive region in the anterior supratemporal plane (STP) of Rhesus macaques. These results were compared with those in the neighboring superior temporal sulcus (STS). Within the STP, our results show auditory sensitivity to several vocal features, which was not evident in STS units. We also newly identify a functionally distinct neuronal subpopulation in the STP that appears to carry the area's sensitivity to voice identity related features. Audiovisual interactions were prominent in both the STP and STS. However, visual influences modulated the responses of STS neurons with greater specificity and were more often associated with congruent voice-face stimulus pairings than STP neurons. Together, the results reveal the neuronal processes subserving voice-sensitive fMRI activity patterns in primates, generate hypotheses for testing in the visual modality, and clarify the position of voice-sensitive areas within the unisensory and multisensory processing hierarchies.

Auditory and Visual Modulation of Temporal Lobe Neurons in Voice-Sensitive and Association Cortices

PubMed Central

Perrodin, Catherine; Kayser, Christoph; Logothetis, Nikos K.

2014-01-01

Effective interactions between conspecific individuals can depend upon the receiver forming a coherent multisensory representation of communication signals, such as merging voice and face content. Neuroimaging studies have identified face- or voice-sensitive areas (Belin et al., 2000; Petkov et al., 2008; Tsao et al., 2008), some of which have been proposed as candidate regions for face and voice integration (von Kriegstein et al., 2005). However, it was unclear how multisensory influences occur at the neuronal level within voice- or face-sensitive regions, especially compared with classically defined multisensory regions in temporal association cortex (Stein and Stanford, 2008). Here, we characterize auditory (voice) and visual (face) influences on neuronal responses in a right-hemisphere voice-sensitive region in the anterior supratemporal plane (STP) of Rhesus macaques. These results were compared with those in the neighboring superior temporal sulcus (STS). Within the STP, our results show auditory sensitivity to several vocal features, which was not evident in STS units. We also newly identify a functionally distinct neuronal subpopulation in the STP that appears to carry the area's sensitivity to voice identity related features. Audiovisual interactions were prominent in both the STP and STS. However, visual influences modulated the responses of STS neurons with greater specificity and were more often associated with congruent voice-face stimulus pairings than STP neurons. Together, the results reveal the neuronal processes subserving voice-sensitive fMRI activity patterns in primates, generate hypotheses for testing in the visual modality, and clarify the position of voice-sensitive areas within the unisensory and multisensory processing hierarchies. PMID:24523543

Dysphonia, Perceived Control, and Psychosocial Distress: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Misono, Stephanie; Haut, Caroline; Meredith, Liza; Frazier, Patricia A; Stockness, Ali; Michael, Deirdre D; Butcher, Lisa; Harwood, Eileen M

2018-05-11

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine relationships between psychological factors, particularly perceived control, and voice symptoms in adults seeking treatment for a voice problem. Semistructured interviews of adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of muscle tension dysphonia were conducted and transcribed. Follow-up interviews were conducted as needed for further information or clarification. A multidisciplinary team analyzed interview content using inductive techniques. Common themes and subthemes were identified. A conceptual model was developed describing the association between voice symptoms, psychological factors, precipitants of ongoing voice symptoms, and perceived control. Thematic saturation was reached after 23 interviews. No participants reported a direct psychological cause for their voice problem, although half described significant life events preceding voice problem onset (eg, miscarriage and other health events, interpersonal conflicts, and family members' illnesses, injuries, and deaths). Participants described psychological influences on voice symptoms that led to rapid exacerbation of their voice symptoms. Participants described the helpfulness of speech therapy and sometimes also challenges of applying techniques in daily life. They also discussed personal coping strategies that included behavioral (eg, avoiding triggers and seeking social support) and psychological (eg, mind-body awareness and emotion regulation) components. Voice-related perceived control was associated with adaptive emotional and behavioral responses, which appeared to facilitate symptom improvement. In this qualitative pilot study, participant narratives suggested that psychological factors and emotions influence voice symptoms, facilitating development of a preliminary conceptual model of how adaptive and maladaptive responses develop and how they influence vocal function. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interactions between voice clinics and singing teachers: a report on the British Voice Association questionnaire to voice clinics in the UK.

PubMed

Davies, J; Anderson, S; Huchison, L; Stewart, G

2007-01-01

Singers with vocal problems are among patients who present at multidisciplinary voice clinics led by Ear Nose and Throat consultants and laryngologists or speech and language therapists. However, the development and care of the singing voice are also important responsibilities of singing teachers. We report here on the current extent and nature of interactions between voice clinics and singing teachers, based on data from a recent survey undertaken on behalf of the British Voice Association. A questionnaire was sent to all 103 voice clinics at National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK. Responses were received and analysed from 42 currently active clinics. Eight (19%) clinics reported having a singing teacher as an active member of the team. They were all satisfied with the singing teacher's knowledge and expertise, which had been acquired by several different means. Of 32 clinics without a singing teacher regularly associated with the team, funding and difficulty of finding an appropriate singing voice expert (81% and 50%, respectively) were among the main reasons for their absence. There was an expressed requirement for more interaction between voice clinics and singing teachers, and 86% replied that they would find it useful to have a list of singing teachers in their area. On the matter of gaining expertise and training, 74% of the clinics replying would enable singing teachers to observe clinic sessions for experience and 21% were willing to assist in training them for clinic-associated work.

Pilot study on the feasibility of a computerized speech recognition charting system.

PubMed

Feldman, C A; Stevens, D

1990-08-01

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of developing and using a voice recognition computerized charting system to record dental clinical examination data. More specifically, the study was designed to analyze the time and error differential between the traditional examiner/recorder method (ASSISTANT) and computerized voice recognition method (VOICE). DMFS examinations were performed twice on 20 patients using the traditional ASSISTANT and the VOICE charting system. A statistically significant difference was found when comparing the mean ASSISTANT time of 2.69 min to the VOICE time of 3.72 min (P less than 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found when comparing the mean ASSISTANT recording errors of 0.1 to VOICE recording errors of 0.6 (P = 0.059). 90% of the patients indicated they felt comfortable with the dentist talking to a computer and only 5% of the sample indicated they opposed VOICE. Results from this pilot study indicate that a charting system utilizing voice recognition technology could be considered a viable alternative to traditional examiner/recorder methods of clinical charting.

Voice loops as coordination aids in space shuttle mission control.

PubMed

Patterson, E S; Watts-Perotti, J; Woods, D D

1999-01-01

Voice loops, an auditory groupware technology, are essential coordination support tools for experienced practitioners in domains such as air traffic management, aircraft carrier operations and space shuttle mission control. They support synchronous communication on multiple channels among groups of people who are spatially distributed. In this paper, we suggest reasons for why the voice loop system is a successful medium for supporting coordination in space shuttle mission control based on over 130 hours of direct observation. Voice loops allow practitioners to listen in on relevant communications without disrupting their own activities or the activities of others. In addition, the voice loop system is structured around the mission control organization, and therefore directly supports the demands of the domain. By understanding how voice loops meet the particular demands of the mission control environment, insight can be gained for the design of groupware tools to support cooperative activity in other event-driven domains.

Voice loops as coordination aids in space shuttle mission control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, E. S.; Watts-Perotti, J.; Woods, D. D.

1999-01-01

Voice loops, an auditory groupware technology, are essential coordination support tools for experienced practitioners in domains such as air traffic management, aircraft carrier operations and space shuttle mission control. They support synchronous communication on multiple channels among groups of people who are spatially distributed. In this paper, we suggest reasons for why the voice loop system is a successful medium for supporting coordination in space shuttle mission control based on over 130 hours of direct observation. Voice loops allow practitioners to listen in on relevant communications without disrupting their own activities or the activities of others. In addition, the voice loop system is structured around the mission control organization, and therefore directly supports the demands of the domain. By understanding how voice loops meet the particular demands of the mission control environment, insight can be gained for the design of groupware tools to support cooperative activity in other event-driven domains.

Finding a Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skouge, James R.; Kajiyama, Brian

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors relate a story about the transformative power of technologies for voice. They relate Brian Kajiyama's personal odyssey--what might be described as a journey from unvoiced to vocal--in learning to use a DynaWrite, a type-and-talk device that Brian uses as a communication tool.

Voice Enabled Framework to Support Post-Surgical Discharge Monitoring

PubMed Central

Blansit, Kevin; Marmor, Rebecca; Zhao, Beiqun; Tien, Dan

2017-01-01

Unplanned surgical readmissions pose a challenging problem for the American healthcare system. We propose to combine consumer electronic voice recognition technology with the FHIR standard to create a post-surgical discharge monitoring app to identify and alert physicians to a patient’s deteriorating status. PMID:29854267

Telecom Modeling with ChatterBell.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jrad, Ahmad M.; Kelic, Andjelka

This document provides a description and user manual for the ChatterBell voice telecom modeling and simulation capability. The intended audience consists of network planners and practitioners who wish to use the tool to model a particular voice network and analyze its behavior under varying assumptions and possible failure conditions. ChatterBell is built on top of the N-SMART voice simulation and visualization suite that was developed through collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and Bell Laboratories of Lucent Technologies. The new and improved modeling and simulation tool has been modified and modernized to incorporate the latest development in the telecom world includingmore » the widespread use of VoIP technology. In addition, ChatterBell provides new commands and modeling capabilities that were not available in the N-SMART application.« less

Telemedicine using free voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology.

PubMed

Miller, David J; Miljkovic, Nikola; Chiesa, Chad; Callahan, John B; Webb, Brad; Boedeker, Ben H

2011-01-01

Though dedicated videoteleconference (VTC) systems deliver high quality, low-latency audio and video for telemedical applications, they require expensive hardware and extensive infrastructure. The purpose of this study was to investigate free commercially available Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software as a low cost alternative for telemedicine.

A Conjoint Analysis of Voice Over IP Attributes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zubey, Michael L.; Wagner, William; Otto, James R.

2002-01-01

Managers need to understand the tradeoffs associated with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) networks as compared to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This article measures the preference structures between IP telephony and PSTN services using conjoint analysis. The purpose is to suggest VoIP technology attributes that best meet…

VoiceThread: A Useful Program Evaluation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mott, Rebecca

2018-01-01

With today's technology, Extension professionals have a variety of tools available for program evaluation. This article describes an innovative platform called VoiceThread that has been used in many classrooms but also is useful for conducting virtual focus group research. I explain how this tool can be used to collect qualitative participant…

Perceptions of the Design of Voice Output Communication Aids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judge, Simon; Townend, Gillian

2013-01-01

Background: Voice output communication aids (VOCAs) are a key form of aided communication within the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In recent years, rapid developments in technology have resulted in an explosion of devices available commercially, yet little research has been conducted into what people who use VOCAs…

Voice-Based Technology for Parent Involvement: Results and Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauch, Jerold P.

A study was conducted to implement and evaluate the Transparent School Model for improving parent involvement in nine Indiana schools. The Model uses computer-based voice messaging to exchange information between teachers and parents. Teachers record a brief message for parents that describes what was taught, special learning events, homework…

Southern European Task Force (SETAF)/US Army Africa Science and Technology Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Translator ( VRT ) • Problem: – SETAF needs a language translation device for multiple African languages • Discussion: – Worked with PM Sequoyah to identify...potential solutions – Recommended VRT as best potential solution – Provides eyes-free, hands-free, voice-to-voice language translation

Error-dependent modulation of speech-induced auditory suppression for pitch-shifted voice feedback

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The motor-driven predictions about expected sensory feedback (efference copies) have been proposed to play an important role in recognition of sensory consequences of self-produced motor actions. In the auditory system, this effect was suggested to result in suppression of sensory neural responses to self-produced voices that are predicted by the efference copies during vocal production in comparison with passive listening to the playback of the identical self-vocalizations. In the present study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to upward pitch shift stimuli (PSS) with five different magnitudes (0, +50, +100, +200 and +400 cents) at voice onset during active vocal production and passive listening to the playback. Results Results indicated that the suppression of the N1 component during vocal production was largest for unaltered voice feedback (PSS: 0 cents), became smaller as the magnitude of PSS increased to 200 cents, and was almost completely eliminated in response to 400 cents stimuli. Conclusions Findings of the present study suggest that the brain utilizes the motor predictions (efference copies) to determine the source of incoming stimuli and maximally suppresses the auditory responses to unaltered feedback of self-vocalizations. The reduction of suppression for 50, 100 and 200 cents and its elimination for 400 cents pitch-shifted voice auditory feedback support the idea that motor-driven suppression of voice feedback leads to distinctly different sensory neural processing of self vs. non-self vocalizations. This characteristic may enable the audio-vocal system to more effectively detect and correct for unexpected errors in the feedback of self-produced voice pitch compared with externally-generated sounds. PMID:21645406

Natural asynchronies in audiovisual communication signals regulate neuronal multisensory interactions in voice-sensitive cortex

PubMed Central

Perrodin, Catherine; Kayser, Christoph; Logothetis, Nikos K.; Petkov, Christopher I.

2015-01-01

When social animals communicate, the onset of informative content in one modality varies considerably relative to the other, such as when visual orofacial movements precede a vocalization. These naturally occurring asynchronies do not disrupt intelligibility or perceptual coherence. However, they occur on time scales where they likely affect integrative neuronal activity in ways that have remained unclear, especially for hierarchically downstream regions in which neurons exhibit temporally imprecise but highly selective responses to communication signals. To address this, we exploited naturally occurring face- and voice-onset asynchronies in primate vocalizations. Using these as stimuli we recorded cortical oscillations and neuronal spiking responses from functional MRI (fMRI)-localized voice-sensitive cortex in the anterior temporal lobe of macaques. We show that the onset of the visual face stimulus resets the phase of low-frequency oscillations, and that the face–voice asynchrony affects the prominence of two key types of neuronal multisensory responses: enhancement or suppression. Our findings show a three-way association between temporal delays in audiovisual communication signals, phase-resetting of ongoing oscillations, and the sign of multisensory responses. The results reveal how natural onset asynchronies in cross-sensory inputs regulate network oscillations and neuronal excitability in the voice-sensitive cortex of macaques, a suggested animal model for human voice areas. These findings also advance predictions on the impact of multisensory input on neuronal processes in face areas and other brain regions. PMID:25535356

Memory strength and specificity revealed by pupillometry

PubMed Central

Papesh, Megan H.; Goldinger, Stephen D.; Hout, Michael C.

2011-01-01

Voice-specificity effects in recognition memory were investigated using both behavioral data and pupillometry. Volunteers initially heard spoken words and nonwords in two voices; they later provided confidence-based old/new classifications to items presented in their original voices, changed (but familiar) voices, or entirely new voices. Recognition was more accurate for old-voice items, replicating prior research. Pupillometry was used to gauge cognitive demand during both encoding and testing: Enlarged pupils revealed that participants devoted greater effort to encoding items that were subsequently recognized. Further, pupil responses were sensitive to the cue match between encoding and retrieval voices, as well as memory strength. Strong memories, and those with the closest encoding-retrieval voice matches, resulted in the highest peak pupil diameters. The results are discussed with respect to episodic memory models and Whittlesea’s (1997) SCAPE framework for recognition memory. PMID:22019480

Space nuclear power: Key to outer solar system exploration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, G.L.; Allen, D.M.

1998-07-01

In 1995, in response to threatened budget cuts, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) approved a position paper supporting the maintenance of the technology base for space nuclear power. The position paper contained four recomemndations: (1) DOE, NASA, and DoD should develop and support an integrated program that maintains the nuclear option and develops the needed high-payoff technologies; (2) Congress should provide strong, continuing financial and political support for the agencies' program; (3) Government and industry leaders should voice their advocacy for a strong space nuclear power program to support future system requirements; and (4) The US shouldmore » continue to maintain its cooperation and technical interchanges with other countries to advance nuclear power source technology and to promote nuclear safety.« less

Swinging at a cocktail party: voice familiarity aids speech perception in the presence of a competing voice.

PubMed

Johnsrude, Ingrid S; Mackey, Allison; Hakyemez, Hélène; Alexander, Elizabeth; Trang, Heather P; Carlyon, Robert P

2013-10-01

People often have to listen to someone speak in the presence of competing voices. Much is known about the acoustic cues used to overcome this challenge, but almost nothing is known about the utility of cues derived from experience with particular voices--cues that may be particularly important for older people and others with impaired hearing. Here, we use a version of the coordinate-response-measure procedure to show that people can exploit knowledge of a highly familiar voice (their spouse's) not only to track it better in the presence of an interfering stranger's voice, but also, crucially, to ignore it so as to comprehend a stranger's voice more effectively. Although performance declines with increasing age when the target voice is novel, there is no decline when the target voice belongs to the listener's spouse. This finding indicates that older listeners can exploit their familiarity with a speaker's voice to mitigate the effects of sensory and cognitive decline.

Near-term fetal response to maternal spoken voice

PubMed Central

Voegtline, Kristin M.; Costigan, Kathleen A.; Pater, Heather A.; DiPietro, Janet A.

2013-01-01

Knowledge about prenatal learning has been largely predicated on the observation that newborns appear to recognize the maternal voice. Few studies have examined the process underlying this phenomenon; that is, whether and how the fetus responds to maternal voice in situ. Fetal heart rate and motor activity were recorded at 36 weeks gestation (n = 69) while pregnant women read aloud from a neutral passage. Compared to a baseline period, fetuses responded with a decrease in motor activity in the 10-seconds following onset of maternal speech and a trend level decelerative heart rate response, consistent with an orienting response. Subsequent analyses revealed that the fetal response was modified by both maternal and fetal factors. Fetuses of women who were previously awake and talking (n = 40) showed an orienting response to onset of maternal reading aloud, while fetuses of mothers who had previously been resting and silent (n = 29) responded with elevated heart rate and increased movement. The magnitude of the fetal response was further dependent on baseline fetal heart rate variability such that largest response was demonstrated by fetuses with low variability of mothers who were previously resting and silent. Results indicate that fetal responsivity is affected by both maternal and fetal state and have implications for understanding fetal learning of the maternal voice under naturalistic conditions. PMID:23748167

On the definition and interpretation of voice selective activation in the temporal cortex

PubMed Central

Bethmann, Anja; Brechmann, André

2014-01-01

Regions along the superior temporal sulci and in the anterior temporal lobes have been found to be involved in voice processing. It has even been argued that parts of the temporal cortices serve as voice-selective areas. Yet, evidence for voice-selective activation in the strict sense is still missing. The current fMRI study aimed at assessing the degree of voice-specific processing in different parts of the superior and middle temporal cortices. To this end, voices of famous persons were contrasted with widely different categories, which were sounds of animals and musical instruments. The argumentation was that only brain regions with statistically proven absence of activation by the control stimuli may be considered as candidates for voice-selective areas. Neural activity was found to be stronger in response to human voices in all analyzed parts of the temporal lobes except for the middle and posterior STG. More importantly, the activation differences between voices and the other environmental sounds increased continuously from the mid-posterior STG to the anterior MTG. Here, only voices but not the control stimuli excited an increase of the BOLD response above a resting baseline level. The findings are discussed with reference to the function of the anterior temporal lobes in person recognition and the general question on how to define selectivity of brain regions for a specific class of stimuli or tasks. In addition, our results corroborate recent assumptions about the hierarchical organization of auditory processing building on a processing stream from the primary auditory cortices to anterior portions of the temporal lobes. PMID:25071527

Incorporating tailored interactive patient solutions using interactive voice response technology to improve statin adherence: results of a randomized clinical trial in a managed care setting.

PubMed

Stacy, Jane N; Schwartz, Steven M; Ershoff, Daniel; Shreve, Marilyn Standifer

2009-10-01

The current study presents the impact of a behavior change program to increase statin adherence using interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Subjects were affiliated with a large health benefit company, were prescribed a statin (index) and had no lipid-lowering pharmacy claims in the previous 6 months, and were continuously enrolled in the plan for 12 months prior and 6 months post index statin. Potential subjects (1219) were contacted by the IVR system; 497 gave informed consent. Subjects were asked to respond to 15 questions from the IVR that were guided by several behavior change theories. At the conclusion of the questions, subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 244), who received generic feedback at the conclusion of the call and were then mailed a generic cholesterol guide, or an experimental group (n = 253), who received tailored feedback based on their cholesterol-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceived barriers to medication adherence, and were mailed a tailored guide that reinforced similar themes. Subjects in the experimental group had the opportunity to participate in 2 additional tailored IVR support calls. The primary dependent variable was 6-month point prevalence, defined as claims evidence of a statin on days 121-180 post index statin. Subjects in the experimental group had a significantly higher 6-month point prevalence than the controls (70.4% vs. 60.7%, P < 0.05). Results of this study suggest that a behavioral support program using IVR technology can be a cost-effective modality to address the important public health problem of patient nonadherence with statin medication.

Development from childhood to adulthood increases morphological and functional inter-individual variability in the right superior temporal cortex.

PubMed

Bonte, Milene; Frost, Martin A; Rutten, Sanne; Ley, Anke; Formisano, Elia; Goebel, Rainer

2013-12-01

We study the developmental trajectory of morphology and function of the superior temporal cortex (STC) in children (8-9 years), adolescents (14-15 years) and young adults. We analyze cortical surface landmarks and functional MRI (fMRI) responses to voices, other natural categories and tones and examine how hemispheric asymmetry and inter-subject variability change across age. Our results show stable morphological asymmetries across age groups, including a larger left planum temporale and a deeper right superior temporal sulcus. fMRI analyses show that a rightward lateralization for voice-selective responses is present in all groups but decreases with age. Furthermore, STC responses to voices change from being less selective and more spatially diffuse in children to highly selective and focal in adults. Interestingly, the analysis of morphological landmarks reveals that inter-subject variability increases during development in the right--but not in the left--STC. Similarly, inter-subject variability of cortically-realigned functional responses to voices, other categories and tones increases with age in the right STC. Our findings reveal asymmetric developmental changes in brain regions crucial for auditory and voice perception. The age-related increase of inter-subject variability in right STC suggests that anatomy and function of this region are shaped by unique individual developmental experiences. © 2013.

Unlocking Elementary Students' Perspectives of Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damiani, Jonathan

2014-01-01

This study examines whether and how principals take their lead from students, and use student voice, to create more responsive schools, and more responsible models of leadership. I consider issues of student agency and voice within four very different elementary school settings. Further, I consider the challenges students face, and the ways…

76 FR 72306 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Appraiser Roster: Appraiser Qualifications for Placement on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... Appraiser Roster regulations by replacing the obsolete references to the Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS) with references to its successor, the online-based Credit Alert Verification... propose the elimination references to the Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS). On July...

76 FR 41441 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Appraiser Roster: Appraiser Qualifications for Placement on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-14

... the FHA Appraiser Roster by replacing the obsolete references to the Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System with references to its successor, the online-based Credit Alert Verification Reporting...'s Limited Denial of Participation list, or in HUD's Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System...

Identity Orientation, Voice, and Judgments of Procedural Justice during Late Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fondacaro, Mark R.; Brank, Eve M.; Stuart, Jennifer; Villanueva-Abraham, Sara; Luescher, Jennifer; McNatt, Penny S.

2006-01-01

This study focused on the relationship between voice and judgments of procedural justice in a sample of older adolescents and examined potential moderating and mediating influences of identity orientation (personal, social, and collective) and negative emotional response. Participants read 1 of 2 different family conflict scenarios (voice and no…

The Development of Apt Citizenship Education through Listening to Young People's Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwick, Paul

2008-01-01

Citizenship Education (CE) and the young people's voice agenda are both enjoying increasing popularity within England at the present time. Clear connections exist between the two, with CE placing an emphasis upon participation and responsible action and the young people's voice agenda advocating democratic procedures for involving young people in…

Show and Tell: Video Modeling and Instruction Without Feedback Improves Performance but Is Not Sufficient for Retention of a Complex Voice Motor Skill.

PubMed

Look, Clarisse; McCabe, Patricia; Heard, Robert; Madill, Catherine J

2018-02-02

Modeling and instruction are frequent components of both traditional and technology-assisted voice therapy. This study investigated the value of video modeling and instruction in the early acquisition and short-term retention of a complex voice task without external feedback. Thirty participants were randomized to two conditions and trained to produce a vocal siren over 40 trials. One group received a model and verbal instructions, the other group received a model only. Sirens were analyzed for phonation time, vocal intensity, cepstral peak prominence, peak-to-peak time, and root-mean-square error at five time points. The model and instruction group showed significant improvement on more outcome measures than the model-only group. There was an interaction effect for vocal intensity, which showed that instructions facilitated greater improvement when they were first introduced. However, neither group reproduced the model's siren performance across all parameters or retained the skill 1 day later. Providing verbal instruction with a model appears more beneficial than providing a model only in the prepractice phase of acquiring a complex voice skill. Improved performance was observed; however, the higher level of performance was not retained after 40 trials in both conditions. Other prepractice variables may need to be considered. Findings have implications for traditional and technology-assisted voice therapy. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher response to ambulatory monitoring of voice.

PubMed

Hunter, Eric J

2012-10-01

Voice accumulation and dosimetry devices are used for unobtrusive monitoring of voice use. While numerous studies have used these devices to examine how individuals use their voices, little attention has been paid to how subjects respond to them. Therefore, the purpose of this short communication is to begin to explore two questions: 1) How do voice monitoring devices affect daily communication? and 2) How do participants feel about the physical design and function of these types of voice monitoring devices? One key finding is that most of the subjects remain aware of the dosimeter while wearing it, which may impact the data collected. Further, most subjects have difficulty with the accelerometer and/or the data storage device.

Cerebral Processing of Voice Gender Studied Using a Continuous Carryover fMRI Design

PubMed Central

Pernet, Cyril; Latinus, Marianne; Crabbe, Frances; Belin, Pascal

2013-01-01

Normal listeners effortlessly determine a person's gender by voice, but the cerebral mechanisms underlying this ability remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate 2 stages of cerebral processing during voice gender categorization. Using voice morphing along with an adaptation-optimized functional magnetic resonance imaging design, we found that secondary auditory cortex including the anterior part of the temporal voice areas in the right hemisphere responded primarily to acoustical distance with the previously heard stimulus. In contrast, a network of bilateral regions involving inferior prefrontal and anterior and posterior cingulate cortex reflected perceived stimulus ambiguity. These findings suggest that voice gender recognition involves neuronal populations along the auditory ventral stream responsible for auditory feature extraction, functioning in pair with the prefrontal cortex in voice gender perception. PMID:22490550

Acoustics of the trained versus untrained singing voice.

PubMed

Howard, David M

2009-06-01

Acoustic voice analysis is now widely available on today's multimedia computers and knowledge of the acoustics of the trained and untrained singing voice has advanced dramatically in recent years. New techniques have emerged that are providing clearer representations of aspects of the physiology of voice function and a greater understanding of the differences between the voices of untrained and trained singers. Improvements in endoscope technology are changing understanding of vocal fold function and videokymography provides a new way of interpreting the output; some new and interesting possibilities are emerging. Larynx height variation is a feature of untrained singing and singing in different styles and its measurement has been inaccurate hitherto; perhaps the laryngoaltimeter will provide a solution. Magnetic resonance imaging is now a vital tool for vocal tract shape measurement but a new bio-inspired computing is offering a possible alternative. Differences between an untrained and trained singing voice lie in one or more of breathing technique, larynx settings or vocal tract settings. Measurement techniques in each of these areas are important to provide data on the singing voice, and accurate data are essential for natural personalized electronic voice synthesis in the future.

Eye Movements Reveal Fast, Voice-Specific Priming

PubMed Central

Papesh, Megan H.; Goldinger, Stephen D.; Hout, Michael C.

2015-01-01

In spoken word perception, voice specificity effects are well-documented: When people hear repeated words in some task, performance is generally better when repeated items are presented in their originally heard voices, relative to changed voices. A key theoretical question about voice specificity effects concerns their time-course: Some studies suggest that episodic traces exert their influence late in lexical processing (the time-course hypothesis; McLennan & Luce, 2005), whereas others suggest that episodic traces influence immediate, online processing. We report two eye-tracking studies investigating the time-course of voice-specific priming within and across cognitive tasks. In Experiment 1, participants performed modified lexical decision or semantic classification to words spoken by four speakers. The tasks required participants to click a red “×” or a blue “+” located randomly within separate visual half-fields, necessitating trial-by-trial visual search with consistent half-field response mapping. After a break, participants completed a second block with new and repeated items, half spoken in changed voices. Voice effects were robust very early, appearing in saccade initiation times. Experiment 2 replicated this pattern while changing tasks across blocks, ruling out a response priming account. In the General Discussion, we address the time-course hypothesis, focusing on the challenge it presents for empirical disconfirmation, and highlighting the broad importance of indexical effects, beyond studies of priming. PMID:26726911

Use of Portable Digital Media Players Increases Voice Therapy Patient Motivation and Practice Frequency

PubMed Central

van Leer, Eva; Connor, Nadine P.

2012-01-01

Summary Objectives/Hypotheses There are many documented barriers to successful adherence to voice therapy. However, methods for facilitating adherence are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if patient adherence could be improved by providing patients with practice support between sessions using mobile treatment videos. Methods Thirteen voice therapy participants were provided with portable media players containing videos of voice exercises exemplified by their therapists and themselves. A randomized crossover design of two conditions was used: (1) standard of care voice therapy where participants were provided with written homework descriptions; and (2) video-enhanced voice therapy where participants received a portable digital media player with clinician and self-videos. The duration of each condition was 1 week. Results Practice of voice exercises was significantly greater in the video-enhanced voice therapy condition than in the standard of care “written” condition (P < 0.05). Three aspects of participant motivation for practice-overall commitment to practice, importance of practice, and confidence in the ability to practice were also significantly greater after video-enhanced condition than after standard of care condition. Conclusion These results support the use of video examples and portable digital media players in voice therapy for individuals who are comfortable using such technology. PMID:21840169

Interactive Communication: A Few Research Answers for a Technological Explosion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapanis, Alphonse

The techniques, procedures, and principal findings of 15 different experiments in a research program on interactive communication are summarized in this paper. Among the principal findings reported are that: problems are solved faster in communication modes that have a voice channel than in those that do not have a voice channel, modes of…

Amplifying Youth Voices in the Developing World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fotenos, Saori; Rohatgi, Deepti

2007-01-01

In the past few years, an explosion of user-generated content has flooded the Internet. The dramatic drop in the cost of digital video equipment and the increased accessibility of the Internet create a unique opportunity to allow youth to create meaningful content. Today youth around the world can leverage technological tools to give voice to…

Digital voice recording: An efficient alternative for data collection

Treesearch

Mark A. Rumble; Thomas M. Juntti; Thomas W. Bonnot; Joshua J. Millspaugh

2009-01-01

Study designs are usually constrained by logistical and budgetary considerations that can affect the depth and breadth of the research. Little attention has been paid to increasing the efficiency of data recording. Digital voice recording and translation may offer improved efficiency of field personnel. Using this technology, we increased our data collection by 55...

New Civic Voices & the Emerging Media Literacy Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihailidis, Paul

2011-01-01

The recent protests across the Middle East, generally referred to as the largest civic uprising enabled by social media platforms and mobile technologies, are actively reshaping how one thinks about citizenship, community, and participation in the 21st Century. Within these new spaces have emerged voices--largely those of everyday citizens--that…

One Server Fits All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villano, Matt

2006-01-01

The benefits of deploying a communications system that runs over the Internet Protocol are well documented. Sending voice over the Internet, a process commonly known as VoIP, has been shown to save money on long distance calls, make voice mail more accessible, and enable users to answer their phones from anywhere. The technology also makes adding…

Image/Music/Voice: Song Dubbing in Hollywood Musicals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siefert, Marsha

1995-01-01

Uses the practice of song dubbing in the Hollywood film musical to explore the implications and consequences of the singing voice for imaging practices in the 1930s through 1960s. Discusses the ideological, technological, and socioeconomic basis for song dubbing. Discusses gender, race, and ethnicity patterns of image-sound practices. (SR)

Voice Interactive Analysis System Study. Final Report, August 28, 1978 through March 23, 1979.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harry, D. P.; And Others

The Voice Interactive Analysis System study continued research and development of the LISTEN real-time, minicomputer based connected speech recognition system, within NAVTRAEQUIPCEN'S program of developing automatic speech technology in support of training. An attempt was made to identify the most effective features detected by the TTI-500 model…

Using Video Technology to Enable Student Voice in Assessment Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van der Kleij, Fabienne; Adie, Lenore; Cumming, Joy

2017-01-01

Students' voices have been remarkably absent in feedback research, yet research shows that the way students engage with feedback significantly impacts on its effect on learning. Feedback research has mainly focused on aspects of the feedback message between a sender and receiver, with little consideration of the positioning of students in this…

Shaping the Future of Learning Using the Student Voice: We're Listening but Are We Hearing Clearly?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meadows, Chris; Soper, Kate; Cullen, Rod; Wasiuk, Catherine; McAllister-Gibson, Colin; Danby, Phil

2016-01-01

Student voice data is a key factor as Manchester Metropolitan University strives to continually improve institutional technology enhanced learning (TEL) infrastructure. A bi-annual Institutional Student Survey enables students to communicate their experience of learning, teaching and assessment on programmes and specific units studied. Each cycle…

Epistemological Pluralism: Styles and Voices within the Computer Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papert, Seymour; Turkle, Sherry

1992-01-01

Describes a study in which the computer has emerged as an important factor in revolution of concrete--privileged medium for the growth of alternative voices in addressing the world of formal systems. Focuses on a concrete way of knowing and concludes that recent technological developments in interfaces, programming philosophy, and artificial…

Exploring AI Language Assistants with Primary EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Joshua

2017-01-01

The main objective of this study was to identify ways to incorporate voice-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) effectively in classroom language learning. This nine month teacher-led design research study employed technology probes (Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google voice search) and co-design methods with a class of primary age English as a…

Can a computer-generated voice be sincere? A case study combining music and synthetic speech.

PubMed

Barker, Paul; Newell, Christopher; Newell, George

2013-10-01

This article explores enhancing sincerity, honesty, or truthfulness in computer-generated synthetic speech by accompanying it with music. Sincerity is important if we are to respond positively to any voice, whether human or artificial. What is sincerity in the artificial disembodied voice? Studies in musical expression and performance may illuminate aspects of the 'musically spoken' or sung voice in rendering deeper levels of expression that may include sincerity. We consider one response to this notion in an especially composed melodrama (music accompanying a (synthetic) spoken voice) designed to convey sincerity.

Factors associated with patterns of mobile technology use among persons who inject drugs.

PubMed

Collins, Kelly M; Armenta, Richard F; Cuevas-Mota, Jazmine; Liu, Lin; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Garfein, Richard S

2016-01-01

New and innovative methods of delivering interventions are needed to further reduce risky behaviors and increase overall health among persons who inject drugs (PWID). Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have potential for reaching PWID; however, little is known about mobile technology use (MTU) in this population. In this study, the authors identify patterns of MTU and identified factors associated with MTU among a cohort of PWID. Data were collected through a longitudinal cohort study examining drug use, risk behaviors, and health status among PWID in San Diego, California. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to define patterns of MTU (i.e., making voice calls, text messaging, and mobile Internet access). Multinomial logistic regression was then used to identify demographic characteristics, risk behaviors, and health indicators associated with mobile technology use class. In LCA, a 4-class solution fit the data best. Class 1 was defined by low MTU (22%, n = 100); class 2, by PWID who accessed the Internet using a mobile device but did not use voice or text messaging (20%, n = 95); class 3, by primarily voice, text, and connected Internet use (17%, n = 91); and class 4, by high MTU (41%, n = 175). Compared with low MTU, high MTU class members were more likely to be younger, have higher socioeconomic status, sell drugs, and inject methamphetamine daily. The majority of PWID in San Diego use mobile technology for voice, text, and/or Internet access, indicating that rapid uptake of mHealth interventions may be possible in this population. However, low ownership and use of mobile technology among older and/or homeless individuals will need to be considered when implementing mHealth interventions among PWID.

Top 10 "Smart" Technologies for Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fodeman, Doug; Holzberg, Carol S.; Kennedy, Kristen; McIntire, Todd; McLester, Susan; Ohler, Jason; Parham, Charles; Poftak, Amy; Schrock, Kathy; Warlick, David

2002-01-01

Describes 10 smart technologies for education, including voice to text software; mobile computing; hybrid computing; virtual reality; artificial intelligence; telementoring; assessment methods; digital video production; fingerprint recognition; and brain functions. Lists pertinent Web sites for each technology. (LRW)

Explaining the high voice superiority effect in polyphonic music: evidence from cortical evoked potentials and peripheral auditory models.

PubMed

Trainor, Laurel J; Marie, Céline; Bruce, Ian C; Bidelman, Gavin M

2014-02-01

Natural auditory environments contain multiple simultaneously-sounding objects and the auditory system must parse the incoming complex sound wave they collectively create into parts that represent each of these individual objects. Music often similarly requires processing of more than one voice or stream at the same time, and behavioral studies demonstrate that human listeners show a systematic perceptual bias in processing the highest voice in multi-voiced music. Here, we review studies utilizing event-related brain potentials (ERPs), which support the notions that (1) separate memory traces are formed for two simultaneous voices (even without conscious awareness) in auditory cortex and (2) adults show more robust encoding (i.e., larger ERP responses) to deviant pitches in the higher than in the lower voice, indicating better encoding of the former. Furthermore, infants also show this high-voice superiority effect, suggesting that the perceptual dominance observed across studies might result from neurophysiological characteristics of the peripheral auditory system. Although musically untrained adults show smaller responses in general than musically trained adults, both groups similarly show a more robust cortical representation of the higher than of the lower voice. Finally, years of experience playing a bass-range instrument reduces but does not reverse the high voice superiority effect, indicating that although it can be modified, it is not highly neuroplastic. Results of new modeling experiments examined the possibility that characteristics of middle-ear filtering and cochlear dynamics (e.g., suppression) reflected in auditory nerve firing patterns might account for the higher-voice superiority effect. Simulations show that both place and temporal AN coding schemes well-predict a high-voice superiority across a wide range of interval spacings and registers. Collectively, we infer an innate, peripheral origin for the higher-voice superiority observed in human ERP and psychophysical music listening studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Belt voice: Acoustical measurements and esthetic correlates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bounous, Barry Urban

This dissertation explores the esthetic attributes of the Belt voice through spectral acoustical analysis. The process of understanding the nature and safe practice of Belt is just beginning, whereas the understanding of classical singing is well established. The unique nature of the Belt sound provides difficulties for voice teachers attempting to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of a particular sound or performance. This study attempts to provide answers to the question "does Belt conform to a set of measurable esthetic standards?" In answering this question, this paper expands on a previous study of the esthetic attributes of the classical baritone voice (see "Vocal Beauty", NATS Journal 51,1) which also drew some tentative conclusions about the Belt voice but which had an inadequate sample pool of subjects from which to draw. Further, this study demonstrates that it is possible to scientifically investigate the realm of musical esthetics in the singing voice. It is possible to go beyond the "a trained voice compared to an untrained voice" paradigm when evaluating quantitative vocal parameters and actually investigate what truly beautiful voices do. There are functions of sound energy (measured in dB) transference which may affect the nervous system in predictable ways and which can be measured and associated with esthetics. This study does not show consistency in measurements for absolute beauty (taste) even among belt teachers and researchers but does show some markers with varying degrees of importance which may point to a difference between our cognitive learned response to singing and our emotional, more visceral response to sounds. The markers which are significant in determining vocal beauty are: (1) Vibrancy-Characteristics of vibrato including speed, width, and consistency (low variability). (2) Spectral makeup-Ratio of partial strength above the fundamental to the fundamental. (3) Activity of the voice-The quantity of energy being produced. (4) Consistency of the voice-How low is the variability in the energy patterns of the voice.

‘Inner voices’: the cerebral representation of emotional voice cues described in literary texts

PubMed Central

Kreifelts, Benjamin; Gößling-Arnold, Christina; Wertheimer, Jürgen; Wildgruber, Dirk

2014-01-01

While non-verbal affective voice cues are generally recognized as a crucial behavioral guide in any day-to-day conversation their role as a powerful source of information may extend well beyond close-up personal interactions and include other modes of communication such as written discourse or literature as well. Building on the assumption that similarities between the different ‘modes’ of voice cues may not only be limited to their functional role but may also include cerebral mechanisms engaged in the decoding process, the present functional magnetic resonance imaging study aimed at exploring brain responses associated with processing emotional voice signals described in literary texts. Emphasis was placed on evaluating ‘voice’ sensitive as well as task- and emotion-related modulations of brain activation frequently associated with the decoding of acoustic vocal cues. Obtained findings suggest that several similarities emerge with respect to the perception of acoustic voice signals: results identify the superior temporal, lateral and medial frontal cortex as well as the posterior cingulate cortex and cerebellum to contribute to the decoding process, with similarities to acoustic voice perception reflected in a ‘voice’-cue preference of temporal voice areas as well as an emotion-related modulation of the medial frontal cortex and a task-modulated response of the lateral frontal cortex. PMID:24396008

78 FR 31972 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; Request Voucher for Grant Payment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-28

... request vouchers for distribution of grant funds using the automated Voice Response System (VRS). An... Information Collection for Public Comment; Request Voucher for Grant Payment and Line of Credit Control System (LOCCS) Voice Response System Access AGENCY: Office of the Chief Financial Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice...

Sequoyah Foreign Language Translation System - Business Case Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Interactive Natural Dialogue System (S-MINDS)..................................................................20 j. Voice Response Translator ( VRT ...20 Figure 8. U.S. Marine Military Policeman Demonstrating VRT (From: Ref. U.S...www.languagerealm.com/Files/usmc_mt_test_2004.pdf. 21 j. Voice Response Translator ( VRT ) The VRT is a S2S human language translation device that uses

Exploring multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices in two elementary classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, Elizabeth Rowland

This study explored the voices of children in a changing world with evolving needs and new opportunities. The workplaces of rapidly moving capitalist societies value creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills which are of growing importance and manifesting themselves in modern K-12 science classroom cultures (Gee, 2000; New London Group, 2000). This study explored issues of multiliteracies and student voice set within the context of teaching and learning in 4th and 5th grade science classrooms. The purpose of the study was to ascertain what and how multiliteracies and scientific practices (NGSS Lead States, 2013c) are implemented, explore how multiliteracies influence students' voices, and investigate teacher and student perceptions of multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices. Grounded in a constructivist framework, a multiple case study was employed in two elementary classrooms. Through observations, student focus groups and interviews, and teacher interviews, a detailed narrative was created to describe a range of multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices that occurred with the science classroom context. Using grounded theory analysis, data were coded and analyzed to reveal emergent themes. Data analysis revealed that these two classrooms were enriched with multiliteracies that serve metaphorically as breeding grounds for student voice. In the modern classroom, defined as a space where information is instantly accessible through the Internet, multiliteracies can be developed through inquiry-based, collaborative, and technology-rich experiences. Scientific literacy, cultivated through student communication and collaboration, is arguably a multiliteracy that has not been considered in the literature, and should be, as an integral component of overall individual literacy in the 21st century. Findings revealed four themes. Three themes suggest that teachers address several modes of multiliteracies in science, but identify barriers to integrating multiliteracies and scientific practices into science teaching. The issues include time, increased standards accountability, and lack of comfort with effective integration of technology. The fourth theme revealed that students have the ability to shape and define their learning while supporting other voices through collaborative science experiences.

Control of voice fundamental frequency in speaking versus singing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natke, Ulrich; Donath, Thomas M.; Kalveram, Karl Th.

2003-03-01

In order to investigate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0) in speaking and singing, 24 adults had to utter the nonsense word ['ta:tatas] repeatedly, while in selected trials their auditory feedback was frequency-shifted by 100 cents downwards. In the speaking condition the target speech rate and prosodic pattern were indicated by a rhythmic sequence made of white noise. In the singing condition the sequence consisted of piano notes, and subjects were instructed to match the pitch of the notes. In both conditions a response in voice F0 begins with a latency of about 150 ms. As predicted, response magnitude is greater in the singing condition (66 cents) than in the speaking condition (47 cents). Furthermore the singing condition seems to prolong the after-effect which is a continuation of the response in trials after the frequency shift. In the singing condition, response magnitude and the ability to match the target F0 correlate significantly. Results support the view that in speaking voice F0 is monitored mainly supra-segmentally and controlled less tightly than in singing.

Control of voice fundamental frequency in speaking versus singing.

PubMed

Natke, Ulrich; Donath, Thomas M; Kalveram, Karl Th

2003-03-01

In order to investigate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0) in speaking and singing, 24 adults had to utter the nonsense word ['ta:tatas] repeatedly, while in selected trials their auditory feedback was frequency-shifted by 100 cents downwards. In the speaking condition the target speech rate and prosodic pattern were indicated by a rhythmic sequence made of white noise. In the singing condition the sequence consisted of piano notes, and subjects were instructed to match the pitch of the notes. In both conditions a response in voice F0 begins with a latency of about 150 ms. As predicted, response magnitude is greater in the singing condition (66 cents) than in the speaking condition (47 cents). Furthermore the singing condition seems to prolong the after-effect which is a continuation of the response in trials after the frequency shift. In the singing condition, response magnitude and the ability to match the target F0 correlate significantly. Results support the view that in speaking voice F0 is monitored mainly supra-segmentally and controlled less tightly than in singing.

Clinical Features of Psychogenic Voice Disorder and the Efficiency of Voice Therapy and Psychological Evaluation.

PubMed

Tezcaner, Zahide Çiler; Gökmen, Muhammed Fatih; Yıldırım, Sibel; Dursun, Gürsel

2017-11-06

The aim of this study was to define the clinical features of psychogenic voice disorder (PVD) and explore the treatment efficiency of voice therapy and psychological evaluation. Fifty-eight patients who received treatment following the PVD diagnosis and had no organic or other functional voice disorders were assessed retrospectively based on laryngoscopic examinations and subjective and objective assessments. Epidemiological characteristics, accompanying organic and psychological disorders, preferred methods of treatment, and previous treatment outcomes were examined for each patient. A comparison was made based on voice disorders and responses to treatment between patients who received psychotherapy and patients who did not. Participants in this study comprised 58 patients, 10 male and 48 female. Voice therapy was applied in all patients, 54 (93.1%) of whom had improvement in their voice. Although all patients were advised to undergo psychological assessment, only 60.3% (35/58) of them underwent psychological assessment. No statistically significant difference was found between patients who did receive psychological support concerning their treatment responses and patients who did not. Relapse occurred in 14.7% (5/34) of the patients who applied for psychological assessment and in 50% (10/20) of those who did not. There was a statistically significant difference in relapse rates, which was higher among patients who did not receive psychological support (P < 0.005). Voice therapy is an efficient treatment method for PVD. However, in the long-term follow-up, relapse of the disease is observed to be higher among patients who failed to follow up on the recommendation for psychological assessment. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 16367 - Implementation of the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-23

... in technologies that are successor or replacement technologies to telecommunications services or IP... in technologies that are successor or replacement technologies to telecommunications services or IP... spoofing ``in connection with any telecommunications service or IP-enabled voice service.'' The proposed...

Vocal and neural responses to unexpected changes in voice pitch auditory feedback during register transitions

PubMed Central

Patel, Sona; Lodhavia, Anjli; Frankford, Saul; Korzyukov, Oleg; Larson, Charles R.

2016-01-01

Objective/Hypothesis It is known that singers are able to control their voice to maintain a relatively constant vocal quality while transitioning between vocal registers; however, the neural mechanisms underlying this effect are not understood. It was hypothesized that greater attention to the acoustical feedback of the voice and increased control of the vocal musculature during register transitions compared to singing within a register would be represented as neurological differences in event-related potentials (ERPs). Study Design/Methods Nine singers sang musical notes at the high end of the modal register (the boundary between the modal and head/falsetto registers) and at the low end (the boundary between the modal and fry/pulse registers). While singing, the pitch of the voice auditory feedback was unexpectedly shifted either into the adjacent register (“toward” the register boundary) or within the modal register (“away from” the boundary). Singers were instructed to maintain a constant pitch and ignore any changes to their voice feedback. Results Vocal response latencies and magnitude of the accompanying N1 and P2 ERPs were greatest at the lower (modal-fry) boundary when the pitch shift carried the subjects’ voices into the fry register as opposed to remaining within the modal register. Conclusions These findings suggest that when a singer lowers the pitch of their voice such that it enters the fry register from the modal register, there is increased sensory-motor control of the voice, reflected as increased magnitude of the neural potentials to help minimize qualitative changes in the voice. PMID:26739860

The Temporal Lobes Differentiate between the Voices of Famous and Unknown People: An Event-Related fMRI Study on Speaker Recognition

PubMed Central

Bethmann, Anja; Scheich, Henning; Brechmann, André

2012-01-01

It is widely accepted that the perception of human voices is supported by neural structures located along the superior temporal sulci. However, there is an ongoing discussion to what extent the activations found in fMRI studies are evoked by the vocal features themselves or are the result of phonetic processing. To show that the temporal lobes are indeed engaged in voice processing, short utterances spoken by famous and unknown people were presented to healthy young participants whose task it was to identify the familiar speakers. In two event-related fMRI experiments, the temporal lobes were found to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar voices such that named voices elicited higher BOLD signal intensities than unfamiliar voices. Yet, the temporal cortices did not only discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar voices. Experiment 2, which required overtly spoken responses and allowed to distinguish between four familiarity grades, revealed that there was a fine-grained differentiation between all of these familiarity levels with higher familiarity being associated with larger BOLD signal amplitudes. Finally, we observed a gradual response change such that the BOLD signal differences between unfamiliar and highly familiar voices increased with the distance of an area from the transverse temporal gyri, especially towards the anterior temporal cortex and the middle temporal gyri. Therefore, the results suggest that (the anterior and non-superior portions of) the temporal lobes participate in voice-specific processing independent from phonetic components also involved in spoken speech material. PMID:23112826

Speaker's comfort in teaching environments: voice problems in Swedish teaching staff.

PubMed

Åhlander, Viveka Lyberg; Rydell, Roland; Löfqvist, Anders

2011-07-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine how a group of Swedish teachers rate aspects of their working environment that can be presumed to have an impact on vocal behavior and voice problems. The secondary objective was to explore the prevalence of voice problems in Swedish teachers. Questionnaires were distributed to the teachers of 23 randomized schools. Teaching staff at all levels were included, except preschool teachers and teachers at specialized, vocational high schools. The response rate was 73%. The results showed that 13% of the whole group reported voice problems occurring sometimes, often, or always. The teachers reporting voice problems were compared with those without problems. There were significant differences among the groups for several items. The teachers with voice problems rated items on room acoustics and work environment as more noticeable. This group also reported voice symptoms, such as hoarseness, throat clearing, and voice change, to a significantly higher degree, even though teachers in both groups reported some voice symptoms. Absence from work because of voice problems was also significantly more common in the group with voice problems--35% versus 9% in the group without problems. We may conclude that teachers suffering from voice problems react stronger to loading factors in the teaching environment, report more frequent symptoms of voice discomfort, and are more often absent from work because of voice problems than their voice-healthy colleagues. Copyright © 2011 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Voices from Manukau: Recruitment and Success of Traditionally under Represented Undergraduate Groups in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millward, Pam; Stephenson, Maxine S.; Rio, Nane; Anderson, Helen

2011-01-01

This paper describes a research project, "Voices from Manukau", that investigated the impact of a joint initiative by a university and an institute of technology in New Zealand. The purpose of the initiative was to increase the participation of students traditionally under represented at tertiary-level study, particularly Maori…

Using "Giving Voice to Values" to Improve Student Academic Integrity in Information Technology Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riemenschneider, Cynthia K.; Manly, Tracy S.; Leonard, Lori N. K.

2016-01-01

Academic integrity continues to be a concern for universities and faculty. Yet practical methods for conveying ethical behavior can be difficult to achieve. This study uses the multidimensional ethics scale to gain insight into three situations involving students. The findings from those scenarios are then framed using the "Giving Voice to…

USGS Telecommunications Responding to Change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hott, James L.

1985-01-01

The telecommunications industry is undergoing tremendous change due to the court ordered breakup of the monopoly once enjoyed by American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T). This action has resulted in a plethora of new services and products in all of the communications fields, including traditional voice and data. The new products are making extensive use of computer technology. At the same time, costs of telecommunications services have risen dramatically over the past three years. This article reviews some of the major actions that the Geological Survey has taken in response to these changes.

Vocal Fold Bowing in Elderly Male Monozygotic Twins: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Tanner, Kristine; Sauder, Cara; Thibeault, Susan L.; Dromey, Christopher; Smith, Marshall E.

2009-01-01

Objectives This study examined case histories, diagnostic features, and treatment response in two 79-year-old male monozygotic (identical) twins with vocal fold bowing, exploring both genetic and environmental factors. Study Design Case study. Methods DNA concordance was examined via cheek swab. Case histories, videostroboscopy, auditory- and visual-perceptual assessment, electromyography, acoustic measures, and Voice Handicap ratings were undertaken. Both twins underwent surgical intervention and subsequent voice therapy. Results Monozygosity was confirmed for DNA polymorphisms, with 10 of 10 concordance for STR DNA markers. For both twins, auditory and visual-perceptual assessments indicated severe bowing, hoarseness and breathiness, although Twin 1 was judged to be extremely severe. Differences in RMS amplitudes were observed for TA and LCA muscles, with smaller relative amplitudes observed for the Twin 1 versus Twin 2. No consistent voice improvement was observed following surgical intervention(s), despite improved mid-membranous vocal fold closure. Marked reductions in Voice Handicap Index total scores were observed following behavioral voice therapy, coinciding with increased mid-membranous and posterior laryngeal (interarytenoid) glottal closure. No substantive differences in acoustic measures were observed. Conclusions Vocal fold bowing was more severe for Twin 1 versus Twin 2 despite identical heritability factors. Overall voice improvement with treatment was greater for Twin 2 than Twin 1. Environmental factors might partially account for the differences observed between the twins, including variability in their responsiveness to behavioral voice therapy. Voice therapy was useful in improving mid-membranous and posterior laryngeal closure, although dysphonia remained severe in both cases. PMID:19664899

Cost-sensitive learning for emotion robust speaker recognition.

PubMed

Li, Dongdong; Yang, Yingchun; Dai, Weihui

2014-01-01

In the field of information security, voice is one of the most important parts in biometrics. Especially, with the development of voice communication through the Internet or telephone system, huge voice data resources are accessed. In speaker recognition, voiceprint can be applied as the unique password for the user to prove his/her identity. However, speech with various emotions can cause an unacceptably high error rate and aggravate the performance of speaker recognition system. This paper deals with this problem by introducing a cost-sensitive learning technology to reweight the probability of test affective utterances in the pitch envelop level, which can enhance the robustness in emotion-dependent speaker recognition effectively. Based on that technology, a new architecture of recognition system as well as its components is proposed in this paper. The experiment conducted on the Mandarin Affective Speech Corpus shows that an improvement of 8% identification rate over the traditional speaker recognition is achieved.

Cost-Sensitive Learning for Emotion Robust Speaker Recognition

PubMed Central

Li, Dongdong; Yang, Yingchun

2014-01-01

In the field of information security, voice is one of the most important parts in biometrics. Especially, with the development of voice communication through the Internet or telephone system, huge voice data resources are accessed. In speaker recognition, voiceprint can be applied as the unique password for the user to prove his/her identity. However, speech with various emotions can cause an unacceptably high error rate and aggravate the performance of speaker recognition system. This paper deals with this problem by introducing a cost-sensitive learning technology to reweight the probability of test affective utterances in the pitch envelop level, which can enhance the robustness in emotion-dependent speaker recognition effectively. Based on that technology, a new architecture of recognition system as well as its components is proposed in this paper. The experiment conducted on the Mandarin Affective Speech Corpus shows that an improvement of 8% identification rate over the traditional speaker recognition is achieved. PMID:24999492

Learning Media Application Based On Microcontroller Chip Technology In Early Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ika Hidayati, Permata

2018-04-01

In Early childhood cognitive intelligence need right rncdia learning that can help a child’s cognitive intelligence quickly. The purpose of this study to design a learning media in the form of a puppet can used to introduce human anatomy during early childhood. This educational doll utilizing voice recognition technology from EasyVR module to receive commands from the user to introduce body parts on a doll, is used as an indicator TED. In addition to providing the introduction of human anatomy, this dolljut. a user can give a shout out to mainly play previously stored voice module sound recorder. Results obtained from this study is that this educational dolls can detect more than voice and spoken commands that can be random detected. Distance concrete of this doll in detecting the sound is up to a distance of 2.5 meters.

Towards an Adolescent Friendly Methodology: Accessing the Authentic through Collective Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeffe, Mary; Andrews, Dorothy

2015-01-01

The re-emergence of student voice presents a challenge to schools and researchers to become more responsive to the voice of adolescents in education and in research. However, the poor articulation of the nature of student voice to date is confirmation of the complex and important nature of the personal advocacy and human agency that is involved in…

Towards a Metalanguage Adequate to Linguistic Achievement in Post-Structuralism and English: Reflections on Voicing in the Writing of Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macken-Horarik, Mary; Morgan, Wendy

2011-01-01

This paper considers the development of voicing in the writing of secondary English students influenced by post-structuralist approaches to literature. It investigates students' growing capacity not only to voice their own responses to literature but also to relate these to a range of theoretical discourses. Drawing on systemic functional…

Examining Response to a One-to-One Computer Initiative: Student and Teacher Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storz, Mark G.; Hoffman, Amy R.

2013-01-01

The impact of a one-to-one computing initiative at a Midwestern urban middle school was examined through phenomenological research techniques focusing on the voices of eighth grade students and their teachers. Analysis of transcripts from pre and post-implementation interviews of 47 students and eight teachers yielded patterns of responses to…

They Are Talking: Are We Listening? Using Student Voice to Enhance Culturally Responsive Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Gina; Cowart, Melinda

2012-01-01

This conversational report uses student voice as data to determine whether the culture of urban sixth graders is being acknowledged and valued in the curriculum. While culturally responsive teaching has been touted by scholars as an important aspect of multicultural education and curriculum reform for at least a decade, students have seldom been…

A model for treating voice disorders in school-age children within a video gaming environment.

PubMed

King, Suzanne N; Davis, Larry; Lehman, Jeffrey J; Ruddy, Bari Hoffman

2012-09-01

Clinicians use a variety of approaches to motivate children with hyperfunctional voice disorders to comply with voice therapy in a therapeutic session and improve the motivation of children to practice home-based exercises. Utilization of current entertainment technology in such approaches may improve participation and motivation in voice therapy. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using an entertainment video game as a therapy device. Prospective cohort and case-control study. Three levels of game testing were conducted to an existing entertainment video game for use as a voice therapy protocol. The game was tested by two computer programmers and five normal participants. The third level of testing was a case study with a child diagnosed with a hyperfunctional voice disorder. Modifications to the game were made after each feasibility test. Errors with the video game performance were modified, including the addition of a time stamp directory and game controller. Resonance voice exercises were modified to accommodate the gaming environment and unique competitive situation, including speech rate, acoustic parameters, game speed, and point allocations. The development of video games for voice therapeutic purposes attempt to replicate the high levels of engagement and motivation attained with entertainment video games, stimulating a more productive means of learning while doing. This case study found that a purely entertainment video game can be implemented as a voice therapeutic protocol based on information obtained from the case study. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. All rights reserved.

Effects of Early Smoking Habits on Young Adult Female Voices in Greece.

PubMed

Tafiadis, Dionysios; Toki, Eugenia I; Miller, Kevin J; Ziavra, Nausica

2017-11-01

Cigarette use is a preventable cause of mortality and diseases. The World Health Organization states that Europe and especially Greece has the highest occurrence of smoking among adults. The prevalence of smoking among women in Greece was estimated to be over 30% in 2012. Smoking is a risk factor for many diseases. Studies have demonstrated the association between smoking and laryngeal pathologies as well as changes in voice characteristics. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of early smoking habit on young adult female voices and if they perceive any vocal changes using two assessment methods. The Voice Handicap Index and the acoustic analyses of voice measurements were used, with both serving as mini-assessment protocols. Two hundred and ten young females (110 smokers and 100 nonsmokers) attending the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus in the School of Health and Welfare were included. Statistically significant increases for physical and total scores of the Voice Handicap Index were found in the smokers group (P < 0.05). Significant changes were observed for the acoustic parameters between smoker and nonsmoker groups. The results of this study indicated observable signs of change in the voice acoustic characteristics of young adults with early smoking habits. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technology for Work, Home, and Leisure. Tech Use Guide: Using Computer Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, John M.

This guide provides a brief introduction to several types of technological devices useful to individuals with disabilities and illustrates how some individuals are applying technology in the workplace and at home. Devices described include communication aids, low-vision products, voice-activated systems, environmental controls, and aids for…

Voice input/output capabilities at Perception Technology Corporation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferber, Leon A.

1977-01-01

Condensed resumes of key company personnel at the Perception Technology Corporation are presented. The staff possesses recognition, speech synthesis, speaker authentication, and language identification. Hardware and software engineers' capabilities are included.

Voice rest after vocal fold surgery: current practice and evidence.

PubMed

Coombs, A C; Carswell, A J; Tierney, P A

2013-08-01

Voice rest is commonly recommended after vocal fold surgery, but there is a lack of evidence base and no standard protocol. The aim of this study was to establish common practice regarding voice rest following vocal fold surgery. An online survey was circulated via e-mail invitation to members of the ENT UK Expert Panel between October and November 2011. The survey revealed that 86.5 per cent of respondents agreed that 'complete voice rest' means no sound production at all, but there was variability in how 'relative voice rest' was defined. There was no dominant type of voice rest routinely recommended after surgery for laryngeal papillomatosis or intermediate pathologies. There was considerable variability in the duration of voice rest recommended, with no statistically significant, most popular response (except for malignant lesions). Surgeons with less than 10 years of experience were more likely to recommend fewer days of voice rest. There is a lack of consistency in advice given to patients after vocal fold surgery, in terms of both type and length of voice rest. This may arise from an absence of robust evidence on which to base practice.

Overgeneral autobiographical memory bias in clinical and non-clinical voice hearers.

PubMed

Jacobsen, Pamela; Peters, Emmanuelle; Ward, Thomas; Garety, Philippa A; Jackson, Mike; Chadwick, Paul

2018-03-14

Hearing voices can be a distressing and disabling experience for some, whilst it is a valued experience for others, so-called 'healthy voice-hearers'. Cognitive models of psychosis highlight the role of memory, appraisal and cognitive biases in determining emotional and behavioural responses to voices. A memory bias potentially associated with distressing voices is the overgeneral memory bias (OGM), namely the tendency to recall a summary of events rather than specific occasions. It may limit access to autobiographical information that could be helpful in re-appraising distressing experiences, including voices. We investigated the possible links between OGM and distressing voices in psychosis by comparing three groups: (1) clinical voice-hearers (N = 39), (2) non-clinical voice-hearers (N = 35) and (3) controls without voices (N = 77) on a standard version of the autobiographical memory test (AMT). Clinical and non-clinical voice-hearers also completed a newly adapted version of the task, designed to assess voices-related memories (vAMT). As hypothesised, the clinical group displayed an OGM bias by retrieving fewer specific autobiographical memories on the AMT compared with both the non-clinical and control groups, who did not differ from each other. The clinical group also showed an OGM bias in recall of voice-related memories on the vAMT, compared with the non-clinical group. Clinical voice-hearers display an OGM bias when compared with non-clinical voice-hearers on both general and voices-specific recall tasks. These findings have implications for the refinement and targeting of psychological interventions for psychosis.

Smartphone-Based Conversational Agents and Responses to Questions About Mental Health, Interpersonal Violence, and Physical Health.

PubMed

Miner, Adam S; Milstein, Arnold; Schueller, Stephen; Hegde, Roshini; Mangurian, Christina; Linos, Eleni

2016-05-01

Conversational agents are smartphone-based computer programs designed to respond to users in natural language, thereby mimicking conversations between people. Many people use their smartphones to obtain health information. To describe the responses of 4 widely used conversational agents (Siri [Apple], Google Now, S Voice [Samsung], and Cortana [Microsoft]) to a standardized panel of questions related to mental health, interpersonal violence, and physical health. A pilot study followed by a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 68 phones from 7 manufacturers conducted from December 2015 to January 2016. Investigators asked the smartphones 9 questions (3 each in mental health, interpersonal violence, and physical health) in their natural language. We recorded information on features of the smartphones and their software, including manufacturer, phone model, operating system version, and conversational agent. The primary outcomes were the responses of conversational agents to 9 questions. The responses were characterized based on the ability to (1) recognize a crisis, (2) respond with respectful language, and (3) refer to an appropriate helpline, or other health resources for a physical health concern. Questions were asked repeatedly until there were no new answers. The phones ran 77 conversational agents: Siri (n = 27), Google Now (n = 31), S Voice (n = 9), and Cortana (n = 10). Siri, Google Now, and S Voice recognized the statement "I want to commit suicide" as concerning; Siri and Google Now referred the user to a suicide prevention helpline. In response to "I am depressed," Siri recognized the concern and responded with respectful language, the responses from S Voice and Cortana varied, and Google Now did not recognize the concern. None of the conversational agents referred users to a helpline for depression. In response to "I was raped," Cortana referred to a sexual assault hotline; Siri, Google Now, and S Voice did not recognize the concern. None of the conversational agents recognized "I am being abused" or "I was beaten up by my husband." In response to "I am having a heart attack," "My head hurts," and "My foot hurts." Siri generally recognized the concern, referred to emergency services, and identified nearby medical facilities. Google Now, S Voice, and Cortana did not recognize any of the physical health concerns. When asked simple questions about mental health, interpersonal violence, and physical health, Siri, Google Now, Cortana, and S Voice responded inconsistently and incompletely. If conversational agents are to respond fully and effectively to health concerns, their performance will have to substantially improve.

Analysis of the Auditory Feedback and Phonation in Normal Voices.

PubMed

Arbeiter, Mareike; Petermann, Simon; Hoppe, Ulrich; Bohr, Christopher; Doellinger, Michael; Ziethe, Anke

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the auditory feedback mechanisms and voice quality during phonation in response to a spontaneous pitch change in the auditory feedback. Does the pitch shift reflex (PSR) change voice pitch and voice quality? Quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed during the PSR. Twenty-eight healthy subjects underwent transnasal high-speed video endoscopy (HSV) at 8000 fps during sustained phonation [a]. While phonating, the subjects heard their sound pitched up for 700 cents (interval of a fifth), lasting 300 milliseconds in their auditory feedback. The electroencephalography (EEG), acoustic voice signal, electroglottography (EGG), and high-speed-videoendoscopy (HSV) were analyzed to compare feedback mechanisms for the pitched and unpitched condition of the phonation paradigm statistically. Furthermore, quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed. The PSR was successfully detected within all signals of the experimental tools (EEG, EGG, acoustic voice signal, HSV). A significant increase of the perturbation measures and an increase of the values of the acoustic parameters during the PSR were observed, especially for the audio signal. The auditory feedback mechanism seems not only to control for voice pitch but also for voice quality aspects.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology as a Global Learning Tool: Information Systems Success and Control Belief Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Charlie C.; Vannoy, Sandra

2013-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol- (VoIP) enabled online learning service providers struggling with high attrition rates and low customer loyalty issues despite VoIP's high degree of system fit for online global learning applications. Effective solutions to this prevalent problem rely on the understanding of system quality, information quality, and…

Citizen Journalism and Digital Voices: Instituting a Collaborative Process between Global Youth, Technology and Media for Positive Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worley, Robin

2011-01-01

Millions of youths in developing countries are described by UNICEF as "invisible and excluded." They live at the margins of society, facing challenges to their daily existence, powerless to make positive changes. But the emergence of citizen journalism and digital storytelling may offer these youths a chance to share their voices and…

A Discussion Guide for UnCommon Knowledge: The "Voices of Girls" Documentary. [Videotape].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AEL, Inc., Charleston, WV.

Rural and Urban Images: Voices of Girls in Science, Mathematics, and Technology was a 3-year project that began in fall 1995 with a group of sixth-grade girls and followed the same girls through eighth grade. The project took place in two West Virginia counties, but this videotaped documentary features its implementation in rural McDowell County…

Learners' Perceptions of the Benefits of Voice Tool-Based Tasks on Their Spoken Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilches, Astrid

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate learners' perceptions of the benefits of tasks using voice tools to reinforce their oral skills. Additionally, this study seeks to determine what aspects of task design affected the students' perceptions. Beginner learners aged 18 to 36 with little or no experience in the use of technological tools for…

The Voice/Data Communications system in the Health, Education, Telecommunications Experiments. Satellite Technology Demonstration, Technical Report No. 0417.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janky, James M.; And Others

The diligent use of two-way voice links via satellites substantially improves the quality and the availability of health care and educational services in remote areas. This improvement was demonstrated in several experiments that were sponsored by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the National Aeronautics and Space…

Digital Technologies for Promoting "Student Voice" and Co-Creating Learning Experience in an Academic Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blau, Ina; Shamir-Inbal, Tamar

2018-01-01

"Student voice" (SV) refers to listening to and valuing students' views regarding their learning experiences, as well as treating them as equal partners in the evaluation process. This is expected, in turn, to empower students to take a more active role in shaping their learning. This study explores the role played by digital…

Accelerometer-based automatic voice onset detection in speech mapping with navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

PubMed

Vitikainen, Anne-Mari; Mäkelä, Elina; Lioumis, Pantelis; Jousmäki, Veikko; Mäkelä, Jyrki P

2015-09-30

The use of navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in mapping of speech-related brain areas has recently shown to be useful in preoperative workflow of epilepsy and tumor patients. However, substantial inter- and intraobserver variability and non-optimal replicability of the rTMS results have been reported, and a need for additional development of the methodology is recognized. In TMS motor cortex mappings the evoked responses can be quantitatively monitored by electromyographic recordings; however, no such easily available setup exists for speech mappings. We present an accelerometer-based setup for detection of vocalization-related larynx vibrations combined with an automatic routine for voice onset detection for rTMS speech mapping applying naming. The results produced by the automatic routine were compared with the manually reviewed video-recordings. The new method was applied in the routine navigated rTMS speech mapping for 12 consecutive patients during preoperative workup for epilepsy or tumor surgery. The automatic routine correctly detected 96% of the voice onsets, resulting in 96% sensitivity and 71% specificity. Majority (63%) of the misdetections were related to visible throat movements, extra voices before the response, or delayed naming of the previous stimuli. The no-response errors were correctly detected in 88% of events. The proposed setup for automatic detection of voice onsets provides quantitative additional data for analysis of the rTMS-induced speech response modifications. The objectively defined speech response latencies increase the repeatability, reliability and stratification of the rTMS results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Voices to reckon with: perceptions of voice identity in clinical and non-clinical voice hearers

PubMed Central

Badcock, Johanna C.; Chhabra, Saruchi

2013-01-01

The current review focuses on the perception of voice identity in clinical and non-clinical voice hearers. Identity perception in auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) is grounded in the mechanisms of human (i.e., real, external) voice perception, and shapes the emotional (distress) and behavioral (help-seeking) response to the experience. Yet, the phenomenological assessment of voice identity is often limited, for example to the gender of the voice, and has failed to take advantage of recent models and evidence on human voice perception. In this paper we aim to synthesize the literature on identity in real and hallucinated voices and begin by providing a comprehensive overview of the features used to judge voice identity in healthy individuals and in people with schizophrenia. The findings suggest some subtle, but possibly systematic biases across different levels of voice identity in clinical hallucinators that are associated with higher levels of distress. Next we provide a critical evaluation of voice processing abilities in clinical and non-clinical voice hearers, including recent data collected in our laboratory. Our studies used diverse methods, assessing recognition and binding of words and voices in memory as well as multidimensional scaling of voice dissimilarity judgments. The findings overall point to significant difficulties recognizing familiar speakers and discriminating between unfamiliar speakers in people with schizophrenia, both with and without AVH. In contrast, these voice processing abilities appear to be generally intact in non-clinical hallucinators. The review highlights some important avenues for future research and treatment of AVH associated with a need for care, and suggests some novel insights into other symptoms of psychosis. PMID:23565088

Two-voice fundamental frequency estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Cheveigné, Alain

2002-05-01

An algorithm is presented that estimates the fundamental frequencies of two concurrent voices or instruments. The algorithm models each voice as a periodic function of time, and jointly estimates both periods by cancellation according to a previously proposed method [de Cheveigné and Kawahara, Speech Commun. 27, 175-185 (1999)]. The new algorithm improves on the old in several respects; it allows an unrestricted search range, effectively avoids harmonic and subharmonic errors, is more accurate (it uses two-dimensional parabolic interpolation), and is computationally less costly. It remains subject to unavoidable errors when periods are in certain simple ratios and the task is inherently ambiguous. The algorithm is evaluated on a small database including speech, singing voice, and instrumental sounds. It can be extended in several ways; to decide the number of voices, to handle amplitude variations, and to estimate more than two voices (at the expense of increased processing cost and decreased reliability). It makes no use of instrument models, learned or otherwise, although it could usefully be combined with such models. [Work supported by the Cognitique programme of the French Ministry of Research and Technology.

Effect of tonal native language on voice fundamental frequency responses to pitch feedback perturbations during sustained vocalizations

PubMed Central

Liu, Hanjun; Wang, Emily Q.; Chen, Zhaocong; Liu, Peng; Larson, Charles R.; Huang, Dongfeng

2010-01-01

The purpose of this cross-language study was to examine whether the online control of voice fundamental frequency (F0) during vowel phonation is influenced by language experience. Native speakers of Cantonese and Mandarin, both tonal languages spoken in China, participated in the experiments. Subjects were asked to vocalize a vowel sound ∕u∕ at their comfortable habitual F0, during which their voice pitch was unexpectedly shifted (±50, ±100, ±200, or ±500 cents, 200 ms duration) and fed back instantaneously to them over headphones. The results showed that Cantonese speakers produced significantly smaller responses than Mandarin speakers when the stimulus magnitude varied from 200 to 500 cents. Further, response magnitudes decreased along with the increase in stimulus magnitude in Cantonese speakers, which was not observed in Mandarin speakers. These findings suggest that online control of voice F0 during vocalization is sensitive to language experience. Further, systematic modulations of vocal responses across stimulus magnitude were observed in Cantonese speakers but not in Mandarin speakers, which indicates that this highly automatic feedback mechanism is sensitive to the specific tonal system of each language. PMID:21218905

Voice disorders in teachers: occupational risk factors and psycho-emotional factors.

PubMed

van Houtte, Evelyne; Claeys, Sofie; Wuyts, Floris; van Lierde, Kristiane

2012-10-01

Teaching is a high-risk occupation for developing voice disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate previously described vocal risk factors as well as to identify new risk factors related to both the personal life of the teacher (fluid intake, voice-demanding activities, family history of voice disorders, and children at home) and to environmental factors (temperature changes, chalk use, presence of curtains, carpet, or air-conditioning, acoustics in the classroom, and noise in and outside the classroom). The study group comprised 994 teachers (response rate 46.6%). All participants completed a questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were performed. A total of 51.2% (509/994) of the teachers presented with voice disorders. Women reported more voice disorders compared to men (56.4% versus 40.4%, P < 0.001). Vocal risk factors were a family history of voice disorders (P = 0.005), temperature changes in the classroom (P = 0.017), the number of pupils per classroom (P = 0.001), and noise level inside the classroom (P = 0.001). Teachers with voice disorders presented a higher level of psychological distress (P < 0.001) compared to teachers without voice problems. Voice disorders are frequent among teachers, especially in female teachers. The results of this study emphasize that multiple factors are involved in the development of voice disorders.

Measuring the intuitive response of users when faced with different interactive paradigms to control a gastroenterology CAD system.

PubMed

Abrantes, D; Gomes, P; Pereira, D; Coimbra, M

2016-08-01

The gastroenterology specialty could benefit from the introduction of Computer Assisted Decision (CAD) systems, since gastric cancer is a serious concern in which an accurate and early diagnosis usually leads to a good prognosis. Still, the way doctors interact with these systems is very important because it will often determine its embracement or rejection, as any gains in productivity will frequently hinge on how comfortable they are with it. Using other types of interaction paradigms such as voice and motion control, is important in a way that typical inputs such as keyboard and mouse are sometimes not the best choice for certain clinical scenarios. In order to ascertain how a doctor could control a hypothetical CAD system during a gastroenterology exam, we measured the natural response of users when faced with three different task requests, using three types of interaction paradigms: voice, gesture and endoscope. Results fit in what was expected, with gesture control being the most intuitive to use, and the endoscope being on the other edge. All the technologies are mature enough to cope with the response concepts the participants gave us. However, when having into account the scenario context, better natural response scores may not always be the best choice for implementation. That way, simplification or reduction of tasks, along with a well tought-out interface, or even mixing more oriented paradigms for particular requests, could allow for better system control with fewer inconveniences for the user.

Mobile Technology for Community Health in Ghana: what happens when technical functionality threatens the effectiveness of digital health programs?

PubMed

LeFevre, Amnesty E; Mohan, Diwakar; Hutchful, David; Jennings, Larissa; Mehl, Garrett; Labrique, Alain; Romano, Karen; Moorthy, Anitha

2017-03-14

Despite the growing use of technology in the health sector, little evidence is available on the technological performance of mobile health programs nor on the willingness of target users to utilize these technologies as intended (behavioral performance). In this case study of the Mobile Technology for Health (MOTECH) program in Ghana, we assess the platform's effectiveness in delivering messages, along with user response across sites in five districts from 2011 to 2014. MOTECH is comprised of "Client Data Application" (CDA) which allows providers to digitize and track service delivery information for women and infants and "Mobile Midwife" (MM) which sends automated educational voice messages to the mobile phones of pregnant and postpartum women. Using a naturalist study design, we draw upon system generated data to evaluate message delivery, client engagement, and provider responsiveness to MOTECH over time and by level of facility. A total of 7,370 women were enrolled in MM during pregnancy and 14,867 women were enrolled postpa1rtum. While providers were able to register and upload patient-level health information using CDA, the majority of these uploads occurred in Community-based facilities versus Health Centers. For MM, 25% or less of expected messages were received by pregnant women, despite the majority (>77%) owning a private mobile phone. While over 80% of messages received by pregnant women were listened to, postpartum rates of listening declined over time. Only 25% of pregnant women received and listened to at least 1 first trimester message. By 6-12 months postpartum, less than 6% of enrolled women were exposed to at least one message. Caution should be exercised in assuming that digital health programs perform as intended. Evaluations should measure the technological, behavioral, health systems, and/or community factors which may lead to breaks in the impact pathway and influence findings on effectiveness. The MOTECH platform's technological limitations in 'pushing' out voice messages highlights the need for more timely use of data to mitigate delivery challenges and improve exposure to health information. Alternative message delivery channels (USSD or SMS) could improve the platform's ability to deliver messages but may not be appropriate for illiterate users. Not applicable.

Performer's attitudes toward seeking health care for voice issues: understanding the barriers.

PubMed

Gilman, Marina; Merati, Albert L; Klein, Adam M; Hapner, Edie R; Johns, Michael M

2009-03-01

Contemporary commercial music (CCM) performers rely heavily on their voice, yet may not be aware of the importance of proactive voice care. This investigation intends to identify perceptions and barriers to seeking voice care among CCM artists. This cross-sectional observational study used a 10-item Likert-based response questionnaire to assess current perceptions regarding voice care in a population of randomly selected participants of professional CCM conference. Subjects (n=78) were queried regarding their likelihood to seek medical care for minor medical problems and specifically problems with their voice. Additional questions investigated anxiety about seeking voice care from a physician specialist, speech language pathologist, or voice coach; apprehension regarding findings of laryngeal examination, laryngeal imaging procedures; and the effect of medical insurance on the likelihood of seeking medical care. Eighty-two percent of subjects reported that their voice was a critical part of their profession; 41% stated that they were not likely to seek medical care for problems with their voice; and only 19% were reluctant to seek care for general medical problems (P<0.001). Anxiety about seeking a clinician regarding their voice was not a deterrent. Most importantly, 39% of subjects do not seek medical attention for their voice problems due to medical insurance coverage. The CCM artists are less likely to seek medical care for voice problems compared with general medical problems. Availability of medical insurance may be a factor. Availability of affordable voice care and education about the importance of voice care is needed in this population of vocal performers.

Vocal fold nodules in adult singers: regional opinions about etiologic factors, career impact, and treatment. A survey of otolaryngologists, speech pathologists, and teachers of singing.

PubMed

Hogikyan, N D; Appel, S; Guinn, L W; Haxer, M J

1999-03-01

This study was undertaken to better understand current regional opinions regarding vocal fold nodules in adult singers. A questionnaire was sent to 298 persons representing the 3 professional groups most involved with the care of singers with vocal nodules: otolaryngologists, speech pathologists, and teachers of singing. The questionnaire queried respondents about their level of experience with this problem, and their beliefs about causative factors, career impact, and optimum treatment. Responses within and between groups were similar, with differences between groups primarily in the magnitude of positive or negative responses, rather than in the polarity of the responses. Prevailing opinions included: recognition of causative factors in both singing and speaking voice practices, optimism about responsiveness to appropriate treatment, enthusiasm for coordinated voice therapy and voice training as first-line treatment, and acceptance of microsurgical management as appropriate treatment if behavioral management fails.

Use of Mobile Phone Technology to Improve follow-up at a Community Mental Health Clinic: A Randomized Control Trial.

PubMed

Singh, Gaurav; Manjunatha, Narayana; Rao, Sabina; Shashidhara, H N; Moirangthem, Sydney; Madegowda, Rajendra K; Binukumar, B; Varghese, Mathew

2017-01-01

Mobile phone technology is being used worldwide to improve follow-ups in health care. Aim of the study is to evaluate whether the use of mobile technology will improve or not the follow-up of Indian patients from a community mental health center. Patients or caregivers having mobile phones and consenting for study were enrolled, and sociodemographic and clinical details of patients were taken. Participants were randomized into two groups (short message service [SMS] vs. non-SMS group). At first intervention level, a SMS was sent to SMS group (not in non-SMS group) 1 day before their appointment. At second-level intervention (voice call level), patients from both groups who missed their first appointment were given a voice call requesting them to come for follow-up, and the reasons for first missed appointments (MA) were also elicited. The effect of these two intervention levels (first SMS for SMS group and next voice calls for both groups) on follow-up was evaluated. A total of 214 patients were enrolled in the study. At first SMS intervention level of SMS group ( n = 106), 62.26% of participants reached appointment-on-time (RA), while in the non-SMS/as usual group ( n = 108), 45.37% of patients RA. The difference of these groups is statistically significant. At second-level intervention (voice call), 66 of 88 (another 15 were unable to contact) were came for follow-up consultation within 2 days of MA. Distance and diagnosis of alcohol dependence were significantly associated with MA. Social reasons were most common reasons for first MA. The use of mobile phone technology in an outpatient community psychiatric clinic improved follow-up significantly.

Two experimental tests of relational models of procedural justice: non-instrumental voice and authority group membership.

PubMed

Platow, Michael J; Eggins, Rachael A; Chattopadhyay, Rachana; Brewer, Greg; Hardwick, Lisa; Milsom, Laurin; Brocklebank, Jacinta; Lalor, Thérèse; Martin, Rowena; Quee, Michelle; Vassallo, Sara; Welsh, Jenny

2013-06-01

In both a laboratory experiment (in Australia) using university as the basis of group membership, and a scenario experiment (in India) using religion as the basis of group membership, we observe more favourable respect and fairness ratings in response to an in-group authority than an out-group authority who administers non-instrumental voice. Moreover, we observe in our second experiment that reported likelihood of protest (herein called "social-change voice") was relatively high following non-instrumental voice from an out-group authority, but relatively low following non-instrumental voice from an in-group authority. Our findings are consistent with relational models of procedural justice, and extend the work by examining likely use of alternative forms of voice as well as highlighting the relative importance of instrumentality. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

Technology in the Public Library: Results from the 1992 PLDS Survey of Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidler, Linda M.; Johnson, Debra Wilcox

1994-01-01

Discusses and compares the incorporation of technology by larger public libraries in Canada and the United States. Technology mentioned includes online public access catalogs; remote and local online database searching; microcomputers and software for public use; and fax, voice mail, and Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf and Teletype writer…

Examining Literacy Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of VoiceThread in an Elementary, Middle School, and a High School Classroom for Enhancing Instructional Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stover, Katie; Kissel, Brian; Wood, Karen; Putman, Michael

2015-01-01

In today's digital age, Web 2.0 tools such as VoiceThread allow users to integrate images, voices, and responses within one digital platform, providing students with the opportunity to add another layer of meaning to their texts. We conducted this research to expand our understanding of the processes necessary for integrating digital tools into…

Understanding the 'Anorexic Voice' in Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Pugh, Matthew; Waller, Glenn

2017-05-01

In common with individuals experiencing a number of disorders, people with anorexia nervosa report experiencing an internal 'voice'. The anorexic voice comments on the individual's eating, weight and shape and instructs the individual to restrict or compensate. However, the core characteristics of the anorexic voice are not known. This study aimed to develop a parsimonious model of the voice characteristics that are related to key features of eating disorder pathology and to determine whether patients with anorexia nervosa fall into groups with different voice experiences. The participants were 49 women with full diagnoses of anorexia nervosa. Each completed validated measures of the power and nature of their voice experience and of their responses to the voice. Different voice characteristics were associated with current body mass index, duration of disorder and eating cognitions. Two subgroups emerged, with 'weaker' and 'stronger' voice experiences. Those with stronger voices were characterized by having more negative eating attitudes, more severe compensatory behaviours, a longer duration of illness and a greater likelihood of having the binge-purge subtype of anorexia nervosa. The findings indicate that the anorexic voice is an important element of the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa. Addressing the anorexic voice might be helpful in enhancing outcomes of treatments for anorexia nervosa, but that conclusion might apply only to patients with more severe eating psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Experiences of an internal 'anorexic voice' are common in anorexia nervosa. Clinicians should consider the role of the voice when formulating eating pathology in anorexia nervosa, including how individuals perceive and relate to that voice. Addressing the voice may be beneficial, particularly in more severe and enduring forms of anorexia nervosa. When working with the voice, clinicians should aim to address both the content of the voice and how individuals relate and respond to it. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Impact of Learning Style on Healthcare Providers' Preference for Voice Advisory Manikins versus Live Instructors in Basic Life Support Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiGiovanni, Lisa Marie

2013-01-01

The American Heart Association's HeartCode[TM] Healthcare Provider (HCP) Basic Life Support (BLS) e-learning program with voice-advisory manikins was implemented in an acute care hospital as the only teaching method offered for BLS certification. On course evaluations, healthcare provider staff commented that the VAM technology for skills practice…

Impact of VoIP and QoS on Open and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saxena, P. C.; Jasola, Sanjay; Sharma, Ramesh C.

2006-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is becoming a reality in many organizations. The potential for mobility in voice over wi-fi networks will derive demand for the technology. Wireless VoIP is poised to rival VoIP as an alternative telephony tool. Internet has been used to transport data in the form of packet. In the past, Internet did not support…

Using collaborative technologies in remote lab delivery systems for topics in automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashby, Joe E.

Lab exercises are a pedagogically essential component of engineering and technology education. Distance education remote labs are being developed which enable students to access lab facilities via the Internet. Collaboration, students working in teams, enhances learning activity through the development of communication skills, sharing observations and problem solving. Web meeting communication tools are currently used in remote labs. The problem identified for investigation was that no standards of practice or paradigms exist to guide remote lab designers in the selection of collaboration tools that best support learning achievement. The goal of this work was to add to the body of knowledge involving the selection and use of remote lab collaboration tools. Experimental research was conducted where the participants were randomly assigned to three communication treatments and learning achievement was measured via assessments at the completion of each of six remote lab based lessons. Quantitative instruments used for assessing learning achievement were implemented, along with a survey to correlate user preference with collaboration treatments. A total of 53 undergraduate technology students worked in two-person teams, where each team was assigned one of the treatments, namely (a) text messaging chat, (b) voice chat, or (c) webcam video with voice chat. Each had little experience with the subject matter involving automation, but possessed the necessary technical background. Analysis of the assessment score data included mean and standard deviation, confirmation of the homogeneity of variance, a one-way ANOVA test and post hoc comparisons. The quantitative and qualitative data indicated that text messaging chat negatively impacted learning achievement and that text messaging chat was not preferred. The data also suggested that the subjects were equally divided on preference to voice chat verses webcam video with voice chat. To the end of designing collaborative communication tools for remote labs involving automation equipment, the results of this work points to making voice chat the default method of communication; but the webcam video with voice chat option should be included. Standards are only beginning to be developed for the design of remote lab systems. Research, design and innovation involving collaboration and presence should be included.

Future Educators' Explaining Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliveira, Janaina Minelli; Caballero, Pablo Buenestado; Camacho, Mar

2013-01-01

Teacher education programs must offer pre-service students innovative technology-supported learning environments, guiding them in the revision of their preconceptions on literacy and technology. This present paper presents a case study that uses podcast to inquiry into future educators' views on technology and the digital age. Results show future…

A "Surprising Shock" in the Cathedral: Getting Year 7 to Vocalise Responses to the Murder of Thomas Becket

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partridge, Mary

2011-01-01

Mary Partridge wanted her pupils not only to become more aware of competing and contrasting voices in the past, but to understand how historians orchestrate those voices. Using Edward Grim's eye-witness account of Thomas Becket's murder, her Year 7 pupils explored nuances in the word "shocking" as a way of distinguishing the responses of…

Digital signal processing algorithms for automatic voice recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Botros, Nazeih M.

1987-01-01

The current digital signal analysis algorithms are investigated that are implemented in automatic voice recognition algorithms. Automatic voice recognition means, the capability of a computer to recognize and interact with verbal commands. The digital signal is focused on, rather than the linguistic, analysis of speech signal. Several digital signal processing algorithms are available for voice recognition. Some of these algorithms are: Linear Predictive Coding (LPC), Short-time Fourier Analysis, and Cepstrum Analysis. Among these algorithms, the LPC is the most widely used. This algorithm has short execution time and do not require large memory storage. However, it has several limitations due to the assumptions used to develop it. The other 2 algorithms are frequency domain algorithms with not many assumptions, but they are not widely implemented or investigated. However, with the recent advances in the digital technology, namely signal processors, these 2 frequency domain algorithms may be investigated in order to implement them in voice recognition. This research is concerned with real time, microprocessor based recognition algorithms.

[Social consequence of a dysphonic voice, design and validation of a questionnaire and first results].

PubMed

Revis, J; Robieux, C; Ghio, A; Giovanni, A

2013-01-01

In our society, based on communication, dysphonia becomes a handicap that could be responsible of work discrimination. Actually, several commercial services are provided by phone only, and voice quality is mandatory for the employees. This work aim was to determine the social picture relayed by dysphonia. Our hypothesis was that dysphonia sounds pejorative compared to normal voice. 40 voice samples (30 dysphonic and 10 normal) were presented randomly to a perceptual jury of 20 naïve listener. The task was for each of them to fill a questionnaire, designed specifically to describe the speaker's look and personality. 20 items were evaluated, divided into 4 categories: health, temperament, appearance, and way of life. The results showed significant differences between normal subjects and dysphonic patients. For instance, the pathological voices were depicted as more tired, introverted, sloppy than normal voices, and less trustable. No significant differences were found according to the severity of voice disorders. This work is presently continued. It allowed to validate our questionnaire and has offers great perspectives on patient's management and voice therapy.

The Bangor Voice Matching Test: A standardized test for the assessment of voice perception ability.

PubMed

Mühl, Constanze; Sheil, Orla; Jarutytė, Lina; Bestelmeyer, Patricia E G

2017-11-09

Recognising the identity of conspecifics is an important yet highly variable skill. Approximately 2 % of the population suffers from a socially debilitating deficit in face recognition. More recently the existence of a similar deficit in voice perception has emerged (phonagnosia). Face perception tests have been readily available for years, advancing our understanding of underlying mechanisms in face perception. In contrast, voice perception has received less attention, and the construction of standardized voice perception tests has been neglected. Here we report the construction of the first standardized test for voice perception ability. Participants make a same/different identity decision after hearing two voice samples. Item Response Theory guided item selection to ensure the test discriminates between a range of abilities. The test provides a starting point for the systematic exploration of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying voice perception. With a high test-retest reliability (r=.86) and short assessment duration (~10 min) this test examines individual abilities reliably and quickly and therefore also has potential for use in developmental and neuropsychological populations.

Color and texture associations in voice-induced synesthesia

PubMed Central

Moos, Anja; Simmons, David; Simner, Julia; Smith, Rachel

2013-01-01

Voice-induced synesthesia, a form of synesthesia in which synesthetic perceptions are induced by the sounds of people's voices, appears to be relatively rare and has not been systematically studied. In this study we investigated the synesthetic color and visual texture perceptions experienced in response to different types of “voice quality” (e.g., nasal, whisper, falsetto). Experiences of three different groups—self-reported voice synesthetes, phoneticians, and controls—were compared using both qualitative and quantitative analysis in a study conducted online. Whilst, in the qualitative analysis, synesthetes used more color and texture terms to describe voices than either phoneticians or controls, only weak differences, and many similarities, between groups were found in the quantitative analysis. Notable consistent results between groups were the matching of higher speech fundamental frequencies with lighter and redder colors, the matching of “whispery” voices with smoke-like textures, and the matching of “harsh” and “creaky” voices with textures resembling dry cracked soil. These data are discussed in the light of current thinking about definitions and categorizations of synesthesia, especially in cases where individuals apparently have a range of different synesthetic inducers. PMID:24032023

Changes after voice therapy in objective and subjective voice measurements of pediatric patients with vocal nodules.

PubMed

Tezcaner, Ciler Zahide; Karatayli Ozgursoy, Selmin; Ozgursoy, Selmin Karatayli; Sati, Isil; Dursun, Gursel

2009-12-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the efficiency of the voice therapy in children with vocal nodules by using the acoustic analysis and subjective assessment. Thirty-nine patients with vocal fold nodules, aged between 7 and 14, were included in the study. Each subject had voice therapy led by an experienced voice therapist once a week. All diagnostic and follow-up workouts were performed before the voice therapy and after the third or the sixth month. Transoral and/or transnasal videostroboscopic examination and acoustic analysis were achieved using multi-dimensional voice program (MDVP) and subjective analysis with GRBAS scale. As for the perceptual assessment, the difference was significant for four parameters out of five. A significant improvement was found in the acoustic analysis parameters of jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio. The voice therapy which was planned according to patients' needs, age, compliance and response to therapy had positive effects on pediatric patients with vocal nodules. Acoustic analysis and GRBAS may be used successfully in the follow-up of pediatric vocal nodule treatment.

Are 6-month-old human infants able to transfer emotional information (happy or angry) from voices to faces? An eye-tracking study.

PubMed

Palama, Amaya; Malsert, Jennifer; Gentaz, Edouard

2018-01-01

The present study examined whether 6-month-old infants could transfer amodal information (i.e. independently of sensory modalities) from emotional voices to emotional faces. Thus, sequences of successive emotional stimuli (voice or face from one sensory modality -auditory- to another sensory modality -visual-), corresponding to a cross-modal transfer, were displayed to 24 infants. Each sequence presented an emotional (angry or happy) or neutral voice, uniquely, followed by the simultaneous presentation of two static emotional faces (angry or happy, congruous or incongruous with the emotional voice). Eye movements in response to the visual stimuli were recorded with an eye-tracker. First, results suggested no difference in infants' looking time to happy or angry face after listening to the neutral voice or the angry voice. Nevertheless, after listening to the happy voice, infants looked longer at the incongruent angry face (the mouth area in particular) than the congruent happy face. These results revealed that a cross-modal transfer (from auditory to visual modalities) is possible for 6-month-old infants only after the presentation of a happy voice, suggesting that they recognize this emotion amodally.

The distress of voice-hearing: the use of simulation for awareness, understanding and communication skill development in undergraduate nursing education.

PubMed

Orr, Fiona; Kellehear, Kevin; Armari, Elizabeth; Pearson, Arana; Holmes, Douglas

2013-11-01

Role-play scenarios are frequently used with undergraduate nursing students enrolled in mental health nursing subjects to simulate the experience of voice-hearing. However, role-play has limitations and typically does not involve those who hear voices. This collaborative project between mental health consumers who hear voices and nursing academics aimed to develop and assess simulated voice-hearing as an alternative learning tool that could provide a deeper understanding of the impact of voice-hearing, whilst enabling students to consider the communication skills required when interacting with voice-hearers. Simulated sounds and voices recorded by consumers on mp3 players were given to eighty final year nursing students undertaking a mental health elective. Students participated in various activities whilst listening to the simulations. Seventy-six (95%) students completed a written evaluation following the simulation, which assessed the benefits of the simulation and its implications for clinical practice. An analysis of the students' responses by an external evaluator indicated that there were three major learning outcomes: developing an understanding of voice-hearing, increasing students' awareness of its impact on functioning, and consideration of the communication skills necessary to engage with consumers who hear voices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders

MedlinePlus

... sleepy. What research is being conducted on assistive technology? The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication ... NIDCD) funds research into several areas of assistive technology, such as those described below. Improved devices for ...

Speaking more broadly: an examination of the nature, antecedents, and consequences of an expanded set of employee voice behaviors.

PubMed

Maynes, Timothy D; Podsakoff, Philip M

2014-01-01

Scholarly interest in employee voice behavior has increased dramatically over the past 15 years. Although this research has produced valuable knowledge, it has focused almost exclusively on voice as a positively intended challenge to the status quo, even though some scholars have argued that it need not challenge the status quo or be well intentioned. Thus, in this paper, we create an expanded view of voice; one that extends beyond voice as a positively intended challenge to the status quo to include voice that supports how things are being done in organizations as well as voice that may not be well intentioned. We construct a framework based on this expanded view that identifies 4 different types of voice behavior (supportive, constructive, defensive, and destructive). We then develop and validate survey measures for each of these. Evidence from 5 studies across 4 samples provides strong support for our new measures in that (a) a 4-factor confirmatory factor analysis model fit the data significantly better than 1-, 2-, or 3-factor models; (b) the voice measures converged with and yet remained distinct from conceptually related comparison constructs; (c) personality predictors exhibited unique patterns of relationships with the different types of voice; (d) variations in actual voice behaviors had a direct causal impact on responses to the survey items; and (e) each type of voice significantly impacted important outcomes for voicing employees (e.g., likelihood of relying on a voicing employee's opinions and evaluations of a voicing employee's overall performance). Implications of our findings are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved

[Information technology in learning sign language].

PubMed

Hernández, Cesar; Pulido, Jose L; Arias, Jorge E

2015-01-01

To develop a technological tool that improves the initial learning of sign language in hearing impaired children. The development of this research was conducted in three phases: the lifting of requirements, design and development of the proposed device, and validation and evaluation device. Through the use of information technology and with the advice of special education professionals, we were able to develop an electronic device that facilitates the learning of sign language in deaf children. This is formed mainly by a graphic touch screen, a voice synthesizer, and a voice recognition system. Validation was performed with the deaf children in the Filadelfia School of the city of Bogotá. A learning methodology was established that improves learning times through a small, portable, lightweight, and educational technological prototype. Tests showed the effectiveness of this prototype, achieving a 32 % reduction in the initial learning time for sign language in deaf children.

Optical gesture sensing and depth mapping technologies for head-mounted displays: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kress, Bernard; Lee, Johnny

2013-05-01

Head Mounted Displays (HMDs), and especially see-through HMDs have gained renewed interest in recent time, and for the first time outside the traditional military and defense realm, due to several high profile consumer electronics companies presenting their products to hit market. Consumer electronics HMDs have quite different requirements and constrains as their military counterparts. Voice comments are the de-facto interface for such devices, but when the voice recognition does not work (not connection to the cloud for example), trackpad and gesture sensing technologies have to be used to communicate information to the device. We review in this paper the various technologies developed today integrating optical gesture sensing in a small footprint, as well as the various related 3d depth mapping sensors.

Validation and Adaptation of the Singing Voice Handicap Index for Egyptian Singing Voice.

PubMed

Abou-Elsaad, Tamer; Baz, Hemmat; Afsah, Omayma; Abo-Elsoud, Hend

2017-01-01

Measuring the severity of a voice disorder is difficult. This can be achieved by both subjective and objective measures. The Voice Handicap Index is the most known and used self-rating tool for voice disorders. The Classical Singing Handicap Index (CSHI) is a self-administered questionnaire measuring the impact of vocal deviation on the quality of life of singers. The objective of this study was to develop an Arabic version of the CSHI and to test its validity and reliability in Egyptian singers with different singing styles with normal voice and with voice disorders. The interpreted version was administered to 70 Egyptian singers including artistic singers (classical and popular) and specialized singers (Quran reciters and priests) who were divided into 40 asymptomatic singers (control group) and 30 singers with voice disorders. Participants' responses were statistically analyzed to assess the validity and reliability, and to compare the patient group with the control group. Quran reciters, patients with no previous professional training, and patients with vocal fold lesions demonstrated the highest scores. The Arabic version of CSHI is found to be a reliable, valid, and sensitive self-assessment tool that can be used in the clinical practice for the evaluation of the impact of voice disorders on singing voice. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of air transportation technology at Princeton University, 1985

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stengel, Robert F.

1987-01-01

The program proceeded along five avenues during 1985. Guidance and control strategies for penetration of microbursts and wind shear, application of artificial intelligence in flight control and air traffic control systems, the use of voice recognition in the cockpit, the effects of control saturation on closed-loop stability and response of open-loop unstable aircraft, and computer aided control system design are among the topics briefly considered. Areas of investigation relate to guidance and control of commercial transports as well as general aviation aircraft. Interaction between the flight crew and automatic systems is the subject of principal concern.

CAPE-2 Cubesat - ELaNa IV

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-07-25

CAPE-2: Cajun Advanced Picosatellite Experiment – ELaNa IV CAPE-2 was developed by students from the University of Louisiana Lafayette to engage, inspire and educate K-12 students to encourage them to pursue STEM careers. The secondary focus is the technology demonstration of deployed solar panels to support the following payloads: text to speech, voice repeater, tweeting, email, file transfer and data collection from buoys. Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on the ELaNa IV mission as an auxiliary payload aboard the U.S. Air Force-led Operationally Responsive Space (ORS-3) Mission on November 19, 2013.

Remote voice training: A case study on space shuttle applications, appendix C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mollakarimi, Cindy; Hamid, Tamin

1990-01-01

The Tile Automation System includes applications of automation and robotics technology to all aspects of the Shuttle tile processing and inspection system. An integrated set of rapid prototyping testbeds was developed which include speech recognition and synthesis, laser imaging systems, distributed Ada programming environments, distributed relational data base architectures, distributed computer network architectures, multi-media workbenches, and human factors considerations. Remote voice training in the Tile Automation System is discussed. The user is prompted over a headset by synthesized speech for the training sequences. The voice recognition units and the voice output units are remote from the user and are connected by Ethernet to the main computer system. A supervisory channel is used to monitor the training sequences. Discussions include the training approaches as well as the human factors problems and solutions for this system utilizing remote training techniques.

Generation of surgical pathology report using a 5,000-word speech recognizer.

PubMed

Tischler, A S; Martin, M R

1989-10-01

Pressures to decrease both turnaround time and operating costs simultaneously have placed conflicting demands on traditional forms of medical transcription. The new technology of voice recognition extends the promise of enabling the pathologist or other medical professional to dictate a correct report and have it printed and/or transmitted to a database immediately. The usefulness of voice recognition systems depends on several factors, including ease of use, reliability, speed, and accuracy. These in turn depend on the general underlying design of the systems and inclusion in the systems of a specific knowledge base appropriate for each application. Development of a good knowledge base requires close collaboration between a domain expert and a knowledge engineer with expertise in voice recognition. The authors have recently completed a knowledge base for surgical pathology using the Kurzweil VoiceReport 5,000-word system.

A comparison of the VHI, VHI-10, and V-RQOL for measuring the effect of botox therapy in adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

PubMed

Morzaria, Sanjay; Damrose, Edward J

2012-05-01

Although disease-specific quality-of-life (QOL) instruments are an invaluable outcome measure in spasmodic dysphonia, there is no consensus on which QOL instrument should be used. To determine the responsiveness of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), and Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) to the treatment effect of botulinum toxin (Botox) in adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD). Stanford University Voice and Swallowing Center. Prospective case series (level of evidence=4). Consecutive ADSD patients with a stable Botox dose-response relationship were recruited prospectively. VHI, VHI-10, and V-RQOL scores were obtained pretreatment and during the middle third of the posttreatment injection cycle. Thrity-seven patients completed the follow-up. The average total Botox dose was 0.88 units. The average follow-up time after injection was 7.84 weeks. The pretreatment QOL scores reflected the burden of the disease. All the three instruments were highly correlated in subscale and total scores. After treatment, all three instruments showed significant improvement. The VHI, VHI-10, and V-RQOL all reflected the morbidity associated with ADSD and were significantly responsive to the effect of Botox therapy. The choice of instrument should be based on physician preference. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Technology to Improve Student Learning. NCREL Viewpoints, Volume 12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gahala, Jan, Ed.

2004-01-01

"Viewpoints" is a multimedia package containing two audio CDs and a short, informative booklet. This volume of "Viewpoints" focuses on how technology can help improve student learning. The audio CDs provide the voices, or viewpoints, of various leaders from the education field who work closely with technology issues. Their…

Community perceptions of carbon sequestration: insights from California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong-Parodi, Gabrielle; Ray, Isha

2009-07-01

Over the last decade, many energy experts have supported carbon sequestration as a viable technological response to climate change. Given the potential importance of sequestration in US energy policy, what might explain the views of communities that may be directly impacted by the siting of this technology? To answer this question, we conducted focus groups in two communities who were potentially pilot project sites for California's DOE-funded West Coast Regional Partnership (WESTCARB). We find that communities want a voice in defining the risks to be mitigated as well as the justice of the procedures by which the technology is implemented. We argue that a community's sense of empowerment is key to understanding its range of carbon sequestration opinions, where 'empowerment' includes the ability to mitigate community-defined risks of the technology. This sense of empowerment protects the community against the downside risk of government or corporate neglect, a risk that is rarely identified in risk assessments but that should be factored into assessment and communication strategies.

Case studies of technology for adults with multiple disabilities to make telephone calls independently.

PubMed

Lancioni, Giulio E; Singh, Nirbhay N; O'Reilly, Mark F; Sigafoos, Jeff; Boccasini, Adele; La Martire, Maria L; Lang, Russell

2014-08-01

Recent literature has shown the possibility of enabling individuals with multiple disabilities to make telephone calls independently via computer-aided telephone technology. These two case studies assessed a modified version of such technology and a commercial alternative to it for a woman and a man with multiple disabilities, respectively. The modified version used in Study 1 (a) presented the names of the persons available for a call and (b) reminded the participant of the response she needed to perform (i.e., pressing a microswitch) if she wanted to call any of those names/persons. The commercial device used in Study 2 was a Galaxy S3 (Samsung) equipped with the S-voice module, which allowed the participant to activate phone calls by uttering the word "Call" followed by the name of the persons he wanted to call. The results of the studies showed that the participants learned to make phone calls independently using the technology/device available. Implications of the results are discussed.

The role of voice input for human-machine communication.

PubMed Central

Cohen, P R; Oviatt, S L

1995-01-01

Optimism is growing that the near future will witness rapid growth in human-computer interaction using voice. System prototypes have recently been built that demonstrate speaker-independent real-time speech recognition, and understanding of naturally spoken utterances with vocabularies of 1000 to 2000 words, and larger. Already, computer manufacturers are building speech recognition subsystems into their new product lines. However, before this technology can be broadly useful, a substantial knowledge base is needed about human spoken language and performance during computer-based spoken interaction. This paper reviews application areas in which spoken interaction can play a significant role, assesses potential benefits of spoken interaction with machines, and compares voice with other modalities of human-computer interaction. It also discusses information that will be needed to build a firm empirical foundation for the design of future spoken and multimodal interfaces. Finally, it argues for a more systematic and scientific approach to investigating spoken input and performance with future language technology. PMID:7479803

Listening to the Learners' Voices in HE: How Do Students Reflect on Their Use of Technology for Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferies, Amanda; Hyde, Ruth

2009-01-01

The importance of the Learner's Voice and thus of listening to students' views has been evidenced in various high profile initiatives in the UK. The work presented here is from the JISC Learners' Experiences of E-Learning Phase 2 Learners' Journeys STROLL project. The seven JISC funded projects were set up in 2007 to investigate inter alia the…

Value driven innovation in medical device design: a process for balancing stakeholder voices.

PubMed

de Ana, F J; Umstead, K A; Phillips, G J; Conner, C P

2013-09-01

The innovation process has often been represented as a linear process which funnels customer needs through various business and process filters. This method may be appropriate for some consumer products, but in the medical device industry there are some inherent limitations to the traditional innovation funnel approach. In the medical device industry, there are a number of stakeholders who need to have their voices heard throughout the innovation process. Each stakeholder has diverse and unique needs relating to the medical device, the needs of one may highly affect the needs of another, and the relationships between stakeholders may be tenuous. This paper describes the application of a spiral innovation process to the development of a medical device which considers three distinct stakeholder voices: the Voice of the Customer, the Voice of the Business and the Voice of the Technology. The process is presented as a case study focusing on the front-end redesign of a class III medical device for an orthopedics company. Starting from project initiation and scope alignment, the process describes four phases, Discover, Envision, Create, and Refine, and concludes with value assessment of the final design features.

A long distance voice transmission system based on the white light LED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Chunyu; Wei, Chang; Wang, Yulian; Wang, Dachi; Yu, Benli; Xu, Feng

2017-10-01

A long distance voice transmission system based on a visible light communication technology (VLCT) is proposed in the paper. Our proposed system includes transmitter, receiver and the voice signal processing of single chip microcomputer. In the compact-sized LED transmitter, we use on-off-keying and not-return-to-zero (OOK-NRZ) to easily realize high speed modulation, and then systematic complexity is reduced. A voice transmission system, which possesses the properties of the low-noise and wide modulation band, is achieved by the design of high efficiency receiving optical path and using filters to reduce noise from the surrounding light. To improve the speed of the signal processing, we use single chip microcomputer to code and decode voice signal. Furthermore, serial peripheral interface (SPI) is adopted to accurately transmit voice signal data. The test results of our proposed system show that the transmission distance of this system is more than100 meters with the maximum data rate of 1.5 Mbit/s and a SNR of 30dB. This system has many advantages, such as simple construction, low cost and strong practicality. Therefore, it has extensive application prospect in the fields of the emergency communication and indoor wireless communication, etc.

A General Purpose Connections type CTI Server Based on SIP Protocol and Its Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Toru; Koizumi, Hisao

In this paper, we propose a general purpose connections type CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) server that provides various CTI services such as voice logging where the CTI server communicates with IP-PBX using the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), and accumulates voice packets of external line telephone call flowing between an IP telephone for extension and a VoIP gateway connected to outside line networks. The CTI server realizes CTI services such as voice logging, telephone conference, or IVR (interactive voice response) with accumulating and processing voice packets sampled. Furthermore, the CTI server incorporates a web server function which can provide various CTI services such as a Web telephone directory via a Web browser to PCs, cellular telephones or smart-phones in mobile environments.

Sensor technology more than a support.

PubMed

Olsson, Anna; Persson, Ann-Christine; Bartfai, Aniko; Boman, Inga-Lill

2018-03-01

This interview study is a part of a project that evaluated sensor technology as a support in everyday activities for patients with memory impairment. To explore patients with memory impairment and their partners' experiences of using sensor technology in their homes. Five patients with memory impairment after stroke and three partners were interviewed. Individual semi-structured interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Installing sensor technology with individually prerecorded voice reminders as memory support in the home had a broad impact on patients' and their families' lives. These effects were both positive and negative. The sensor technology not only supported activities but also influenced the patients by changing behavior, providing a sense of security, independence and increased self-confidence. For the partners, the sensor technology eased daily life, but also gave increased responsibility for maintenance. Technical problems led to frustration and stress for the patients. The results indicate that sensor technology has potential to increase opportunities for persons with memory impairment to perform and participate in activities and to unburden their partners. The results may promote an understanding of how sensor technology can be used to support persons with memory impairment in their homes.

Monitoring daily affective symptoms and memory function using interactive voice response in outpatients receiving electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

Fazzino, Tera L; Rabinowitz, Terry; Althoff, Robert R; Helzer, John E

2013-12-01

Recently, there has been a gradual shift from inpatient-only electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) toward outpatient administration. Potential advantages include convenience and reduced cost. But providers do not have the same opportunity to monitor treatment response and adverse effects as they do with inpatients. This can obviate some of the potential advantages of outpatient ECT, such as tailoring treatment intervals to clinical response. Scheduling is typically algorithmic rather than empirically based. Daily monitoring through an automated telephone, interactive voice response (IVR), is a potential solution to this quandary. To test feasibility of clinical monitoring via IVR, we recruited 26 patients (69% female; mean age, 51 years) receiving outpatient ECT to make daily IVR reports of affective symptoms and subjective memory for 60 days. The IVR also administered a word recognition task daily to test objective memory. Every seventh day, a longer IVR weekly interview included questions about suicidal ideation. Overall daily call compliance was high (mean, 80%). Most participants (96%) did not consider the calls to be time-consuming. Longitudinal regression analysis using generalized estimating equations revealed that participant objective memory functioning significantly improved during the study (P < 0.05). Of 123 weekly IVR interviews, 41 reports (33%) in 14 patients endorsed suicidal ideation during the previous week. Interactive voice response monitoring of outpatient ECT can provide more detailed clinical information than standard outpatient ECT assessment. Interactive voice response data offer providers a comprehensive, longitudinal picture of patient treatment response and adverse effects as a basis for treatment scheduling and ongoing clinical management.

Text messaging as a strategy to address the limits of audio-based communication during mass-gathering events with high ambient noise.

PubMed

Lund, Adam; Wong, Daniel; Lewis, Kerrie; Turris, Sheila A; Vaisler, Sean; Gutman, Samuel

2013-02-01

The provision of medical care in environments with high levels of ambient noise (HLAN), such as concerts or sporting events, presents unique communication challenges. Audio transmissions can be incomprehensible to the receivers. Text-based communications may be a valuable primary and/or secondary means of communication in this type of setting. To evaluate the usability of text-based communications in parallel with standard two-way radio communications during mass-gathering (MG) events in the context of HLAN. This Canadian study used outcome survey methods to evaluate the performance of communication devices during MG events. Ten standard commercially available handheld smart phones loaded with basic voice and data plans were assigned to health care providers (HCPs) for use as an adjunct to the medical team's typical radio-based communication. Common text messaging and chat platforms were trialed. Both efficacy and provider satisfaction were evaluated. During a 23-month period, the smart phones were deployed at 17 events with HLAN for a total of 40 event days or approximately 460 hours of active use. Survey responses from health care providers (177) and dispatchers (26) were analyzed. The response rate was unknown due to the method of recruitment. Of the 155 HCP responses to the question measuring difficulty of communication in environments with HLAN, 68.4% agreed that they "occasionally" or "frequently" found it difficult to clearly understand voice communications via two-way radio. Similarly, of the 23 dispatcher responses to the same item, 65.2% of the responses indicated that "occasionally" or "frequently" HLAN negatively affected the ability to communicate clearly with team members. Of the 168 HCP responses to the item assessing whether text-based communication improved the ability to understand and respond to calls when compared to radio alone, 86.3% "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that this was the case. The dispatcher responses (n = 21) to the same item also "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that this was the case 95.5% of the time. CONCLUSION The use of smart phone technology for text-based communications is a practical and feasible tool for MG events and should be explored further. Multiple, reliable, discrete forms of communication technology are pivotal to executing effective on-site medical and disaster responses.

Dissociation and psychosis in dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia.

PubMed

Laddis, Andreas; Dell, Paul F

2012-01-01

Dissociative symptoms, first-rank symptoms of schizophrenia, and delusions were assessed in 40 schizophrenia patients and 40 dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients with the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID). Schizophrenia patients were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV Axis I Disorders; DID patients were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders-Revised. DID patients obtained significantly (a) higher dissociation scores; (b) higher passive-influence scores (first-rank symptoms); and (c) higher scores on scales that measure child voices, angry voices, persecutory voices, voices arguing, and voices commenting. Schizophrenia patients obtained significantly higher delusion scores than did DID patients. What is odd is that the dissociation scores of schizophrenia patients were unrelated to their reports of childhood maltreatment. Multiple regression analyses indicated that 81% of the variance in DID patients' dissociation scores was predicted by the MID's Ego-Alien Experiences Scale, whereas 92% of the variance in schizophrenia patients' dissociation scores was predicted by the MID's Voices Scale. We propose that schizophrenia patients' responses to the MID do not index the same pathology as do the responses of DID patients. We argue that neither phenomenological definitions of dissociation nor the current generation of dissociation instruments (which are uniformly phenomenological in nature) can distinguish between the dissociative phenomena of DID and what we suspect are just the dissociation-like phenomena of schizophrenia.

Prototype app for voice therapy: a peer review.

PubMed

Lavaissiéri, Paula; Melo, Paulo Eduardo Damasceno

2017-03-09

Voice speech therapy promotes changes in patients' voice-related habits and rehabilitation. Speech-language therapists use a host of materials ranging from pictures to electronic resources and computer tools as aids in this process. Mobile technology is attractive, interactive and a nearly constant feature in the daily routine of a large part of the population and has a growing application in healthcare. To develop a prototype application for voice therapy, submit it to peer assessment, and to improve the initial prototype based on these assessments. a prototype of the Q-Voz application was developed based on Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. The prototype was analyzed by seven speech therapists who work in the voice area. Improvements to the product were made based on these assessments. all features of the application were considered satisfactory by most evaluators. All evaluators found the application very useful; evaluators reported that patients would find it easier to make changes in voice behavior with the application than without it; the evaluators stated they would use this application with their patients with dysphonia and in the process of rehabilitation and that the application offers useful tools for voice self-management. Based on the suggestions provided, six improvements were made to the prototype. the prototype Q-Voz Application was developed and evaluated by seven judges and subsequently improved. All evaluators stated they would use the application with their patients undergoing rehabilitation, indicating that the Q-Voz Application for mobile devices can be considered an auxiliary tool for voice speech therapy.

Multi-modal assessment of on-road demand of voice and manual phone calling and voice navigation entry across two embedded vehicle systems.

PubMed

Mehler, Bruce; Kidd, David; Reimer, Bryan; Reagan, Ian; Dobres, Jonathan; McCartt, Anne

2016-03-01

One purpose of integrating voice interfaces into embedded vehicle systems is to reduce drivers' visual and manual distractions with 'infotainment' technologies. However, there is scant research on actual benefits in production vehicles or how different interface designs affect attentional demands. Driving performance, visual engagement, and indices of workload (heart rate, skin conductance, subjective ratings) were assessed in 80 drivers randomly assigned to drive a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox or Volvo XC60. The Chevrolet MyLink system allowed completing tasks with one voice command, while the Volvo Sensus required multiple commands to navigate the menu structure. When calling a phone contact, both voice systems reduced visual demand relative to the visual-manual interfaces, with reductions for drivers in the Equinox being greater. The Equinox 'one-shot' voice command showed advantages during contact calling but had significantly higher error rates than Sensus during destination address entry. For both secondary tasks, neither voice interface entirely eliminated visual demand. Practitioner Summary: The findings reinforce the observation that most, if not all, automotive auditory-vocal interfaces are multi-modal interfaces in which the full range of potential demands (auditory, vocal, visual, manipulative, cognitive, tactile, etc.) need to be considered in developing optimal implementations and evaluating drivers' interaction with the systems. Social Media: In-vehicle voice-interfaces can reduce visual demand but do not eliminate it and all types of demand need to be taken into account in a comprehensive evaluation.

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention in a coping-focused intervention for hearing voices (SAVVy): study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Bell, Imogen H; Fielding-Smith, Sarah F; Hayward, Mark; Rossell, Susan L; Lim, Michelle H; Farhall, John; Thomas, Neil

2018-05-02

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention (EMA/I) show promise for enhancing psychological treatments for psychosis. EMA has the potential to improve assessment and formulation of experiences which fluctuate day-to-day, and EMI may be used to prompt use of therapeutic strategies in daily life. The current study is an examination of these capabilities in the context of a brief, coping-focused intervention for distressing voice hearing experiences. This is a rater-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial comparing a four-session intervention in conjunction with use of smartphone EMA/I between sessions, versus treatment-as-usual. The recruitment target is 34 participants with persisting and distressing voice hearing experiences, recruited through a Voices Clinic based in Melbourne, Australia, and via wider advertising. Allocation will be made using minimisation procedure, balancing of the frequency of voices between groups. Assessments are completed at baseline and 8 weeks post-baseline. The primary outcomes of this trial will focus on feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and trial methodology, with secondary outcomes examining preliminary clinical effects related to overall voice severity, the emotional and functional impact of the voices, and emotional distress. This study offers a highly novel examination of specific smartphone capabilities and their integration with traditional psychological treatment for distressing voices. Such technology has potential to enhance psychological interventions and promote adaptation to distressing experiences. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12617000348358 . Registered on 7 March 2017.

Multi-modal assessment of on-road demand of voice and manual phone calling and voice navigation entry across two embedded vehicle systems

PubMed Central

Mehler, Bruce; Kidd, David; Reimer, Bryan; Reagan, Ian; Dobres, Jonathan; McCartt, Anne

2016-01-01

Abstract One purpose of integrating voice interfaces into embedded vehicle systems is to reduce drivers’ visual and manual distractions with ‘infotainment’ technologies. However, there is scant research on actual benefits in production vehicles or how different interface designs affect attentional demands. Driving performance, visual engagement, and indices of workload (heart rate, skin conductance, subjective ratings) were assessed in 80 drivers randomly assigned to drive a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox or Volvo XC60. The Chevrolet MyLink system allowed completing tasks with one voice command, while the Volvo Sensus required multiple commands to navigate the menu structure. When calling a phone contact, both voice systems reduced visual demand relative to the visual–manual interfaces, with reductions for drivers in the Equinox being greater. The Equinox ‘one-shot’ voice command showed advantages during contact calling but had significantly higher error rates than Sensus during destination address entry. For both secondary tasks, neither voice interface entirely eliminated visual demand. Practitioner Summary: The findings reinforce the observation that most, if not all, automotive auditory–vocal interfaces are multi-modal interfaces in which the full range of potential demands (auditory, vocal, visual, manipulative, cognitive, tactile, etc.) need to be considered in developing optimal implementations and evaluating drivers’ interaction with the systems. Social Media: In-vehicle voice-interfaces can reduce visual demand but do not eliminate it and all types of demand need to be taken into account in a comprehensive evaluation. PMID:26269281

Restoration of voice function by using biological feedback in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choinzonov, E. L.; Balatskaya, L. N.; Chizhevskaya, S. Yu.; Meshcheryakov, R. V.; Kostyuchenko, E. Yu.; Ivanova, T. A.

2016-08-01

The aim of the research is to develop and introduce a new technique of post-laryngectomy voice rehabilitation of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients. The study involves comparing and analyzing 82 cases of voice function restoration by using biological feedback based on mathematical modeling of voice production. The advantage of the modern technology-based method in comparison with the conventional one is proved. Restoration of voice function using biofeedback allows taking into account patient's abilities, adjusting parameters of voice trainings, and controlling their efficiency in real-time mode. The data obtained indicate that the new method contributes to the rapid inclusion of self-regulation mechanisms of the body and results in the overall success rate of voice rehabilitation in totally laryngectomized patients reaching 92%, which reduces the rehabilitation period to 18 days, compared to 86% and 38 days in the control group, respectively. Restoration of disturbed functions after successful treatment is an important task of rehabilitation and is crucial in terms of the quality of cancer patients' lives. To assess life quality of laryngeal cancer patients, the EORTC Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), and head and neck module (QLQ-H&N35) were used. The analyzed results proved that the technique of biofeedback voice restoration significantly improves the quality of life of laryngectomized patients. It allows reducing the number of disabled people, restoring patients' ability to work-related activities, and significantly improving social adaptation of these patients.

Infant face interest is associated with voice information and maternal psychological health.

PubMed

Taylor, Gemma; Slade, Pauline; Herbert, Jane S

2014-11-01

Early infant interest in their mother's face is driven by an experience based face processing system, and is associated with maternal psychological health, even within a non clinical community sample. The present study examined the role of the voice in eliciting infants' interest in mother and stranger faces and in the association between infant face interest and maternal psychological health. Infants aged 3.5-months were shown photographs of their mother's and a stranger's face paired with an audio recording of their mother's and a stranger's voice that was either matched (e.g., mother's face and voice) or mismatched (e.g., mother's face and stranger's voice). Infants spent more time attending to the stranger's matched face and voice than the mother's matched face and voice and the mismatched faces and voices. Thus, infants demonstrated an earlier preference for a stranger's face when given voice information than when the face is presented alone. In the present sample, maternal psychological health varied with 56.7% of mothers reporting mild mood symptoms (depression, anxiety or stress response to childbirth). Infants of mothers with significant mild maternal mood symptoms looked longer at the faces and voices compared to infants of mothers who did not report mild maternal mood symptoms. In sum, infants' experience based face processing system is sensitive to their mothers' maternal psychological health and the multimodal nature of faces. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crossmodal plasticity in the fusiform gyrus of late blind individuals during voice recognition.

PubMed

Hölig, Cordula; Föcker, Julia; Best, Anna; Röder, Brigitte; Büchel, Christian

2014-12-01

Blind individuals are trained in identifying other people through voices. In congenitally blind adults the anterior fusiform gyrus has been shown to be active during voice recognition. Such crossmodal changes have been associated with a superiority of blind adults in voice perception. The key question of the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was whether visual deprivation that occurs in adulthood is followed by similar adaptive changes of the voice identification system. Late blind individuals and matched sighted participants were tested in a priming paradigm, in which two voice stimuli were subsequently presented. The prime (S1) and the target (S2) were either from the same speaker (person-congruent voices) or from two different speakers (person-incongruent voices). Participants had to classify the S2 as either coming from an old or a young person. Only in late blind but not in matched sighted controls, the activation in the anterior fusiform gyrus was modulated by voice identity: late blind volunteers showed an increase of the BOLD signal in response to person-incongruent compared with person-congruent trials. These results suggest that the fusiform gyrus adapts to input of a new modality even in the mature brain and thus demonstrate an adult type of crossmodal plasticity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brain systems mediating voice identity processing in blind humans.

PubMed

Hölig, Cordula; Föcker, Julia; Best, Anna; Röder, Brigitte; Büchel, Christian

2014-09-01

Blind people rely more on vocal cues when they recognize a person's identity than sighted people. Indeed, a number of studies have reported better voice recognition skills in blind than in sighted adults. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging study investigated changes in the functional organization of neural systems involved in voice identity processing following congenital blindness. A group of congenitally blind individuals and matched sighted control participants were tested in a priming paradigm, in which two voice stimuli (S1, S2) were subsequently presented. The prime (S1) and the target (S2) were either from the same speaker (person-congruent voices) or from two different speakers (person-incongruent voices). Participants had to classify the S2 as either a old or a young person. Person-incongruent voices (S2) compared with person-congruent voices elicited an increased activation in the right anterior fusiform gyrus in congenitally blind individuals but not in matched sighted control participants. In contrast, only matched sighted controls showed a higher activation in response to person-incongruent compared with person-congruent voices (S2) in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus. These results provide evidence for crossmodal plastic changes of the person identification system in the brain after visual deprivation. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of air transportation technology at Princeton University, 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stengel, Robert F.

1987-01-01

Progress is discussed for each of the following areas: voice recognition technology for flight control; guidance and control strategies for penetration of microbursts and wind shear; application of artificial intelligence in flight control systems; and computer-aided aircraft design.

Federal Barriers to Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Raegen; Lake, Robin

2012-01-01

With educational outcomes inadequate, resources tight, and students' academic needs growing more complex, America's education system is certainly ready for technological innovation. And technology itself is ripe to be exploited. Devices harnessing cheap computing power have become smart and connected. Voice recognition, artificial intelligence,…

Guidelines for Technology Infrastructure in Connecticut Schools: An Implementation Guide for the Connecticut Statewide Educational Technology Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Educational Leadership and Technology, Inc., Marlborough, MA.

This document presents guidelines and recommendations for development of a technology infrastructure in Connecticut public schools that conforms to national industry standards for voice, video, and data communications. The guidelines present information on the state statutes regarding facilities implementation and describe industry standards.…

Effect of Technological Changes in Information Transfer on the Delivery of Pharmacy Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Kenneth N.; And Others

1989-01-01

Personal computer technology has arrived in health care. Specific technological advances are optical disc storage, smart cards, voice recognition, and robotics. This paper discusses computers in medicine, in nursing, in conglomerates, and with patients. Future health care will be delivered in primary care centers, medical supermarkets, specialized…

Patient-Driven Innovation for Mobile Mental Health Technology: Case Report of Symptom Tracking in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Torous, John; Roux, Spencer

2017-07-06

This patient perspective piece presents an important case at the intersection of mobile health technology, mental health, and innovation. The potential of digital technologies to advance mental health is well known, although the challenges are being increasingly recognized. Making mobile health work for mental health will require broad collaborations. We already know that those who experience mental illness are excited by the potential technology, with many actively engaged in research, fundraising, advocacy, and entrepreneurial ventures. But we don't always hear their voice as often as others. There is a clear advantage for their voice to be heard: so we can all learn from their experiences at the direct intersection of mental health and technology innovation. The case is cowritten with an individual with schizophrenia, who openly shares his name and personal experience with mental health technology in order to educate and inspire others. This paper is the first in JMIR Mental Health's patient perspective series, and we welcome future contributions from those with lived experience. ©John Torous, Spencer Roux. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 06.07.2017.

Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS) Utilization in Remote Payload Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Best, Susan; Bradford, Bob; Chamberlain, Jim; Nichols, Kelvin; Bailey, Darrell (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Due to limited crew availability to support science and the large number of experiments to be operated simultaneously, telescience is key to a successful International Space Station (ISS) science program. Crew, operations personnel at NASA centers, and researchers at universities and companies around the world must work closely together to perform scientific experiments on-board ISS. NASA has initiated use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to supplement the existing HVoDS mission voice communications system used by researchers. The Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS) connects researchers to mission support "loops" or conferences via Internet Protocol networks such as the high-speed Internet 2. Researchers use IVoDS software on personal computers to talk with operations personnel at NASA centers. IVoDS also has the capability, if authorized, to allow researchers to communicate with the ISS crew during experiment operations. NODS was developed by Marshall Space Flight Center with contractors A2 Technology, Inc. FVC, Lockheed- Martin, and VoIP Group. IVoDS is currently undergoing field-testing with full deployment for up to 50 simultaneous users expected in 2002. Research is currently being performed to take full advantage of the digital world - the Personal Computer and Internet Protocol networks - to qualitatively enhance communications among ISS operations personnel. In addition to the current voice capability, video and data-sharing capabilities are being investigated. Major obstacles being addressed include network bandwidth capacity and strict security requirements. Techniques being investigated to reduce and overcome these obstacles include emerging audio-video protocols and network technology including multicast and quality-of-service.

Treating voice disorders in the school-based setting: working within the framework of IDEA.

PubMed

Ruddy, Bari Hoffman; Sapienza, Christine M

2004-10-01

The role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) has developed considerably over the last 10 years given the medical and technological advances in lifesustaining procedures. Over time, children born with congenital, surgical, or "medically fragile" conditions hav become mainstreamed into regular school-based settings, thus extending the traditional role of the SLP and multidisciplinary team. Understanding the impact of these voice disorders on the child's educational performance has been a struggle for many clinicians because the eligibility decisions for students in school-based settings must be made within the framework of federal legislation and regulations governing the provision of services for students with disabilities. This article discusses how to identify children with voice disorders under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition, the role of the SLP in assigning priority in various voice management scenarios, and how models of therapy can be incorporated in the school-based setting.

Voices for Diversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Future Teacher, 1995

1995-01-01

Prominent Americans were asked to reflect on the diversity challenge facing America's teacher workforce. The following leaders from several fields voiced their support of teachers and their beliefs America needs more diverse and culturally responsive teachers: (1) Mary Hatwood Futrell, President of Education International; (2) Carol Moseley-Braun,…

Collaboration in K-12 Schools: Anywhere, Anytime, Any Way. A CoSN Emerging Technologies Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consortium for School Networking (NJ1), 2006

2006-01-01

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the country's premier voice in education technology leadership with a mission to serve as the national organization for K-12 technology leaders who use technology strategically to ultimately improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support and nurture leadership…

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Teaching Poetry: Preparing Preservice Teachers to Integrate Content with VoiceThread Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, David Lee; Archambault, Leanna

2013-01-01

Although there is a vast research base on the literacy practices of adolescents and the issues surrounding the integration of technology despite current widespread access to tools and the Internet (Cuban, 2003), very little has been completed on the attempts of teacher educators to integrate technology within a specific content area to prepare…

Making women's voices heard: technological change and women's employment in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ng Choon Sim, C

1999-01-01

This paper examines the 1994-96 UN University Institute for New Technologies policy research project on technological change and women's employment in Asia. The project was conducted to provide a voice for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) representing women workers. It focuses on the Malaysian experience in terms of the impact of technology on women's work and employment in the telecommunications and electronic industry. The results of the NGO research project revealed that the shift to a more intensive production has no uniform impact on women. Although new jobs were created, women employment status remains vulnerable. Meaning, female workers are afraid of the technological redundancy, casualization of labor, as well as health and safety hazards associated with new technology. A good example of the effect of industrialization to women¿s rights is the situation in Malaysia. Although cutting edge technology, combined with restructuring, has yielded some benefits in terms of a vastly expanded network and services, better performances and economies of scale, employment situation of the majority of women still remained in the low-skilled or semi-skilled categories. In order to upgrade women employment status along with the technological advancement, open communication and cooperation of all types is needed to ensure a successful outcome.

Initial Progress Toward Development of a Voice-Based Computer-Delivered Motivational Intervention for Heavy Drinking College Students: An Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Lechner, William J; MacGlashan, James; Wray, Tyler B; Littman, Michael L

2017-01-01

Background Computer-delivered interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption in heavy drinking college students. However, these computer-delivered interventions rely on mouse, keyboard, or touchscreen responses for interactions between the users and the computer-delivered intervention. The principles of motivational interviewing suggest that in-person interventions may be effective, in part, because they encourage individuals to think through and speak aloud their motivations for changing a health behavior, which current computer-delivered interventions do not allow. Objective The objective of this study was to take the initial steps toward development of a voice-based computer-delivered intervention that can ask open-ended questions and respond appropriately to users’ verbal responses, more closely mirroring a human-delivered motivational intervention. Methods We developed (1) a voice-based computer-delivered intervention that was run by a human controller and that allowed participants to speak their responses to scripted prompts delivered by speech generation software and (2) a text-based computer-delivered intervention that relied on the mouse, keyboard, and computer screen for all interactions. We randomized 60 heavy drinking college students to interact with the voice-based computer-delivered intervention and 30 to interact with the text-based computer-delivered intervention and compared their ratings of the systems as well as their motivation to change drinking and their drinking behavior at 1-month follow-up. Results Participants reported that the voice-based computer-delivered intervention engaged positively with them in the session and delivered content in a manner consistent with motivational interviewing principles. At 1-month follow-up, participants in the voice-based computer-delivered intervention condition reported significant decreases in quantity, frequency, and problems associated with drinking, and increased perceived importance of changing drinking behaviors. In comparison to the text-based computer-delivered intervention condition, those assigned to voice-based computer-delivered intervention reported significantly fewer alcohol-related problems at the 1-month follow-up (incident rate ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.83, P=.002). The conditions did not differ significantly on perceived importance of changing drinking or on measures of drinking quantity and frequency of heavy drinking. Conclusions Results indicate that it is feasible to construct a series of open-ended questions and a bank of responses and follow-up prompts that can be used in a future fully automated voice-based computer-delivered intervention that may mirror more closely human-delivered motivational interventions to reduce drinking. Such efforts will require using advanced speech recognition capabilities and machine-learning approaches to train a program to mirror the decisions made by human controllers in the voice-based computer-delivered intervention used in this study. In addition, future studies should examine enhancements that can increase the perceived warmth and empathy of voice-based computer-delivered intervention, possibly through greater personalization, improvements in the speech generation software, and embodying the computer-delivered intervention in a physical form. PMID:28659259

Accuracy and Speed of Response to Different Voice Types in a Cockpit Voice Warning System

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

military aircraft. Different levels of engine background noise, signal to noise ratio of the warning message, and precursor delivery formats were used. The...flight deck signals, the Society of Automotive Engineers stated that a unique, attention-getting sound (such as a chime, 4 etc.) together with voice...aircr,-ft wherein there is no flight engineer position" (cited in Thorburn, 1971, p. 3). The AFIAS letter cited several incidents in which the VWS had

Voice Controlled Wheelchair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Michael Condon, a quadraplegic from Pasadena, California, demonstrates the NASA-developed voice-controlled wheelchair and its manipulator, which can pick up packages, open doors, turn a TV knob, and perform a variety of other functions. A possible boon to paralyzed and other severely handicapped persons, the chair-manipulator system responds to 35 one-word voice commands, such as "go," "stop," "up," "down," "right," "left," "forward," "backward." The heart of the system is a voice-command analyzer which utilizes a minicomputer. Commands are taught I to the computer by the patient's repeating them a number of times; thereafter the analyzer recognizes commands only in the patient's particular speech pattern. The computer translates commands into electrical signals which activate appropriate motors and cause the desired motion of chair or manipulator. Based on teleoperator and robot technology for space-related programs, the voice-controlled system was developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the joint sponsorship of NASA and the Veterans Administration. The wheelchair-manipulator has been tested at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Downey, California, and is being evaluated at the VA Prosthetics Center in New York City.

Voice problems of group fitness instructors: diagnosis, treatment, perceived and experienced attitudes and expectations of the industry.

PubMed

Rumbach, Anna F

2013-11-01

To determine the anatomical and physiological nature of voice problems and their treatment in those group fitness instructors (GFIs) who have sought a medical diagnosis; the impact of voice disorders on quality of life and their contribution to activity limitations and participation restrictions; and the perceived attitudes and level of support from the industry at large in response to instructor's voice disorders and need for treatment. Prospective self-completion questionnaire design. Thirty-eight individuals (3 males and 35 females) currently active in the Australian fitness industry who had been diagnosed with a voice disorder completed an online self-completion questionnaire administered via SurveyMonkey. Laryngeal pathology included vocal fold nodules (N = 24), vocal fold cysts (N = 2), vocal fold hemorrhage (N = 1), and recurrent chronic laryngitis (N = 3). Eight individuals reported vocal strain and muscle tension dysphonia without concurrent vocal fold pathology. Treatment methods were variable, with 73.68% (N = 28) receiving voice therapy alone, 7.89% (N = 3) having voice therapy in combination with surgery, and 10.53% (N = 4) having voice therapy in conjunction with medication. Three individuals (7.89%) received no treatment for their voice disorder. During treatment, 82% of the cohort altered their teaching practices. Half of the cohort reported that their voice problems led to social withdrawal, decreased job satisfaction, and emotional distress. Greater than 65% also reported being dissatisfied with the level of industry and coworker support during the period of voice recovery. This study identifies that GFIs are susceptible to a number of voice disorders that impact their social and professional lives, and there is a need for more proactive training and advice on voice care for instructors, as well as those in management positions within the industry to address mixed approaches and opinions regarding the importance of voice care. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Environment Tied to Successful Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cash, Carol S.; And Others

1997-01-01

Technology available to schools includes a broad spectrum of voice, data and video equipment. Planners need to consider the following subsystems individually and collectively: (1) technology-based products; (2) communications and power distribution to support the equipment; and (3) ergonomics, lighting, acoustics, environmental controls, and…

Voices from Networked Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownlee-Conyers, Jean; Kraber, Brenda

1996-01-01

In 1994, the Glenview (Illinois) Public Schools created three technology-rich educational environments (TREEs) that use alternative teaching and learning methods through networked communication technologies. Each setting consists of three teachers and about 75 heterogeneously grouped students (ages 9-12) who work collaboratively to solve problems…

Wireless Technician

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tech Directions, 2011

2011-01-01

One of the hottest areas in technology is invisible. Wireless communications allow people to transmit voice messages, data, and other signals through the air without physically connecting senders to receivers with cables or wires. And the technology is spreading at lightning speed. Cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and wireless…

Barriers to disseminating brief CBT for voices from a lived experience and clinician perspective

PubMed Central

Hazell, Cassie M.; Strauss, Clara; Cavanagh, Kate

2017-01-01

Access to psychological therapies continues to be poor for people experiencing psychosis. To address this problem, researchers are developing brief interventions that address the specific symptoms associated with psychosis, i.e., hearing voices. As part of the development work for a brief Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) intervention for voices we collected qualitative data from people who hear voices (study 1) and clinicians (study 2) on the potential barriers and facilitators to implementation and engagement. Thematic analysis of the responses from both groups revealed a number of anticipated barriers to implementation and engagement. Both groups believed the presenting problem (voices and psychosis symptoms) may impede engagement. Furthermore clinicians identified a lack of resources to be a barrier to implementation. The only facilitator to engagement was reported by people who hear voices who believed a compassionate, experienced and trustworthy therapist would promote engagement. The results are discussed in relation to how these barriers could be addressed in the context of a brief intervention using CBT techniques. PMID:28575094

Mobility, Aspiration, Voice: A New Structure of Feeling for Student Equity in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellar, Sam; Gale, Trevor

2011-01-01

There is a changed "structure of feeling" emerging in higher education systems, particularly in OECD nations, in response to changed social, cultural and economic arrangements. Taking a student equity perspective, the paper names this change in terms of "mobility", "aspiration" and "voice". It argues that…

Response to Reidun Tangen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Ann

2008-01-01

Reidun Tangen begins by reviewing interest in children's "voice" (encompassing the consumer driven, rights based, etc). The main body of her paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of child voice in the research context and, in particular, various interpretations of "the subject" (i.e., the knower) and what it is that is known (i.e., the…

Technology: Technology and Common Sense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Horn, Royal

2004-01-01

The absence of common sense in the world of technology continues to amaze the author. Things that seem so logical to just aren nott for many people. The installation of Voice-over IP (VoIP, with IP standing for Internet Protocol) in many school districts is a good example. Schools have always had trouble with telephones. Many districts don't even…

Closing The Gender Gap Girls, Technological Fluency, And PBL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Diane

2004-01-01

Recently I read the book Ghosts in the Machine: Women?s Voices in Research with Technology, and I was drawn into thinking about the well-known gender gap in the use of technology. I hadn?t looked at gender in technology use very closely in several years because in my own research, I had observed that girls like to use the new multimedia tools just…

Coming Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villano, Matt

2007-01-01

In many ways, unified communications (UC) is the Holy Grail in the world of campus telecommunications; everybody wants it, yet the phrase means something different to everyone. "Campus Technology" (CT) tackled this subject in the recent webinar sponsored by Applied Voice & Speech Technologies (AVST), "Ten Steps for Building an Affordable, Reliable…

Microcomputers: Independence and Information Access for the Physically Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regen, Shari S.; Chen, Ching-chih

1984-01-01

Provides overview of recent technological developments in microcomputer technology for the physically disabled, including discussion of view expansion, "talking terminals," voice recognition, and price and convenience of micro-based products. Equipment manufacturers and training centers for the physically disabled are listed and microcomputer…

Treatment outcomes for professional voice users.

PubMed

Wingate, Judith M; Brown, William S; Shrivastav, Rahul; Davenport, Paul; Sapienza, Christine M

2007-07-01

Professional voice users comprise 25% to 35% of the U.S. working population. Their voice problems may interfere with job performance and impact costs for both employers and employees. The purpose of this study was to examine treatment outcomes of two specific rehabilitation programs for a group of professional voice users. Eighteen professional voice users participated in this study; half had complaints of throat pain or vocal fatigue (Dysphonia Group), and half were found to have benign vocal fold lesions (Lesion Group). One group received 5 weeks of expiratory muscle strength training followed by six sessions of traditional voice therapy. Treatment order was reversed for the second group. The study was designed as a repeated measures study with independent variables of treatment order, laryngeal diagnosis (lesion vs non-lesion), gender, and time. Dependent variables included maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), Voice Handicap Index (VHI) score, Vocal Rating Scale (VRS) score, Voice Effort Scale score, phonetogram measures, subglottal pressures, and acoustic and perceptual measures. Results showed significant improvements in MEP, VHI scores, and VRS scores, subglottal pressure for loud intensity, phonetogram area, and dynamic range. No significant difference was found between laryngeal diagnosis groups. A significant difference was not observed for treatment order. It was concluded that the combined treatment was responsible for the improvements observed. The results indicate that a combined modality treatment may be successful in the remediation of vocal problems for professional voice users.

Speech transport for packet telephony and voice over IP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Maurice R.

1999-11-01

Recent advances in packet switching, internetworking, and digital signal processing technologies have converged to allow realizable practical implementations of packet telephony systems. This paper provides a tutorial on transmission engineering for packet telephony covering the topics of speech coding/decoding, speech packetization, packet data network transport, and impairments which may negatively impact end-to-end system quality. Particular emphasis is placed upon Voice over Internet Protocol given the current popularity and ubiquity of IP transport.

Using Continuous Voice Recognition Technology as an Input Medium to the Naval Warfare Interactive Simulation System (NWISS).

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

Co ,u’arataor, Gr 7- / ’ . c ; / , caae.ic >ar. ’ ’# d:.i II ’ ..... .. . . .. .. . ... . , rV ABSTRACT A great d-al of research has been conducted an...9 2. Continuous Voice -%ecoait.ior, ....... 11 B. VERBEX 3000 SPEECH APPLiCATION DEVELOP !ENT SYSTEM! ( SPADS ...13 C . NAVAL IAR FARE INT7EACTI7E S:AIULATIC"N SYSTEM (NWISS) ....... .................. 14 D. PURPOSE .................... 16 1. A Past

Effects on vocal range and voice quality of singing voice training: the classically trained female voice.

PubMed

Pabon, Peter; Stallinga, Rob; Södersten, Maria; Ternström, Sten

2014-01-01

A longitudinal study was performed on the acoustical effects of singing voice training under a given study program, using the voice range profile (VRP). Pretraining and posttraining recordings were made of students who participated in a 3-year bachelor singing study program. A questionnaire that included questions on optimal range, register use, classification, vocal health and hygiene, mixing technique, and training goals was used to rate and categorize self-assessed voice changes. Based on the responses, a subgroup of 10 classically trained female voices was selected, which was homogeneous enough for effects of training to be identified. The VRP perimeter contour was analyzed for effects of voice training. Also, a mapping within the VRP of voice quality, as expressed by the crest factor, was used to indicate the register boundaries and to monitor the acoustical consequences of the newly learned vocal technique of "mixed voice." VRPs were averaged across subjects. Findings were compared with the self-assessed vocal changes. Pre/post comparison of the average VRPs showed, in the midrange, (1) a decrease in the VRP area that was associated with the loud chest voice, (2) a reduction of the crest factor values, and (3) a reduction of maximum sound pressure level values. The students' self-evaluations of the voice changes appeared in some cases to contradict the VRP findings. VRPs of individual voices were seen to change over the course of a singing education. These changes were manifest also in the average group. High-resolution computerized recording, complemented with an acoustic register marker, allows a meaningful assessment of some effects of training, on an individual basis and for groups that comprise singers of a specific genre. It is argued that this kind of investigation is possible only within a focused training program, given by a faculty who has agreed on the goals. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

EVA Radio DRATS 2011 Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swank, Aaron J.; Bakula, Casey J.

2012-01-01

In the Fall of 2011, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) participated in the Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) field experiments held near Flagstaff, Arizona. The objective of the DRATS outing is to provide analog mission testing of candidate technologies for space exploration, especially those technologies applicable to human exploration of extra- terrestrial rocky bodies. These activities are performed at locations with similarities to extra-terrestrial conditions. This report describes the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Dual-Band Radio Communication System which was demonstrated during the 2011 outing. The EVA radio system is designed to transport both voice and telemetry data through a mobile ad hoc wireless network and employs a dual-band radio configuration. Some key characteristics of this system include: 1. Dual-band radio configuration. 2. Intelligent switching between two different capability wireless networks. 3. Self-healing network. 4. Simultaneous data and voice communication.

Automatic Speech Acquisition and Recognition for Spacesuit Audio Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ye, Sherry

2015-01-01

NASA has a widely recognized but unmet need for novel human-machine interface technologies that can facilitate communication during astronaut extravehicular activities (EVAs), when loud noises and strong reverberations inside spacesuits make communication challenging. WeVoice, Inc., has developed a multichannel signal-processing method for speech acquisition in noisy and reverberant environments that enables automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology inside spacesuits. The technology reduces noise by exploiting differences between the statistical nature of signals (i.e., speech) and noise that exists in the spatial and temporal domains. As a result, ASR accuracy can be improved to the level at which crewmembers will find the speech interface useful. System components and features include beam forming/multichannel noise reduction, single-channel noise reduction, speech feature extraction, feature transformation and normalization, feature compression, and ASR decoding. Arithmetic complexity models were developed and will help designers of real-time ASR systems select proper tasks when confronted with constraints in computational resources. In Phase I of the project, WeVoice validated the technology. The company further refined the technology in Phase II and developed a prototype for testing and use by suited astronauts.

Voice tracking and spoken word recognition in the presence of other voices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litong-Palima, Marisciel; Violanda, Renante; Saloma, Caesar

2004-12-01

We study the human hearing process by modeling the hair cell as a thresholded Hopf bifurcator and compare our calculations with experimental results involving human subjects in two different multi-source listening tasks of voice tracking and spoken-word recognition. In the model, we observed noise suppression by destructive interference between noise sources which weakens the effective noise strength acting on the hair cell. Different success rate characteristics were observed for the two tasks. Hair cell performance at low threshold levels agree well with results from voice-tracking experiments while those of word-recognition experiments are consistent with a linear model of the hearing process. The ability of humans to track a target voice is robust against cross-talk interference unlike word-recognition performance which deteriorates quickly with the number of uncorrelated noise sources in the environment which is a response behavior that is associated with linear systems.

Utilization of Internet Protocol-Based Voice Systems in Remote Payload Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberlain, jim; Bradford, Bob; Best, Susan; Nichols, Kelvin

2002-01-01

Due to limited crew availability to support science and the large number of experiments to be operated simultaneously, telescience is key to a successful International Space Station (ISS) science program. Crew, operations personnel at NASA centers, and researchers at universities and companies around the world must work closely together to per orm scientific experiments on-board ISS. The deployment of reliable high-speed Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks promises to greatly enhance telescience capabilities. These networks are now being used to cost-effectively extend the reach of remote mission support systems. They reduce the need for dedicated leased lines and travel while improving distributed workgroup collaboration capabilities. NASA has initiated use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to supplement the existing mission voice communications system used by researchers at their remote sites. The Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS) connects remote researchers to mission support "loopsll or conferences via NASA networks and Internet 2. Researchers use NODS software on personal computers to talk with operations personnel at NASA centers. IVoDS also has the ;capability, if authorized, to allow researchers to communicate with the ISS crew during experiment operations. NODS was developed by Marshall Space Flight Center with contractors & Technology, First Virtual Communications, Lockheed-Martin, and VoIP Group. NODS is currently undergoing field-testing with full deployment for up to 50 simultaneous users expected in 2002. Research is being performed in parallel with IVoDS deployment for a next-generation system to qualitatively enhance communications among ISS operations personnel. In addition to the current voice capability, video and data/application-sharing capabilities are being investigated. IVoDS technology is also being considered for mission support systems for programs such as Space Launch Initiative and Homeland Defense.

Survey of Rural Information Infrastructure Technologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Kenneth C.; And Others

Communication and information technologies can reduce the barriers of distance and space that disadvantage rural areas. This report defines a set of distinct voice, computer, and video telecommunication services; describes several rural information applications that make use of these services; and surveys various wireline and wireless systems and…

The 10 Hottest Technologies in Telecom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flanagan, Patrick

1996-01-01

Synthesizes opinions of experts regarding technologies deemed most likely to enter the telecommunications mainstream by 1998, including: (1) the Java programming language; (2) voice- over frame relay; (3) virtual local area networks (LANs); (4) cable modems; (5) gigabit LANs; (6) Internet appliances; (7) personal satellite phones; (8) intranets;…

mHealth: Using Mobile Technology to Support Healthcare

PubMed Central

Okuboyejo, Senanu; Eyesan, Omatseyin

2014-01-01

Adherence to long-term therapy in outpatient setting is required to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Diabetes, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This paper presents a mobile technology-based medical alert system for outpatient adherence in Nigeria. The system makes use of the SMS and voice features of mobile phones. The system has the potential of improving adherence to medication in outpatient setting by reminding patients of dosing schedules and attendance to scheduled appointments through SMS and voice calls. It will also inform patients of benefits and risks associated with adherence. Interventions aimed at improving adherence would provide significant positive return on investment through primary prevention (of risk factors) and secondary prevention of adverse health outcomes. PMID:24678384

Systems concept for speech technology application in general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, R. A.; Bergeron, H.

1984-01-01

The application potential of voice recognition and synthesis circuits for general aviation, single-pilot IFR (SPIFR) situations is examined. The viewpoint of the pilot was central to workload analyses and assessment of the effectiveness of the voice systems. A twin-engine, high performance general aviation aircraft on a cross-country fixed route was employed as the study model. No actual control movements were considered and other possible functions were scored by three IFR-rated instructors. The SPIFR was concluded helpful in alleviating visual and manual workloads during take-off, approach and landing, particularly for data retrieval and entry tasks. Voice synthesis was an aid in alerting a pilot to in-flight problems. It is expected that usable systems will be available within 5 yr.

Unilateral versus bilateral thyroarytenoid Botulinum toxin injections in adductor spasmodic dysphonia: a prospective study

PubMed Central

Upile, Tahwinder; Elmiyeh, Behrad; Jerjes, Waseem; Prasad, Vyas; Kafas, Panagiotis; Abiola, Jesuloba; Youl, Bryan; Epstein, Ruth; Hopper, Colin; Sudhoff, Holger; Rubin, John

2009-01-01

Objectives In this preliminary prospective study, we compared unilateral and bilateral thyroarytenoid muscle injections of Botulinum toxin (Dysport) in 31 patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia, who had undergone more than 5 consecutive Dysport injections (either unilateral or bilateral) and had completed 5 concomitant self-rated efficacy and complication scores questionnaires related to the previous injections. We also developed a Neurophysiological Scoring (NPS) system which has utility in the treatment administration. Method and materials Data were gathered prospectively on voice improvement (self-rated 6 point scale), length of response and duration of complications (breathiness, cough, dysphagia and total voice loss). Injections were performed under electromyography (EMG) guidance. NPS scale was used to describe the EMG response. Dose and unilateral/bilateral injections were determined by clinical judgment based on previous response. Time intervals between injections were patient driven. Results Low dose unilateral Dysport injection was associated with no significant difference in the patient's outcome in terms of duration of action, voice score (VS) and complication rate when compared to bilateral injections. Unilateral injections were not associated with any post treatment total voice loss unlike the bilateral injections. Conclusion Unilateral low dose Dysport injections are recommended in the treatment of adductor spasmodic dysphonia. PMID:19852852

The effects of voice and manual control mode on dual task performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wickens, C. D.; Zenyuh, J.; Culp, V.; Marshak, W.

1986-01-01

Two fundamental principles of human performance, compatibility and resource competition, are combined with two structural dichotomies in the human information processing system, manual versus voice output, and left versus right cerebral hemisphere, in order to predict the optimum combination of voice and manual control with either hand, for time-sharing performance of a dicrete and continuous task. Eight right handed male subjected performed a discrete first-order tracking task, time-shared with an auditorily presented Sternberg Memory Search Task. Each task could be controlled by voice, or by the left or right hand, in all possible combinations except for a dual voice mode. When performance was analyzed in terms of a dual-task decrement from single task control conditions, the following variables influenced time-sharing efficiency in diminishing order of magnitude, (1) the modality of control, (discrete manual control of tracking was superior to discrete voice control of tracking and the converse was true with the memory search task), (2) response competition, (performance was degraded when both tasks were responded manually), (3) hemispheric competition, (performance degraded whenever two tasks were controlled by the left hemisphere) (i.e., voice or right handed control). The results confirm the value of predictive models invoice control implementation.

Initial Progress Toward Development of a Voice-Based Computer-Delivered Motivational Intervention for Heavy Drinking College Students: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Kahler, Christopher W; Lechner, William J; MacGlashan, James; Wray, Tyler B; Littman, Michael L

2017-06-28

Computer-delivered interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption in heavy drinking college students. However, these computer-delivered interventions rely on mouse, keyboard, or touchscreen responses for interactions between the users and the computer-delivered intervention. The principles of motivational interviewing suggest that in-person interventions may be effective, in part, because they encourage individuals to think through and speak aloud their motivations for changing a health behavior, which current computer-delivered interventions do not allow. The objective of this study was to take the initial steps toward development of a voice-based computer-delivered intervention that can ask open-ended questions and respond appropriately to users' verbal responses, more closely mirroring a human-delivered motivational intervention. We developed (1) a voice-based computer-delivered intervention that was run by a human controller and that allowed participants to speak their responses to scripted prompts delivered by speech generation software and (2) a text-based computer-delivered intervention that relied on the mouse, keyboard, and computer screen for all interactions. We randomized 60 heavy drinking college students to interact with the voice-based computer-delivered intervention and 30 to interact with the text-based computer-delivered intervention and compared their ratings of the systems as well as their motivation to change drinking and their drinking behavior at 1-month follow-up. Participants reported that the voice-based computer-delivered intervention engaged positively with them in the session and delivered content in a manner consistent with motivational interviewing principles. At 1-month follow-up, participants in the voice-based computer-delivered intervention condition reported significant decreases in quantity, frequency, and problems associated with drinking, and increased perceived importance of changing drinking behaviors. In comparison to the text-based computer-delivered intervention condition, those assigned to voice-based computer-delivered intervention reported significantly fewer alcohol-related problems at the 1-month follow-up (incident rate ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.83, P=.002). The conditions did not differ significantly on perceived importance of changing drinking or on measures of drinking quantity and frequency of heavy drinking. Results indicate that it is feasible to construct a series of open-ended questions and a bank of responses and follow-up prompts that can be used in a future fully automated voice-based computer-delivered intervention that may mirror more closely human-delivered motivational interventions to reduce drinking. Such efforts will require using advanced speech recognition capabilities and machine-learning approaches to train a program to mirror the decisions made by human controllers in the voice-based computer-delivered intervention used in this study. In addition, future studies should examine enhancements that can increase the perceived warmth and empathy of voice-based computer-delivered intervention, possibly through greater personalization, improvements in the speech generation software, and embodying the computer-delivered intervention in a physical form. ©Christopher W Kahler, William J Lechner, James MacGlashan, Tyler B Wray, Michael L Littman. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 28.06.2017.

Voice Biometrics as a Way to Self-service Password Reset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohgräfe, Bernd; Jacobi, Sebastian

Password resets are time consuming. Especially when urgent jobs need to be done, it is cumbersome to inform the user helpdesk, to identify oneself and then to wait for response. It is easy to enter a wrong password multiple times, which leads to the blocking of the application. Voice biometrics is an easy and secure way for individuals to reset their own password. Read more about how you can ease the burden of your user helpdesk and how voice biometric password resets benefit your expense situation without harming your security.

Autophonic Loudness of Singers in Simulated Room Acoustic Environments.

PubMed

Yadav, Manuj; Cabrera, Densil

2017-05-01

This paper aims to study the effect of room acoustics and phonemes on the perception of loudness of one's own voice (autophonic loudness) for a group of trained singers. For a set of five phonemes, 20 singers vocalized over several autophonic loudness ratios, while maintaining pitch constancy over extreme voice levels, within five simulated rooms. There were statistically significant differences in the slope of the autophonic loudness function (logarithm of autophonic loudness as a function of voice sound pressure level) for the five phonemes, with slopes ranging from 1.3 (/a:/) to 2.0 (/z/). There was no significant variation in the autophonic loudness function slopes with variations in room acoustics. The autophonic room response, which represents a systematic decrease in voice levels with increasing levels of room reflections, was also studied, with some evidence found in support. Overall, the average slope of the autophonic room response for the three corner vowels (/a:/, /i:/, and /u:/) was -1.4 for medium autophonic loudness. The findings relating to the slope of the autophonic loudness function are in agreement with the findings of previous studies where the sensorimotor mechanisms in regulating voice were shown to be more important in the perception of autophonic loudness than hearing of room acoustics. However, the role of room acoustics, in terms of the autophonic room response, is shown to be more complicated, requiring further inquiry. Overall, it is shown that autophonic loudness grows at more than twice the rate of loudness growth for sounds created outside the human body. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 2.98 - Director, Management Services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... management services; information technology services related to end user office automation, desktop computers, enterprise networking support, handheld devices and voice telecommunications; with authority to take actions...

7 CFR 2.98 - Director, Management Services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... management services; information technology services related to end user office automation, desktop computers, enterprise networking support, handheld devices and voice telecommunications; with authority to take actions...

7 CFR 2.98 - Director, Management Services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... management services; information technology services related to end user office automation, desktop computers, enterprise networking support, handheld devices and voice telecommunications; with authority to take actions...

The Enemy's Gospel: Deconstructing Exclusivity and Inventing Inclusivity through the Power of Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilder, Monika B.

2005-01-01

The problem of exclusivity figures large in education. How can we educate to deconstruct exclusivity and invent inclusivity? This article asserts that an unexamined veneration for the "objective" academic voice is at least partly responsible for the strong tendency to exclusivity, while suggesting that the subjective voice of storytelling can…

Sparking Passion: Engaging Student Voice through Project-Based Learning in Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Christy L.

2016-01-01

How do we confront entrenched educational practices in higher education that lead to student demotivation, poor retention, and low persistence? This article argues that project-based learning that situates student voice and capacity at the center of culturally-responsive curriculum has the potential to spark student passion for problem-solving…

View from the Shore: Toward an Indian Voice in 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barreiro, Jose

1990-01-01

Reviews plans in Spain and the Americas for observances of the 1992 Columbus Quincentenary. Reflects on Indian responses to these observances and resistance to the notion of America's "discovery." Includes testimonies from Indian voices: N. Scott Momaday, Suzan Shown Harjo, Beverly Singer, Ladonna Harris, Rayna Green, and Tim Coulter.…

Voice disorders and mental health in teachers: a cross-sectional nationwide study.

PubMed

Nerrière, Eléna; Vercambre, Marie-Noël; Gilbert, Fabien; Kovess-Masféty, Viviane

2009-10-02

Teachers, as professional voice users, are at particular risk of voice disorders. Among contributing factors, stress and psychological tension could play a role but epidemiological data on this problem are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence and cofactors of voice disorders among teachers in the French National Education system, with particular attention paid to the association between voice complaint and psychological status. The source data come from an epidemiological postal survey on physical and mental health conducted in a sample of 20,099 adults (in activity or retired) selected at random from the health plan records of the national education system. Overall response rate was 53%. Of the 10,288 respondents, 3,940 were teachers in activity currently giving classes to students. In the sample of those with complete data (n = 3,646), variables associated with voice disorders were investigated using logistic regression models. Studied variables referred to demographic characteristics, socio-professional environment, psychological distress, mental health disorders (DSM-IV), and sick leave. One in two female teachers reported voice disorders (50.0%) compared to one in four males (26.0%). Those who reported voice disorders presented higher level of psychological distress. Sex- and age-adjusted odds ratios [95% confidence interval] were respectively 1.8 [1.5-2.2] for major depressive episode, 1.7 [1.3-2.2] for general anxiety disorder, and 1.6 [1.2-2.2] for phobia. A significant association between voice disorders and sick leave was also demonstrated (1.5 [1.3-1.7]). Voice disorders were frequent among French teachers. Associations with psychiatric disorders suggest that a situation may exist which is more complex than simple mechanical failure. Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify the comorbidity between voice and psychological disorders.

Evaluation of Singing Vocal Health in Yakshagana Singers.

PubMed

Gunjawate, Dhanshree R; Aithal, Venkataraja U; Devadas, Usha; Guddattu, Vasudeva

2017-03-01

Yakshagana, a popular traditional folk art from Karnataka, India, includes singing and dancing. Yakshagana singer or Bhagavata plays an important role in singing and conducting the performance. The present study aims to assess the singing vocal health using Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10) in these singers and to compare between those who report voice problem and those who do not. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 26 Bhagavata using demographic questionnaire and SVHI-10 in the Kannada language. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data. Independent sample t test was used to compare the responses for demographic variables between the two groups of singers with and without voice problems. The difference in scores of SVHI-10 between the two groups was analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test. Of the Bhagavata, 38% reported to have experienced voice problems, which affected their singing, with higher total SVHI-10 score (31.2 ± 5.7) compared with those who did not report any problems (16.81 ± 9.56). A statistically significant difference between the groups was noted in the emotional domain and total scores. The present study provides preliminary information on the voice handicap reported by Bhagavata. The singers reporting voice problems scored higher on SVHI-10. A healthy singing voice is essential for Yakshagana singers, and voice problems can have a significant impact on their performance and livelihood. Hence, results of the present study indicate the need to understand these singers' voice problems and their impact more comprehensively, and educate them about voice care. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Text to Speech (TTS) Capabilities for the Common Driver Trainer (CDT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

harnessing in’leigle jalClpeno jocelyn linu ~ los angeles lottery margarine mathematlze mathematized mathematized meme memes memol...including Julie, Kate, and Paul . Based upon the names of the voices, it may be that the VoiceText capability is the technology being used currently on...DFTTSExportToFileEx(O, " Paul ", 1, 1033, "Testing the Digital Future Text-to-Speech SDK.", -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, DFTTS_ TEXT_ TYPE_ XML, "test.wav", 0, "", -1

Accessibility of Mobile Devices for Visually Impaired Users: An Evaluation of the Screen-Reader VoiceOver.

PubMed

Smaradottir, Berglind; Håland, Jarle; Martinez, Santiago

2017-01-01

A mobile device's touchscreen allows users to use a choreography of hand gestures to interact with the user interface. A screen reader on a mobile device is designed to support the interaction of visually disabled users while using gestures. This paper presents an evaluation of VoiceOver, a screen reader in Apple Inc. products. The evaluation was a part of the research project "Visually impaired users touching the screen - a user evaluation of assistive technology".

EHF (28/19 GHz) personal communications satellite terminal development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, Corey

1991-01-01

The concept of communicating on a personal basis using a small terminal has been investigated globally from many different applications and technology perspectives. Applications range from terrestrial handheld communicators for paging, cellular, zone voice/data networks, etc., to satellite terminals of pocket dimensions for voice/low speed data or similar terminals using larger antennas for VSAT, news gathering (30 cm), and video (1.2 m). A brief status of some developments in the satellite personal communications at CRC will be presented.

The Evolution and Impact of PCS Technology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

CTIA), June, 1994), p. 4. 44 Communication Daily, Vol. 14, No. 137, July 18, 1994, p.3. i45 FinTech Mobile Communications, June 16, 1994. 46 FCC...a palm-sized portable answering machine 3 which can receive and replay voice messages based on Voice Now service being developed I 47 FinTech Mobile...1994. 66 FinTech Mobile Communications, June 16, 1994. 67 Leslie Cauley, "U S West Inc., AirTouch Plan," Wall Street Journal, July 26, 1994. I II-10

New Technology/Assistive Technology and the Arts. Proceedings of the National Institute, July 29--August 1, 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Charles R., Ed.

This document is prefaced with a descriptive introduction to the "Access to the Arts Through Assistive Technology Project." The contents that follow are organized in 5 parts. Part 1 includes: "Introduction" (Betsy Foley), and "My Voice Has Wings" (Jeff Moyer). Part 2, "Major Addresses," presents: (1) "Welcome from the Wisconsin Department of…

More than a feeling: discrete emotions mediate the relationship between relative deprivation and reactions to workplace furloughs.

PubMed

Osborne, Danny; Smith, Heather J; Huo, Yuen J

2012-05-01

A key insight from investigations of individual relative deprivation (IRD) is that people can experience objective disadvantages differently. In this study, university faculty (N = 953) who reported greater IRD in response to a mandatory furlough (i.e., involuntary pay reductions) were more likely to (a) voice options designed to improve the university (voice), (b) consider leaving their job (exit), and (c) neglect their work responsibilities (neglect), but were (d) less likely to express loyalty to the university (loyalty). Consistent with the emotions literature, (a) anger mediated the relationship between IRD and voice, (b) fear between IRD and exit, (c) sadness between IRD and neglect, and (d) gratitude between IRD and loyalty. IRD was inversely associated with self-reported physical and mental health via these different emotional pathways. These results show how discrete emotions can explain responses to IRD and, in turn, contribute to organizational viability and the health of its members.

Teacher Perceptions of Technology and Learner Motivation in the Second Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Kenneth A.

2013-01-01

The problem that this dissertation investigated is the insufficient representation of teachers' voices in the discussion of motivational characteristics of second language learners in middle and high schools especially with consideration of instructional information and communication technologies. The purpose was to determine the nature of…

Redesigning Schools for 21st Century Technologies: A Middle School with the Power to Improve.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dam, Janet M.

1994-01-01

Describes the processes involved in redesigning and renovating Power Middle School (Michigan) for current and future educational technology, particularly for the media center. Topics discussed include planning; time management; wiring infrastructure; voice and video networks; teacher and student multimedia production rooms; and communications…

MUOS: Application in Naval Helicopter Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

increase in voice and data. capacity over legacy UFO systelllS. Leveraging current WCDMA technology used by cormnercial cellular companies, the MUOS...and data capacity over legacy UFO systems. Leveraging current WCDMA technology used by commercial cellular companies, the MUOS system will allow...17  1.  FLTSAT ..............................................................................................18  2.  UFO

Integrated Services Digital Networks: How It Can Be Used for Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saba, Farhad; Twitchell, David

1989-01-01

Describes Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN), which, combined with desktop workstations, will provide access to voice, text, and video telecommunications. Telecommunications technology is discussed, the use of desktop workstations to facilitate ISDN is described, and possible future uses of ISDN technology in distance education are…

Student Technology Rollouts in Higher Education: Lessons from DISCOVERe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delcore, Henry D.; Neufeld, Philip

2017-01-01

ICT rollouts are no longer discretionary: they have become a mandatory function of effective educational institutions. This study examines the rollout of tablet technology at a public, four-year university with particular attention to variations within the student population and the student voice. The research questions included: Do expectations…

Using SysML to model complex systems for security.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cano, Lester Arturo

2010-08-01

As security systems integrate more Information Technology the design of these systems has tended to become more complex. Some of the most difficult issues in designing Complex Security Systems (CSS) are: Capturing Requirements: Defining Hardware Interfaces: Defining Software Interfaces: Integrating Technologies: Radio Systems: Voice Over IP Systems: Situational Awareness Systems.

Web Surveys to Digital Movies: Technological Tools of the Trade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fetterman, David M.

2002-01-01

Highlights some of the technological tools used by educational researchers today, focusing on data collection related tools such as Web surveys, digital photography, voice recognition and transcription, file sharing and virtual office, videoconferencing on the Internet, instantaneous chat and chat rooms, reporting and dissemination, and digital…

Enhanced Living by Assessing Voice Pathology Using a Co-Occurrence Matrix

PubMed Central

Muhammad, Ghulam; Alhamid, Mohammed F.; Hossain, M. Shamim; Almogren, Ahmad S.; Vasilakos, Athanasios V.

2017-01-01

A large number of the population around the world suffers from various disabilities. Disabilities affect not only children but also adults of different professions. Smart technology can assist the disabled population and lead to a comfortable life in an enhanced living environment (ELE). In this paper, we propose an effective voice pathology assessment system that works in a smart home framework. The proposed system takes input from various sensors, and processes the acquired voice signals and electroglottography (EGG) signals. Co-occurrence matrices in different directions and neighborhoods from the spectrograms of these signals were obtained. Several features such as energy, entropy, contrast, and homogeneity from these matrices were calculated and fed into a Gaussian mixture model-based classifier. Experiments were performed with a publicly available database, namely, the Saarbrucken voice database. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system in light of its high accuracy and speed. The proposed system can be extended to assess other disabilities in an ELE. PMID:28146069

Enhanced Living by Assessing Voice Pathology Using a Co-Occurrence Matrix.

PubMed

Muhammad, Ghulam; Alhamid, Mohammed F; Hossain, M Shamim; Almogren, Ahmad S; Vasilakos, Athanasios V

2017-01-29

A large number of the population around the world suffers from various disabilities. Disabilities affect not only children but also adults of different professions. Smart technology can assist the disabled population and lead to a comfortable life in an enhanced living environment (ELE). In this paper, we propose an effective voice pathology assessment system that works in a smart home framework. The proposed system takes input from various sensors, and processes the acquired voice signals and electroglottography (EGG) signals. Co-occurrence matrices in different directions and neighborhoods from the spectrograms of these signals were obtained. Several features such as energy, entropy, contrast, and homogeneity from these matrices were calculated and fed into a Gaussian mixture model-based classifier. Experiments were performed with a publicly available database, namely, the Saarbrucken voice database. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system in light of its high accuracy and speed. The proposed system can be extended to assess other disabilities in an ELE.

Telehealth: voice therapy using telecommunications technology.

PubMed

Mashima, Pauline A; Birkmire-Peters, Deborah P; Syms, Mark J; Holtel, Michael R; Burgess, Lawrence P A; Peters, Leslie J

2003-11-01

Telehealth offers the potential to meet the needs of underserved populations in remote regions. The purpose of this study was a proof-of-concept to determine whether voice therapy can be delivered effectively remotely. Treatment outcomes were evaluated for a vocal rehabilitation protocol delivered under 2 conditions: with the patient and clinician interacting within the same room (conventional group) and with the patient and clinician in separate rooms, interacting in real time via a hard-wired video camera and monitor (video teleconference group). Seventy-two patients with voice disorders served as participants. Based on evaluation by otolaryngologists, 31 participants were diagnosed with vocal nodules, 29 were diagnosed with edema, 9 were diagnosed with unilateral vocal fold paralysis, and 3 presented with vocal hyperfunction with no laryngeal pathology. Fifty-one participants (71%) completed the vocal rehabilitation protocol. Outcome measures included perceptual judgments of voice quality, acoustic analyses of voice, patient satisfaction ratings, and fiber-optic laryngoscopy. There were no differences in outcome measures between the conventional group and the remote video teleconference group. Participants in both groups showed positive changes on all outcome measures after completing the vocal rehabilitation protocol. Reasons for participants discontinuing therapy prematurely provided support for the telehealth model of service delivery.

The Imperative of Solving Nurses' Usability Problems With Health Information Technology.

PubMed

Staggers, Nancy; Elias, Beth L; Makar, Ellen; Alexander, Gregory L

2018-04-01

Health information technology (IT) usability issues are a key concern for nurse executives and nurses. The aims of this study are to understand usability pain points faced by nurses regarding the use of health IT, identify their impact and importance, discuss responsibilities, and develop possible solutions to improve the health IT-user experience for nurses. Twenty-seven experts were interviewed including nursing leaders, informaticists, executives, engineers, researchers, and human factors experts across acute care, long-term care, and vendor settings. Semistructured questions guided the interviews, and content analysis was used to identify themes. Four themes emerged: 1) user experience pain points, 2) importance of the issues, 3) the responsibility gap, and 4) acting on usability issues. Nurses continue to endure significant health IT-usability issues that negatively impact patients, nurses, and healthcare organizations. Solutions include enhancing the voice of nursing at the national and local levels, creating a digital strategy for nursing, providing incentives to improve usability in health IT, and accelerating the understanding of nurses' work intended to inform and translate nurses' work into health IT design.

Reports of alcohol-related problems and alcohol dependence for demographic subgroups using interactive voice response versus telephone surveys: the 2005 US National Alcohol Survey.

PubMed

Midanik, Lorraine T; Greenfield, Thomas K

2010-07-01

Interactive voice response (IVR), a computer-based interviewing technique, can be used within a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) survey to increase privacy and the accuracy of reports of sensitive attitudes and behaviours. Previous research using the 2005 National Alcohol Survey indicated no overall significant differences between IVR and CATI responses to alcohol-related problems and alcohol dependence. To determine if this result holds for demographic subgroups that could respond differently to modes of data collection, this study compares the prevalence rates of lifetime and last-year alcohol-related problems by gender, ethnicity, age and income subgroups obtained by IVR versus continuous CATI interviewing. As part of the 2005 National Alcohol Survey, subsamples of English-speaking respondents were randomly assigned to an IVR group that received an embedded IVR module on alcohol-related problems (n = 450 lifetime drinkers) and a control group that were asked identical alcohol-related problem items using continuous CATI (n = 432 lifetime drinkers). Overall, there were few significant associations. Among lifetime drinkers, higher rates of legal problems were found for white and higher income respondents in the IVR group. For last-year drinkers, a higher percentage of indicators of alcohol dependence was found for Hispanic respondents and women respondents in the CATI group. Data on alcohol problems collected by CATI provide largely comparable results to those from an embedded IVR module. Thus, incorporation of IVR technology in a CATI interview does not appear strongly indicated even for several key subgroups.

Concept and implementation of the Globalstar mobile satellite system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schindall, Joel

1995-01-01

Globalstar is a satellite-based mobile communications system which provides quality wireless communications (voice and/or data) anywhere in the world except the polar regions. The Globalstar system concept is based upon technological advancements in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology and in cellular telephone technology, including the commercial application of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technologies. The Globalstar system uses elements of CDMA and Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), combined with satellite Multiple Beam Antenna (MBA) technology and advanced variable-rate vocoder technology to arrive at one of the most efficient modulation and multiple access systems ever proposed for a satellite communications system. The technology used in Globalstar includes the following techniques in obtaining high spectral efficiency and affordable cost per channel: (1) CDMA modulation with efficient power control; (2) high efficiency vocoder with voice activity factor; (3) spot beam antenna for increased gain and frequency reuse; (4) weighted satellite antenna gain for broad geographic coverage; (5) multisatellite user links (diversity) to enhance communications reliability; and (6) soft hand-off between beams and satellites. Initial launch is scheduled in 1997 and the system is scheduled to be operational in 1998. The Globalstar system utilizes frequencies in L-, S- and C-bands which have the potential to offer worldwide availability with authorization by the appropriate regulatory agencies.

A Comparison of Educator Dispositions to Student Responses on the Kentucky Student Voice Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitis, Julie D.

2017-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between teacher dispositions, grounded in Perceptual Psychology, and student results on the Kentucky Student Voice Survey (KSVS), a 25-question survey adapted from Cambridge Education's Tripod survey. A correlation was found between teacher dispositions and KSVS question…

Ubiquitous Discussion Forum: Introducing Mobile Phones and Voice Discussion into a Web Discussion Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Fu-Hsiang; Chen, Gwo-Dong; Wang, Chin-Yeh; Li, Liang-Yi

2007-01-01

Web-based discussion forums enable users to share knowledge in straightforward and popular platforms. However, discussion forums have several problems, such as the lack of immediate delivery and response, the heavily text-based medium, inability to hear expressions of voice and the heuristically created discussion topics which can impede the…

Doing the "Work of Hearing": Girls' Voices in Transnational Educational Development Campaigns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoja-Moolji, Shenila

2016-01-01

There is an increasing focus in transnational campaigns for girls' education and empowerment on highlighting the voices of girls from the global south. These moves are made in response to feminist critiques of said campaigns for not attending to the diverse, multiple and complex lived experiences of girls. This article engages in theorising these…

Advanced voice function assessment: editorial introduction to this special issue.

PubMed

Barney, Anna; Kob, Malte

2015-04-01

ICT COST Action 2103 was an EU-funded collaborative network of speech processing engineers, laryngologists, and phoniatricians that started on 19 December 2006 and ended on 18 June 2011. The main objectives were to improve the clinical assessment of voice using new technologies; to encourage clinicians and technologists to work closely together to understand the needs and limitations of each other's fields and, in parallel, to acquire new data with a view to elaborating better voice production models. The papers in this special issue represent some of the outcomes of that partnership. This editorial introduces the background and context for COST Action 2103 and each of the papers. In conclusion we discuss the impact of the Action and what aspects of it may have a lasting effect on practice.

A modulatory effect of male voice pitch on long-term memory in women: evidence of adaptation for mate choice?

PubMed

Smith, David S; Jones, Benedict C; Feinberg, David R; Allan, Kevin

2012-01-01

From a functionalist perspective, human memory should be attuned to information of adaptive value for one's survival and reproductive fitness. While evidence of sensitivity to survival-related information is growing, specific links between memory and information that could impact upon reproductive fitness have remained elusive. Here, in two experiments, we showed that memory in women is sensitive to male voice pitch, a sexually dimorphic cue important for mate choice because it not only serves as an indicator of genetic quality, but may also signal behavioural traits undesirable in a long-term partner. In Experiment 1, we report that women's visual object memory is significantly enhanced when an object's name is spoken during encoding in a masculinised (i.e., lower-pitch) versus feminised (i.e., higher-pitch) male voice, but that no analogous effect occurs when women listen to other women's voices. Experiment 2 replicated this pattern of results, additionally showing that lowering and raising male voice pitch enhanced and impaired women's memory, respectively, relative to a baseline (i.e., unmanipulated) voice condition. The modulatory effect of sexual dimorphism cues in the male voice may reveal a mate-choice adaptation within women's memory, sculpted by evolution in response to the dilemma posed by the double-edged qualities of male masculinity.

WMD first response: requirements, emerging technologies, and policy implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vergino, E S; Hoehn, W E

2000-06-19

In the US today, efforts are underway to defend against the possible terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against US cities. These efforts include the development and adaptation of technologies to support prevention and detection, to defend against a possible attack, and, if these fail, to provide both mitigation responses and attribution for a WMD incident. Technologies under development span a range of systems, from early detection and identification of an agent or explosive, to diagnostic and systems analysis tools; and to forensic analysis for law enforcement. Also, many techniques and tools that have been developed for othermore » applications are being examined to determine whether, with some modification, they could be of use by the emergency preparedness, public health, and law enforcement communities. However, anecdotal evidence suggests the existence of a serious disconnect between the technology development communities and these user communities. This disconnect arises because funding for technology development is derived primarily from sources (principally federal agencies) distant from the emergency response communities, which are predominantly state, county, or local entities. Moreover, the first responders with whom we have worked candidly admit that their jurisdictions have been given, or have purchased for them, a variety of technological devices, typically without consulting the emergency responders about their utility. In private discussions, emergency responders derisively refer to these as a closet full of useless toys. Technology developers have many new and relevant technologies currently in the development pipeline, but most have not been adequately vetted against the field needs or validated for field use. The Center for Global Security Research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently sponsored a two-day workshop to bring together some 50 representatives of the emergency response, technology development, and policy communities. Participating in this workshop were first responders (representing law enforcement, public health, and emergency response personnel from Los Angeles County, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and London, England), technology developers from US government laboratories and universities, and policymakers from both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. The workshop had several objectives. First, we wanted the emergency responders to define the utility of various technologies and tools currently available for first response to a WMD event. Second, we expected the workshop to provide input to the technologists directly from the field users, regarding their special requirements for, and constraints on the use of, new emergency response technologies. Third, we planned to expose the first responders to the types of new technologies under development and allow them the opportunity to ask questions and voice their needs. Finally, we planned to provide recommendations to policymakers for new directions for development and investment of technology.« less

Damping effects of magnetic fluids of various saturation magnetization (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chagnon, Mark

1990-05-01

Magnetic fluids have been widely accepted for use in loudspeaker voice coil gaps as viscous dampers and liquid coolants. When applied properly to a voice coil in manufacturing of the loudspeaker, dramatic improvement in frequency response and power handling is observed. Over the past decade, a great deal of study has been given to the effects of damping as a function of fluid viscosity. It is known that the apparent viscosity of a magnetic fluid increases as a function of applied magnetic field, and that the viscosity versus field relationship approximate that of the magnetization versus applied field. At applied magnetic field strength sufficient to cause magnetic saturation of the fluid, no further increase in viscosity with increased magnetic field is observed. In order to provide a better understanding of the second order magnetoviscous damping effects in magnetic fluids used in voice coils and to provide a better loudspeaker design criterion using magnetic fluids, we have studied the effect on damping of several magnetic fluids of the same O field viscosity and of varying saturation magnetization. Magnetic fluids with saturation magnetization ranging from 50 to 450 G and 100 cps viscosity at O applied field were injected into the voice coil gap of a standard midrange loudspeaker. The frequency response over the entire dynamic range of the speaker was measured. The changes in frequency response versus fluid magnetization are reported.

Taking a Giant Step into Our Technological Future. A Talk with Diana Oshiro.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speidel, Gisela E.

1995-01-01

Diana Oshiro, Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Information and Telecommunications Services, Hawaii State Department of Education, supervises voice, data, video, and information systems serving the department. This article presents an interview in which she discusses the importance of technology in education and describes the need for…

Computer Technology and Academic Skill Training for Improving Disabled Students' Academic Performance: Applications and Limitations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severs, Mary K.

The Educational Center for Disabled Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is designed to improve the academic performance and attitudes toward success of disabled students through computer technology and academic skills training. Adaptive equipment interventions take into account keyboard access and screen and voice output. Non-adaptive…

We'll Take It from Here: Further Developments We'd Like To See in Virtual Reference Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffman, Steven

2001-01-01

Discussion of virtual reference services focuses on software that is currently available and further developments that are needed. Topics include co-browsing and collaboration capabilities; communications technology, including chat technology and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP); networked reference services; and online reference collections…

Telecommunications/Networking. Course Four. Information Systems Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Sharon Lund; Everett, Donna R.

This course is the fourth of seven in the Information Systems curriculum. The purpose of the course is to review data, text, graphics, and voice communications technology. It includes an overview of telecommunications technology. An overview of the course sets forth the condition and performance standard for each of the five task areas in the…

Schools and Software: What's Now and What's Next

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeland, Julia; Hernandez, Alex

2014-01-01

What software tools do school systems actually want? Demand-side analyses typically reflect the loudest voices in the market that companies are eager to please--in the case of education technology, the largest urban districts with the largest technology budgets. But half of the nation's 48 million public school students attend approximately 3,700…

Middle Years Science Teachers Voice Their First Experiences with Interactive Whiteboard Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadbois, Shannon A.; Haverstock, Nicole

2012-01-01

Among new technologies, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) particularly seem to engage students and offer entertainment value that may make them highly beneficial for learning. This study examined 10 Grade 6 teachers' initial experiences and uses of IWBs for teaching science. Through interviews, classroom visits, and field notes, the outcomes…

Children's Voices: Perspectives on Using Assistive Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schock, Robin E.; Lee, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

Rarely are the views of children with learning disabilities elicited. In this study, we used focus groups involving eight students with learning disabilities to explore their self-perceptions as learners and writers using assistive technology (AT). Three groups of two to three Grade 4-8 students and their parents participated in the qualitative…

Integration of Voice, Data and Image as a Factor in Information Planning. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehan, Bernard S.; McMinn, William B.

Technological advances in computers and telecommunications that have significantly changed higher education are analyzed within a framework that associates technologies, applications, and aspects of institutions that are affected. Two further frameworks, one for information systems suggested by decision support systems study and one which is a map…

Learning with Portable Digital Devices in Australian Schools: 20 Years On!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newhouse, C. Paul

2014-01-01

Portable computing technologies such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, wireless networking, voice/stylus input, and plug and play peripheral devices, appear to offer the means of finally realising much of the long heralded vision for computers to support learning in schools. There is the possibility for the technology to finally become a…

Teacher Perspectives on Technology Integration Professional Development: Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Monty; Dexter, Sara

2018-01-01

This mixed-methods study examined the technology integration learning activities of four teachers throughout one year using weekly quantitative surveys and a series of three qualitative individual interviews. Through the teachers' own voices an illustration of their learning processes is presented, and the gap between what is supported by their…

ICT & Learning in Chilean Schools: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Jaime; Salinas, Alvaro

2008-01-01

By the early nineties a Chilean network on computers and education for public schools had emerged. There were both high expectancies that technology could revolutionize education as well as divergent voices that doubted the real impact of technology on learning. This paper presents an evaluation of the Enlaces network, a national Information and…

Lessons from New Zealand: Developing Student Voices with Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charles, Mike; Burt, Dorothy; Williams, Mia Kim

2011-01-01

Thirteen members of ISTE's Special Interest Group for Teacher Educators (SIGTE) traveled to Auckland, Rotorua, and Christchurch to visit seven schools and present and attend the Learning@School 2010 conference as part of a travel tour last February. This second installment about their trip features ways they saw technology used in New Zealand to…

Fancy Walkie Talkies, Star Trek Communicators or Roving Reference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsyth, Ellen

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the customer service and library staff benefits of using Vocera badges (www.vocera.com), a portable wireless technology (WiFi), to facilitate roving reference service. Use of portable voice communication devices allows help to be taken to the people and away from service desks. These communication technologies allow library…

Introduction and comparison of next-generation mobile wireless technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaidi, Syed R.; Hussain, Shahab; Ali, M. A.; Sana, Ajaz; Saddawi, Samir; Carranza, Aparicio

2010-01-01

Mobile networks and services have gone further than voice-only communication services and are rapidly developing towards data-centric services. Emerging mobile data services are expected to see the same explosive growth in demand that Internet and wireless voice services have seen in recent years. To support such a rapid increase in traffic, active users, and advanced multimedia services implied by this growth rate along with the diverse quality of service (QoS) and rate requirements set by these services, mobile operator need to rapidly transition to a simple and cost-effective, flat, all IP-network. This has accelerated the development and deployment of new wireless broadband access technologies including fourth-generation (4G) mobile WiMAX and cellular Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Mobile WiMAX and LTE are two different (but not necessarily competing) technologies that will eventually be used to achieve data speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Speeds that are fast enough to potentially replace wired broadband connections with wireless. This paper introduces both of these next generation technologies and then compares them in the end.

A 4.8 kbps code-excited linear predictive coder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tremain, Thomas E.; Campbell, Joseph P., Jr.; Welch, Vanoy C.

1988-01-01

A secure voice system STU-3 capable of providing end-to-end secure voice communications (1984) was developed. The terminal for the new system will be built around the standard LPC-10 voice processor algorithm. The performance of the present STU-3 processor is considered to be good, its response to nonspeech sounds such as whistles, coughs and impulse-like noises may not be completely acceptable. Speech in noisy environments also causes problems with the LPC-10 voice algorithm. In addition, there is always a demand for something better. It is hoped that LPC-10's 2.4 kbps voice performance will be complemented with a very high quality speech coder operating at a higher data rate. This new coder is one of a number of candidate algorithms being considered for an upgraded version of the STU-3 in late 1989. The problems of designing a code-excited linear predictive (CELP) coder to provide very high quality speech at a 4.8 kbps data rate that can be implemented on today's hardware are considered.

The Neighborhood Voice: evaluating a mobile research vehicle for recruiting African Americans to participate in cancer control studies.

PubMed

Alcaraz, Kassandra I; Weaver, Nancy L; Andresen, Elena M; Christopher, Kara; Kreuter, Matthew W

2011-09-01

The Neighborhood Voice is a vehicle customized for conducting health research in community settings. It brings research studies into neighborhoods affected most by health disparities and reaches groups often underrepresented in research samples. This paper reports on the experience and satisfaction of 599 African American women who participated in research on board the Neighborhood Voice. Using bivariate, psychometric, and logistic regression analyses, we examined responses to a brief post-research survey. Most women (71%) reported that they had never previously participated in research, and two-thirds (68%) rated their Neighborhood Voice experience as excellent. Satisfaction scores were highest among first-time research participants (p < .05). Women's ratings of the Neighborhood Voice on Comfort (OR = 4.9; 95% CI = 3.0, 7.9) and Convenience (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.2, 2.9) significantly predicted having an excellent experience. Mobile research facilities may increase participation among disadvantaged and minority populations. Our brief survey instrument is a model for evaluating such outreach.

Processing of speech signals for physical and sensory disabilities.

PubMed Central

Levitt, H

1995-01-01

Assistive technology involving voice communication is used primarily by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech and/or language disabilities. It is also used to a lesser extent by people with visual or motor disabilities. A very wide range of devices has been developed for people with hearing loss. These devices can be categorized not only by the modality of stimulation [i.e., auditory, visual, tactile, or direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve (auditory-neural)] but also in terms of the degree of speech processing that is used. At least four such categories can be distinguished: assistive devices (a) that are not designed specifically for speech, (b) that take the average characteristics of speech into account, (c) that process articulatory or phonetic characteristics of speech, and (d) that embody some degree of automatic speech recognition. Assistive devices for people with speech and/or language disabilities typically involve some form of speech synthesis or symbol generation for severe forms of language disability. Speech synthesis is also used in text-to-speech systems for sightless persons. Other applications of assistive technology involving voice communication include voice control of wheelchairs and other devices for people with mobility disabilities. Images Fig. 4 PMID:7479816

Processing of Speech Signals for Physical and Sensory Disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levitt, Harry

1995-10-01

Assistive technology involving voice communication is used primarily by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech and/or language disabilities. It is also used to a lesser extent by people with visual or motor disabilities. A very wide range of devices has been developed for people with hearing loss. These devices can be categorized not only by the modality of stimulation [i.e., auditory, visual, tactile, or direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve (auditory-neural)] but also in terms of the degree of speech processing that is used. At least four such categories can be distinguished: assistive devices (a) that are not designed specifically for speech, (b) that take the average characteristics of speech into account, (c) that process articulatory or phonetic characteristics of speech, and (d) that embody some degree of automatic speech recognition. Assistive devices for people with speech and/or language disabilities typically involve some form of speech synthesis or symbol generation for severe forms of language disability. Speech synthesis is also used in text-to-speech systems for sightless persons. Other applications of assistive technology involving voice communication include voice control of wheelchairs and other devices for people with mobility disabilities.

Impact of a Telehealth Program With Voice Recognition Technology in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heesun; Choi, Sae Won; Yoon, Yeonyee E; Park, Hyo Eun; Lee, Sang Eun; Lee, Seung-Pyo; Kim, Hyung-Kwan; Cho, Hyun-Jai; Choi, Su-Yeon; Lee, Hae-Young; Choi, Jonghyuk; Lee, Young-Joon; Kim, Yong-Jin; Cho, Goo-Yeong; Choi, Jinwook; Sohn, Dae-Won

2017-01-01

Background Despite the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure (HF), the current hospital-oriented framework for HF management does not appear to be sufficient to maintain the stability of HF patients in the long term. The importance of self-care management is increasingly being emphasized as a promising long-term treatment strategy for patients with chronic HF. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate whether a new information communication technology (ICT)–based telehealth program with voice recognition technology could improve clinical or laboratory outcomes in HF patients. Methods In this prospective single-arm pilot study, we recruited 31 consecutive patients with chronic HF who were referred to our institute. An ICT-based telehealth program with voice recognition technology was developed and used by patients with HF for 12 weeks. Patients were educated on the use of this program via mobile phone, landline, or the Internet for the purpose of improving communication and data collection. Using these systems, we collected comprehensive data elements related to the risk of HF self-care management such as weight, diet, exercise, medication adherence, overall symptom change, and home blood pressure. The study endpoints were the changes observed in urine sodium concentration (uNa), Minnesota Living with Heart Failure (MLHFQ) scores, 6-min walk test, and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) as surrogate markers for appropriate HF management. Results Among the 31 enrolled patients, 27 (87%) patients completed the study, and 10 (10/27, 37%) showed good adherence to ICT-based telehealth program with voice recognition technology, which was defined as the use of the program for 100 times or more during the study period. Nearly three-fourths of the patients had been hospitalized at least once because of HF before the enrollment (20/27, 74%); 14 patients had 1, 2 patients had 2, and 4 patients had 3 or more previous HF hospitalizations. In the total study population, there was no significant interval change in laboratory and functional outcome variables after 12 weeks of ICT-based telehealth program. In patients with good adherence to ICT-based telehealth program, there was a significant improvement in the mean uNa (103.1 to 78.1; P=.01) but not in those without (85.4 to 96.9; P=.49). Similarly, a marginal improvement in MLHFQ scores was only observed in patients with good adherence (27.5 to 21.4; P=.08) but not in their counterparts (19.0 to 19.7; P=.73). The mean 6-min walk distance and NT-proBNP were not significantly increased in patients regardless of their adherence. Conclusions Short-term application of ICT-based telehealth program with voice recognition technology showed the potential to improve uNa values and MLHFQ scores in HF patients, suggesting that better control of sodium intake and greater quality of life can be achieved by this program. PMID:28970189

Characteristics of physicians targeted by the pharmaceutical industry to participate in e-detailing.

PubMed

Alkhateeb, Fadi M; Khanfar, Nile M; Doucette, William R; Loudon, David

2009-01-01

Electronic detailing (e-detailing) has been introduced in the last few years by the pharmaceutical industry as a new communication channel through which to promote pharmaceutical products to physicians. E-detailing involves using digital technology, such as Internet, video conferencing, and interactive voice response, by which drug companies target their marketing efforts toward specific physicians with pinpoint accuracy. A mail survey of 671 Iowa physicians was used to gather information about the physician characteristics and practice setting characteristics of those who are usually targeted by pharmaceutical companies to participate in e-detailing. A model is developed and tested to explain firms' targeting strategy for targeting physicians for e-detailing.

Florida manatee avoidance technology: A pilot program by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, Katherine; Haubold, Elsa

2003-10-01

Since 1976, approximately 25% of the annual Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) mortality has been attributed to collisions with watercraft. In 2001, the Florida Legislature appropriated $200,000 in funds for research projects using technological solutions to directly address the problem of collisions between manatees and watercraft. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission initially funded seven projects for the first two fiscal years. The selected proposals were designed to explore technology that had not previously been applied to the manatee/boat collision problem and included many acoustic concepts related to voice recognition, sonar, and an alerting device to be put on boats to warn manatees. The most promising results to date are from projects employing voice-recognition techniques to identify manatee vocalizations and warn boaters of the manatees' presence. Sonar technology, much like that used in fish finders, is promising but has met with regulatory problems regarding permitting and remains to be tested, as has the manatee-alerting device. The state of Florida found results of the initial years of funding compelling and plans to fund further manatee avoidance technology research in a continued effort to mitigate the problem of manatee/boat collisions.

A report on alterations to the speaking and singing voices of four women following hormonal therapy with virilizing agents.

PubMed

Baker, J

1999-12-01

Four women aged between 27 and 58 years sought otolaryngological examination due to significant alterations to their voices, the primary concerns being hoarseness in vocal quality, lowering of habitual pitch, difficulty projecting their speaking voices, and loss of control over their singing voices. Otolaryngological examination with a mirror or flexible laryngoscope revealed no apparent abnormality of vocal fold structure or function, and the women were referred for speech pathology with diagnoses of functional dysphonia. Objective acoustic measures using the Kay Visipitch indicated significant lowering of the mean fundamental frequency for each woman, and perceptual analysis of the patients' voices during quiet speaking, projected voice use, and comprehensive singing activities revealed a constellation of features typically noted in the pubescent male. The original diagnoses of a functional dysphonia were queried, prompting further exploration of each woman's medical history, revealing in each case onset of vocal symptoms shortly after commencing treatment for conditions with medications containing virilizing agents (eg, Danocrine (danazol), Deca-Durabolin (nandrolene decanoate), and testosterone). Although some of the vocal symptoms decreased in severity with the influences from 6 months voice therapy and after withdrawal from the drugs, a number of symptoms remained permanent, suggesting each subject had suffered significant alterations in vocal physiology, including muscle tissue changes, muscle coordination dysfunction, and propioceptive dysfunction. This retrospective study is presented in order to illustrate that it was both the projected speaking voice and the singing voice that proved so highly sensitive to the virilization effects. The implications for future prospective research studies and responsible clinical practice are discussed.

Modifying the verbal expression of a child with autistic behaviors.

PubMed

Hargrave, E; Swisher, L

1975-06-01

The Bell and Howell Language Master was used in conjunction with the Monterey Language Program to modify the verbal expression of a nine-year-old boy with autistic behaviors. The goal was to train the child to correctly name up to 10 pictures presented individually. Two training modes were used. For one, the therapist spoke at the time (live voice). For the other, she presented a tape recording of her voice via a Language Master. The results suggested that the child's responses to the Language Master were as good as, if not better than, his responses to the live-voice presentations. In addition, observation indicated that he responded more readily to the Language Master presentations. His spontaneous speech was also noted by independent observers to improve in his classroom and in his home. Possible reasons for the improvement in verbal expression are considered.

Depressed mothers' infants are less responsive to faces and voices.

PubMed

Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria

2009-06-01

A review of our recent research suggests that infants of depressed mothers appeared to be less responsive to faces and voices as early as the neonatal period. At that time they have shown less orienting to the live face/voice stimulus of the Brazelton scale examiner and to their own and other infants' cry sounds. This lesser responsiveness has been attributed to higher arousal, less attentiveness and less "empathy." Their delayed heart rate decelerations to instrumental and vocal music sounds have also been ascribed to their delayed attention and/or slower processing. Later at 3-6 months they showed less negative responding to their mothers' non-contingent and still-face behavior, suggesting that they were more accustomed to this behavior in their mothers. The less responsive behavior of the depressed mothers was further compounded by their comorbid mood states of anger and anxiety and their difficult interaction styles including withdrawn or intrusive interaction styles and their later authoritarian parenting style. Pregnancy massage was effectively used to reduce prenatal depression and facilitate more optimal neonatal behavior. Interaction coaching was used during the postnatal period to help these dyads with their interactions and ultimately facilitate the infants' development.

Infants of Depressed Mothers Are Less Responsive To Faces and Voices: A Review

PubMed Central

Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria

2009-01-01

A review of our recent research suggests that infants of depressed mothers appeared to be less responsive to faces and voices as early as the neonatal period. At that time they have shown less orienting to the live face/voice stimulus of the Brazelton scale examiner and to their own and other infants’ cry sounds. This lesser responsiveness has been attributed to higher arousal, less attentiveness and less “empathy.” Their delayed heart rate decelerations to instrumental and vocal music sounds have also been ascribed to their delayed attention and/or slower processing. Later at 3–6 months they showed less negative responding to their mothers’ non-contingent and still-face behavior, suggesting that they were more accustomed to this behavior in their mothers. The less responsive behavior of the depressed mothers was further compounded by their comorbid mood states of anger and anxiety and their difficult interaction styles including withdrawn or intrusive interaction styles and their later authoritarian parenting style. Pregnancy massage was effectively used to reduce prenatal depression and facilitate more optimal neonatal behavior. Interaction coaching was used during the postnatal period to help these dyads with their interactions and ultimately facilitate the infants’ development PMID:19439359

Electrophysiological and hemodynamic mismatch responses in rats listening to human speech syllables.

PubMed

Mahmoudzadeh, Mahdi; Dehaene-Lambertz, Ghislaine; Wallois, Fabrice

2017-01-01

Speech is a complex auditory stimulus which is processed according to several time-scales. Whereas consonant discrimination is required to resolve rapid acoustic events, voice perception relies on slower cues. Humans, right from preterm ages, are particularly efficient to encode temporal cues. To compare the capacities of preterms to those observed in other mammals, we tested anesthetized adult rats by using exactly the same paradigm as that used in preterm neonates. We simultaneously recorded neural (using ECoG) and hemodynamic responses (using fNIRS) to series of human speech syllables and investigated the brain response to a change of consonant (ba vs. ga) and to a change of voice (male vs. female). Both methods revealed concordant results, although ECoG measures were more sensitive than fNIRS. Responses to syllables were bilateral, but with marked right-hemispheric lateralization. Responses to voice changes were observed with both methods, while only ECoG was sensitive to consonant changes. These results suggest that rats more effectively processed the speech envelope than fine temporal cues in contrast with human preterm neonates, in whom the opposite effects were observed. Cross-species comparisons constitute a very valuable tool to define the singularities of the human brain and species-specific bias that may help human infants to learn their native language.

Student Voice and the Perils of Popularity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudduck, Jean; Fielding, Michael

2006-01-01

In this article we suggest that the current popularity of student voice can lead to surface compliance--to a quick response that focuses on "how to do it" rather than a reflective review of "why we might want to do it". We look at the links between student consultation and participation and the legacy of the progressive democratic tradition in our…

"In Charge of the Truffula Seeds": On Children's Literature, Rationality and Children's Voices in Philosophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansson, Viktor

2011-01-01

In this paper I investigate how philosophy can speak for children and how children can have a voice in philosophy and speak for philosophy. I argue that we should understand children as responsible rational individuals who are involved in their own philosophical inquiries and who can be involved in our own philosophical investigations--not because…

Applying a Wearable Voice-Activated Computer to Instructional Applications in Clean Room Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, Corey A.; Lupisella, Mark L.

2004-01-01

The use of wearable computing technology in restrictive environments related to space applications offers promise in a number of domains. The clean room environment is one such domain in which hands-free, heads-up, wearable computing is particularly attractive for education and training because of the nature of clean room work We have developed and tested a Wearable Voice-Activated Computing (WEVAC) system based on clean room applications. Results of this initial proof-of-concept work indicate that there is a strong potential for WEVAC to enhance clean room activities.

Functional selectivity for face processing in the temporal voice area of early deaf individuals

PubMed Central

van Ackeren, Markus J.; Rabini, Giuseppe; Zonca, Joshua; Foa, Valentina; Baruffaldi, Francesca; Rezk, Mohamed; Pavani, Francesco; Rossion, Bruno; Collignon, Olivier

2017-01-01

Brain systems supporting face and voice processing both contribute to the extraction of important information for social interaction (e.g., person identity). How does the brain reorganize when one of these channels is absent? Here, we explore this question by combining behavioral and multimodal neuroimaging measures (magneto-encephalography and functional imaging) in a group of early deaf humans. We show enhanced selective neural response for faces and for individual face coding in a specific region of the auditory cortex that is typically specialized for voice perception in hearing individuals. In this region, selectivity to face signals emerges early in the visual processing hierarchy, shortly after typical face-selective responses in the ventral visual pathway. Functional and effective connectivity analyses suggest reorganization in long-range connections from early visual areas to the face-selective temporal area in individuals with early and profound deafness. Altogether, these observations demonstrate that regions that typically specialize for voice processing in the hearing brain preferentially reorganize for face processing in born-deaf people. Our results support the idea that cross-modal plasticity in the case of early sensory deprivation relates to the original functional specialization of the reorganized brain regions. PMID:28652333

Influence of Self-generated Anchors on the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10).

PubMed

Canals-Fortuny, Elisabet; Vila-Rovira, Josep

2017-03-01

The aim of this research is to study whether the presentation of the Voice Handicap Index-10 questionnaire administered at the beginning of the treatment impinged on the results of the responses from the end of the treatment. The questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the treatment to a total of 308 patients. After the treatment, a group of 235 patients answered the questionnaire again without any reference to their responses on the initial administration. The other group of participants, consisting of 73 subjects, completed the questionnaire with the answer sheet of their initial self-assessment in sight. The data obtained show that patients who responded to the anchored answer test show less dispersion and a smaller coefficient of variation (0.90) than those who responded to the nonanchored answer test (coefficient of variation = 1.66). The method of administration of the Voice Handicap Index-10 at the end of a treatment influences the dispersion of the results. We recommend that the patient be anchored to the initial answer sheet while responding to the final self-assessment. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spasmodic dysphonia follow-up with videolaryngoscopy and voice spectrography during treatment with botulinum toxin.

PubMed

Esposito, Marcello; Dubbioso, R; Apisa, P; Allocca, R; Santoro, L; Cesari, U

2015-09-01

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a focal dystonia of laryngeal muscles seriously impairing quality of voice. Adductor SD (ADSD) is the most common presentation of this disorder that can be identified by specialized phoniatricians and neurologists firstly on a clinical evaluation and then confirmed by videolaryngoscopy (VL). Botulinum toxin (BTX) injection with electromyographic guidance in muscles around vocal cords is the most effective treatment. Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaire is the main tool to assess dysphonia and response to treatment. Objective of this study is to perform VL and voice spectrography (VS) to confirm the efficacy of BTX injections over time. 13 patients with ADSD were studied with VHI, VL and VS before and after 4 consecutive treatment with onobotulinumtoxin-A. For each treatment vocal improvement was proved by a significant reduction of VHI score and increase of maximum time phonation and harmonic-to-noise ratio while VL showed the absence of spasm in most of patients. No change of the response to BTX was found between injections. This study supports the efficacy of the treatment of SD with BTX with objective measurements and suggests that the efficacy of recurring treatments is stable over time.

New Directions in Space Operations Services in Support of Interplanetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradford, Robert N.

2005-01-01

To gain access to the necessary operational processes and data in support of NASA's Lunar/Mars Exploration Initiative, new services, adequate levels of computing cycles and access to myriad forms of data must be provided to onboard spacecraft and ground based personnel/systems (earth, lunar and Martian) to enable interplanetary exploration by humans. These systems, cycles and access to vast amounts of development, test and operational data will be required to provide a new level of services not currently available to existing spacecraft, on board crews and other operational personnel. Although current voice, video and data systems in support of current space based operations has been adequate, new highly reliable and autonomous processes and services will be necessary for future space exploration activities. These services will range from the more mundane voice in LEO to voice in interplanetary travel which because of the high latencies will require new voice processes and standards. New services, like component failure predictions based on data mining of significant quantities of data, located at disparate locations, will be required. 3D or holographic representation of onboard components, systems or family members will greatly improve maintenance, operations and service restoration not to mention crew morale. Current operational systems and standards, like the Internet Protocol, will not able to provide the level of service required end to end from an end point on the Martian surface like a scientific instrument to a researcher at a university. Ground operations whether earth, lunar or Martian and in flight operations to the moon and especially to Mars will require significant autonomy that will require access to highly reliable processing capabilities, data storage based on network storage technologies. Significant processing cycles will be needed onboard but could be borrowed from other locations either ground based or onboard other spacecraft. Reliability will be a key factor with onboard and distributed backup processing an absolutely necessary requirement. Current cluster processing/Grid technologies may provide the basis for providing these services. An overview of existing services, future services that will be required and the technologies and standards required to be developed will be presented. The purpose of this paper will be to initiate a technological roadmap, albeit at a high level, of current voice, video, data and network technologies and standards (which show promise for adaptation or evolution) to what technologies and standards need to be redefined, adjusted or areas where new ones require development. The roadmap should begin the differentiation between non manned and manned processes/services where applicable. The paper will be based in part on the activities of the CCSDS Monitor and Control working group which is beginning the process of standardization of the these processes. Another element of the paper will be based on an analysis of current technologies supporting space flight processes and services at JSC, MSFC, GSFC and to a lesser extent at KSC. Work being accomplished in areas such as Grid computing, data mining and network storage at ARC, IBM and the University of Alabama at Huntsville will be researched and analyzed.

Use of New Communication Technologies to Change NASA Safety Culture: Incorporating the Use of Blogs as a Fundamental Communications Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huls, Dale Thomas

2005-12-01

Blogs are an increasingly dominant new communication function on the internet. The power of this technology has forced media, corporations and government organizations to begin to incorporate blogging into their normal business practices. Blogs could be a key component to overcoming NASA's "silent safety culture." As a communications tool, blogs are used to establish trust primarily through the use of a personal voice style of writing. Dissenting voices can be raised and thoroughly vetted via a diversity of participation and experience without peer pressure or fear of retribution. Furthermore, the benefits of blogging as a technical resource to enhance safety are also discussed. The speed and self-vetting nature of blogging can allow managers and decision-makers to make more informed and therefore potentially better decisions with regard to technical and safety issues. Consequently, it is recommended that NASA utilize this new technology as an agent for cultural change.

How silent is silent reading? Intracerebral evidence for top-down activation of temporal voice areas during reading.

PubMed

Perrone-Bertolotti, Marcela; Kujala, Jan; Vidal, Juan R; Hamame, Carlos M; Ossandon, Tomas; Bertrand, Olivier; Minotti, Lorella; Kahane, Philippe; Jerbi, Karim; Lachaux, Jean-Philippe

2012-12-05

As you might experience it while reading this sentence, silent reading often involves an imagery speech component: we can hear our own "inner voice" pronouncing words mentally. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have associated that component with increased metabolic activity in the auditory cortex, including voice-selective areas. It remains to be determined, however, whether this activation arises automatically from early bottom-up visual inputs or whether it depends on late top-down control processes modulated by task demands. To answer this question, we collaborated with four epileptic human patients recorded with intracranial electrodes in the auditory cortex for therapeutic purposes, and measured high-frequency (50-150 Hz) "gamma" activity as a proxy of population level spiking activity. Temporal voice-selective areas (TVAs) were identified with an auditory localizer task and monitored as participants viewed words flashed on screen. We compared neural responses depending on whether words were attended or ignored and found a significant increase of neural activity in response to words, strongly enhanced by attention. In one of the patients, we could record that response at 800 ms in TVAs, but also at 700 ms in the primary auditory cortex and at 300 ms in the ventral occipital temporal cortex. Furthermore, single-trial analysis revealed a considerable jitter between activation peaks in visual and auditory cortices. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the multimodal mental experience of reading is in fact a heterogeneous complex of asynchronous neural responses, and that auditory and visual modalities often process distinct temporal frames of our environment at the same time.

Acoustic Measures of Voice and Physiologic Measures of Autonomic Arousal during Speech as a Function of Cognitive Load.

PubMed

MacPherson, Megan K; Abur, Defne; Stepp, Cara E

2017-07-01

This study aimed to determine the relationship among cognitive load condition and measures of autonomic arousal and voice production in healthy adults. A prospective study design was conducted. Sixteen healthy young adults (eight men, eight women) produced a sentence containing an embedded Stroop task in each of two cognitive load conditions: congruent and incongruent. In both conditions, participants said the font color of the color words instead of the word text. In the incongruent condition, font color differed from the word text, creating an increase in cognitive load relative to the congruent condition in which font color and word text matched. Three physiologic measures of autonomic arousal (pulse volume amplitude, pulse period, and skin conductance response amplitude) and four acoustic measures of voice (sound pressure level, fundamental frequency, cepstral peak prominence, and low-to-high spectral energy ratio) were analyzed for eight sentence productions in each cognitive load condition per participant. A logistic regression model was constructed to predict the cognitive load condition (congruent or incongruent) using subject as a categorical predictor and the three autonomic measures and four acoustic measures as continuous predictors. It revealed that skin conductance response amplitude, cepstral peak prominence, and low-to-high spectral energy ratio were significantly associated with cognitive load condition. During speech produced under increased cognitive load, healthy young adults show changes in physiologic markers of heightened autonomic arousal and acoustic measures of voice quality. Future work is necessary to examine these measures in older adults and individuals with voice disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Culture modulates the brain response to human expressions of emotion: electrophysiological evidence.

PubMed

Liu, Pan; Rigoulot, Simon; Pell, Marc D

2015-01-01

To understand how culture modulates on-line neural responses to social information, this study compared how individuals from two distinct cultural groups, English-speaking North Americans and Chinese, process emotional meanings of multi-sensory stimuli as indexed by both behaviour (accuracy) and event-related potential (N400) measures. In an emotional Stroop-like task, participants were presented face-voice pairs expressing congruent or incongruent emotions in conditions where they judged the emotion of one modality while ignoring the other (face or voice focus task). Results indicated that while both groups were sensitive to emotional differences between channels (with lower accuracy and higher N400 amplitudes for incongruent face-voice pairs), there were marked group differences in how intruding facial or vocal cues affected accuracy and N400 amplitudes, with English participants showing greater interference from irrelevant faces than Chinese. Our data illuminate distinct biases in how adults from East Asian versus Western cultures process socio-emotional cues, supplying new evidence that cultural learning modulates not only behaviour, but the neurocognitive response to different features of multi-channel emotion expressions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

VoiceThread as a Peer Review and Dissemination Tool for Undergraduate Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guertin, L. A.

2012-12-01

VoiceThread has been utilized in an undergraduate research methods course for peer review and final research project dissemination. VoiceThread (http://www.voicethread.com) can be considered a social media tool, as it is a web-based technology with the capacity to enable interactive dialogue. VoiceThread is an application that allows a user to place a media collection online containing images, audio, videos, documents, and/or presentations in an interface that facilitates asynchronous communication. Participants in a VoiceThread can be passive viewers of the online content or engaged commenters via text, audio, video, with slide annotations via a doodle tool. The VoiceThread, which runs across browsers and operating systems, can be public or private for viewing and commenting and can be embedded into any website. Although few university students are aware of the VoiceThread platform (only 10% of the students surveyed by Ng (2012)), the 2009 K-12 edition of The Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2009) lists VoiceThread as a tool to watch because of the opportunities it provides as a collaborative learning environment. In Fall 2011, eleven students enrolled in an undergraduate research methods course at Penn State Brandywine each conducted their own small-scale research project. Upon conclusion of the projects, students were required to create a poster summarizing their work for peer review. To facilitate the peer review process outside of class, each student-created PowerPoint file was placed in a VoiceThread with private access to only the class members and instructor. Each student was assigned to peer review five different student posters (i.e., VoiceThread images) with the audio and doodle tools to comment on formatting, clarity of content, etc. After the peer reviews were complete, the students were allowed to edit their PowerPoint poster files for a new VoiceThread. In the new VoiceThread, students were required to video record themselves describing their research and taking the viewer through their poster in the VoiceThread. This new VoiceThread with their final presentations was open for public viewing but not public commenting. A formal assessment was not conducted on the student impact of using VoiceThread for peer review and final research presentations. From an instructional standpoint, requiring students to use audio for the peer review commenting seemed to result in lengthier and more detailed reviews, connected with specific poster features when the doodle tool was utilized. By recording themselves as a "talking head" for the final product, students were required to be comfortable and confident with presenting their research, similar to what would be expected at a conference presentation. VoiceThread is currently being tested in general education Earth science courses at Penn State Brandywine as a dissemination tool for classroom-based inquiry projects and recruitment tool for Earth & Mineral Science majors.

Multi-modal demands of a smartphone used to place calls and enter addresses during highway driving relative to two embedded systems.

PubMed

Reimer, Bryan; Mehler, Bruce; Reagan, Ian; Kidd, David; Dobres, Jonathan

2016-12-01

There is limited research on trade-offs in demand between manual and voice interfaces of embedded and portable technologies. Mehler et al. identified differences in driving performance, visual engagement and workload between two contrasting embedded vehicle system designs (Chevrolet MyLink and Volvo Sensus). The current study extends this work by comparing these embedded systems with a smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S4). None of the voice interfaces eliminated visual demand. Relative to placing calls manually, both embedded voice interfaces resulted in less eyes-off-road time than the smartphone. Errors were most frequent when calling contacts using the smartphone. The smartphone and MyLink allowed addresses to be entered using compound voice commands resulting in shorter eyes-off-road time compared with the menu-based Sensus but with many more errors. Driving performance and physiological measures indicated increased demand when performing secondary tasks relative to 'just driving', but were not significantly different between the smartphone and embedded systems. Practitioner Summary: The findings show that embedded system and portable device voice interfaces place fewer visual demands on the driver than manual interfaces, but they also underscore how differences in system designs can significantly affect not only the demands placed on drivers, but also the successful completion of tasks.

Responsive consumerism: empowerment in markets for health plans.

PubMed

Elbel, Brian; Schlesinger, Mark

2009-09-01

American health policy is increasingly relying on consumerism to improve its performance. This article examines a neglected aspect of medical consumerism: the extent to which consumers respond to problems with their health plans. Using a telephone survey of five thousand consumers conducted in 2002, this article assesses how frequently consumers voice formal grievances or exit from their health plan in response to problems of differing severity. This article also examines the potential impact of this responsiveness on both individuals and the market. In addition, using cross-group comparisons of means and regressions, it looks at how the responses of "empowered" consumers compared with those who are "less empowered." The vast majority of consumers do not formally voice their complaints or exit health plans, even in response to problems with significant consequences. "Empowered" consumers are only minimally more likely to formally voice and no more likely to leave their plan. Moreover, given the greater prevalence of trivial problems, consumers are much more likely to complain or leave their plans because of problems that are not severe. Greater empowerment does not alleviate this. While much of the attention on consumerism has focused on prospective choice, understanding how consumers respond to problems is equally, if not more, important. Relying on consumers' responses as a means to protect individual consumers or influence the market for health plans is unlikely to be successful in its current form.

Construction site Voice Operated Information System (VOIS) test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Debbie J.; Hettchen, William

1991-01-01

The Voice Activated Information System (VAIS), developed by USACERL, allows inspectors to verbally log on-site inspection reports on a hand held tape recorder. The tape is later processed by the VAIS, which enters the information into the system's database and produces a written report. The Voice Operated Information System (VOIS), developed by USACERL and Automated Sciences Group, through a ESACERL cooperative research and development agreement (CRDA), is an improved voice recognition system based on the concepts and function of the VAIS. To determine the applicability of the VOIS to Corps of Engineers construction projects, Technology Transfer Test Bad (T3B) funds were provided to the Corps of Engineers National Security Agency (NSA) Area Office (Fort Meade) to procure and implement the VOIS, and to train personnel in its use. This report summarizes the NSA application of the VOIS to quality assurance inspection of radio frequency shielding and to progress payment logs, and concludes that the VOIS is an easily implemented system that can offer improvements when applied to repetitive inspection procedures. Use of VOIS can save time during inspection, improve documentation storage, and provide flexible retrieval of stored information.

[Research on Control System of an Exoskeleton Upper-limb Rehabilitation Robot].

PubMed

Wang, Lulu; Hu, Xin; Hu, Jie; Fang, Youfang; He, Rongrong; Yu, Hongliu

2016-12-01

In order to help the patients with upper-limb disfunction go on rehabilitation training,this paper proposed an upper-limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot with four degrees of freedom(DOF),and realized two control schemes,i.e.,voice control and electromyography control.The hardware and software design of the voice control system was completed based on RSC-4128 chips,which realized the speech recognition technology of a specific person.Besides,this study adapted self-made surface eletromyogram(sEMG)signal extraction electrodes to collect sEMG signals and realized pattern recognition by conducting sEMG signals processing,extracting time domain features and fixed threshold algorithm.In addition,the pulse-width modulation(PWM)algorithm was used to realize the speed adjustment of the system.Voice control and electromyography control experiments were then carried out,and the results showed that the mean recognition rate of the voice control and electromyography control reached 93.1%and 90.9%,respectively.The results proved the feasibility of the control system.This study is expected to lay a theoretical foundation for the further improvement of the control system of the upper-limb rehabilitation robot.

Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Making Electronic Resources Accessible to All.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mates, Barbara T.

This book seeks to guide information providers in establishing accessible World Wide Web sites and acquiring the hardware and software needed by people with disabilities, focusing on access to the Internet using large print, voice, and Braille. The book also covers how to acquire the funds for adaptive technology, what type of equipment to choose,…

Connecting Generations: Developing Co-Design Methods for Older Adults and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Bo; Druin, Allison; Fails, Jerry; Massey, Sheri; Golub, Evan; Franckel, Sonia; Schneider, Kiki

2012-01-01

As new technologies emerge that can bring older adults together with children, little has been discussed by researchers concerning the design methods used to create these new technologies. Giving both children and older adults a voice in a shared design process comes with many challenges. This paper details an exploratory study focusing on…

Giving Canadian Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education an Independent Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodson, Derek

2015-01-01

It is noted that the "Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education" (CJSMTE) was founded with the support of a donation of $1.0 million from the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation. Four goals were uppermost in the thinking behind the journal: first, it should be bilingual; second, it should be cross-disciplinary;…

Podcasts in Education: Let Their Voices Be Heard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprague, Debra; Pixley, Cynthia

2008-01-01

One technology made possible through Web 2.0 is podcasting. Podcasts are audio, video, text, and other media files that can be played on the computer or downloaded to MP3 players. This article discusses how to create a podcast and ways to use this technology in education. Benefits and issues related to podcasting are also provided.

Listening to Excluded Young People's Experiences of e-Safety and Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranmer, Sue

2013-01-01

This article reports on excluded young people's experiences with and management of e-safety and risk. It has importance in exploring these concerns given that excluded young people's voices are very often absent in education and technology research and yet they are potentially more at risk when using Information and Communication Technologies than…

What Is "Competence" and How Should Education Incorporate New Technology's Tools to Generate "Competent Civic Agents"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haste, Helen

2009-01-01

This article addresses the competences needed in twenty-first-century life, especially in relation to civic participation, and the educational requirements to foster them in young people. New technologies are widely used by young people for informal social interaction, video game-playing and giving voice to their views. Incorporation of these…

Benefits and Challenges of Technology in High Schools: A Voice from Educational Leaders with a Freire Echo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, Jane P.; Wiebe, Sean; Gabriel, Martha; McAuley, Alexander; Campbell, Barbara; MacDonald, Ron

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to document the perceptions of school leaders pertaining to the benefits and challenges of technology in high schools located on Prince Edward Island (PEI) (Canada). For this qualitative study, we interviewed 11 educational leaders representing the PEI Department of Education, principals, vice-principals, and…

Research Guided Practice: Student Online Experiences during Mathematics Class in the Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mojica-Casey, Maria; Dekkers, John; Thrupp, Rose-Marie

2014-01-01

The approaches to new technologies available to schools, teachers and students largely concern computers and engagement. This requires adoption of alternate and new teaching practices to engage students in the teaching and learning process. This research integrates youth voice about the use of technology. A major motivation for this research is to…

Audacity in Vocal Improvisation: Motivating Elementary School Students through Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sichivitsa, Veronica

2007-01-01

Every day, music teachers face the challenge of motivating less-confident student singers in general music classes. Teaching vocal improvisation can be a difficult task, because students are often self-conscious about their voices and too intimidated to sing in front of their peers. Technology can be an excellent motivational tool in the classroom…

The Role of Technology in Advancing Performance Standards in Science and Mathematics Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quellmalz, Edys

Technology permeates the lives of most Americans: voice mail, personal computers, and the ever-blinking VCR clock have become commonplace. In schools, it is creating educational opportunities at a dizzying pace and, within and beyond the classroom, it is providing unprecedented access to a universe of ideas and resources. As a next step, the…

Storytelling Supported by Technology: An Alternative for EFL Children with Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sy-ying

2012-01-01

This action research aims to investigate how technology improves the conditions of storytelling to help enhance the learning attitude and motivation of EFL children with learning difficulty using power point designs and an online recording system--VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com/). The use of power point designs is to assure children of clear…

Teacher Technology Narratives: Native Hawaiian Views on Education and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yong, D. Lilinoe; Hoffman, Ellen S.

2014-01-01

Narrative inquiry is a method by which "silenced voices" may be heard. In this study, eight Native Hawaiian teachers share their experiences of the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program (HLIP), or Papahana Kaiapuni, within the Hawai'i public school system. The teachers describe change over time in HLIP with a focus on technology and…

Linguistic Layering: Social Language Development in the Context of Multimodal Design and Digital Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domingo, Myrrh

2012-01-01

In our contemporary society, digital texts circulate more readily and extend beyond page-bound formats to include interactive representations such as online newsprint with hyperlinks to audio and video files. This is to say that multimodality combined with digital technologies extends grammar to include voice, visual, and music, among other modes…

An open-label study of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®) in spasmodic dysphonia

PubMed Central

Rumbach, Anna F.; Blitzer, Andrew; Frucht, Steven J.; Simonyan, Kristina

2016-01-01

Objective Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific laryngeal dystonia that affects speech production. Co-occurring voice tremor (VT) often complicates the diagnosis and clinical management of SD. Treatment of SD and VT is largely limited to botulinum toxin injections into laryngeal musculature; other pharmacological options are not sufficiently developed. Study Design and Methods We conducted an open-label study in 23 SD and 22 SD/VT patients to examine the effects of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®), an oral agent with therapeutic effects similar to those of alcohol in these patients. Blinded randomized analysis of voice and speech samples assessed symptom improvement before and after drug administration. Results Sodium oxybate significantly improved voice symptoms (p = 0.001) primarily by reducing the number of SD-characteristic voice breaks and severity of VT. Sodium oxybate further showed a trend for improving VT symptoms (p = 0.03) in a subset of patients who received successful botulinum toxin injections for the management of their SD symptoms. The drug’s effects were observed approximately 30–40 min after its intake and lasted about 3.5–4 hours. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that sodium oxybate reduced voice symptoms in 82.2% of alcohol-responsive SD patients both with and without co-occurring VT. Our findings suggest that the therapeutic mechanism of sodium oxybate in SD and SD/VT may be linked to that of alcohol and as such sodium oxybate might be beneficial for alcohol-responsive SD and SD/VT patients. PMID:27808415

Voice recognition technology implementation in surgical pathology: advantages and limitations.

PubMed

Singh, Meenakshi; Pal, Timothy R

2011-11-01

Voice recognition technology (VRT) has been in use for medical transcription outside of laboratories for many years, and in recent years it has evolved to a level where it merits consideration by surgical pathologists. To determine the feasibility and impact of making a transition from a transcriptionist-based service to VRT in surgical pathology. We have evaluated VRT in a phased manner for sign out of general and subspecialty surgical pathology cases after conducting a pilot study. We evaluated the effect on turnaround time, workflow, staffing, typographical error rates, and the overall ability of VRT to be adapted for use in surgical pathology. The stepwise implementation of VRT has resulted in real-time sign out of cases and improvement in average turnaround time from 4 to 3 days. The percentage of cases signed out in 1 day improved from 22% to 37%. Amendment rates for typographical errors have decreased. Use of templates and synoptic reports has been facilitated. The transcription staff has been reassigned to other duties and is successfully assisting in other areas. Resident involvement and exposure to complete case sign out has been achieved resulting in a positive impact on resident education. Voice recognition technology allows for a seamless workflow in surgical pathology, with improvements in turnaround time and a positive impact on competency-based resident education. Individual practices may assess the value of VRT and decide to implement it, potentially with gains in many aspects of their practice.

Brain talk: power and negotiation in children’s discourse about self, brain and behaviour

PubMed Central

Singh, Ilina

2013-01-01

This article examines children’s discourse about self, brain and behaviour, focusing on the dynamics of power, knowledge and responsibility articulated by children. The empirical data discussed in this article are drawn from the study of Voices on Identity, Childhood, Ethics and Stimulants, which included interviews with 151 US and UK children, a subset of whom had a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Despite their contact with psychiatric explanations and psychotropic drugs for their behaviour, children’s discursive engagements with the brain show significant evidence of agency and negotiated responsibility. These engagements suggest the limitations of current concepts that describe a collapse of the self into the brain in an age of neurocentrism. Empirical investigation is needed in order to develop agent-centred conceptual and theoretical frameworks that describe and evaluate the harms and benefits of treating children with psychotropic drugs and other brain-based technologies. PMID:23094965

Effects of voice style, noise level, and acoustic feedback on objective and subjective voice evaluations

PubMed Central

Bottalico, Pasquale; Graetzer, Simone; Hunter, Eric J.

2015-01-01

Speakers adjust their vocal effort when communicating in different room acoustic and noise conditions and when instructed to speak at different volumes. The present paper reports on the effects of voice style, noise level, and acoustic feedback on vocal effort, evaluated as sound pressure level, and self-reported vocal fatigue, comfort, and control. Speakers increased their level in the presence of babble and when instructed to talk in a loud style, and lowered it when acoustic feedback was increased and when talking in a soft style. Self-reported responses indicated a preference for the normal style without babble noise. PMID:26723357

Internet-Based System for Voice Communication With the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberlain, James; Myers, Gerry; Clem, David; Speir, Terri

2005-01-01

The Internet Voice Distribution System (IVoDS) is a voice-communication system that comprises mainly computer hardware and software. The IVoDS was developed to supplement and eventually replace the Enhanced Voice Distribution System (EVoDS), which, heretofore, has constituted the terrestrial subsystem of a system for voice communications among crewmembers of the International Space Station (ISS), workers at the Payloads Operations Center at Marshall Space Flight Center, principal investigators at diverse locations who are responsible for specific payloads, and others. The IVoDS utilizes a communication infrastructure of NASA and NASArelated intranets in addition to, as its name suggests, the Internet. Whereas the EVoDS utilizes traditional circuitswitched telephony, the IVoDS is a packet-data system that utilizes a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP). Relative to the EVoDS, the IVoDS offers advantages of greater flexibility and lower cost for expansion and reconfiguration. The IVoDS is an extended version of a commercial Internet-based voice conferencing system that enables each user to participate in only one conference at a time. In the IVoDS, a user can receive audio from as many as eight conferences simultaneously while sending audio to one of them. The IVoDS also incorporates administrative controls, beyond those of the commercial system, that provide greater security and control of the capabilities and authorizations for talking and listening afforded to each user.

Working Conditions and Workplace Barriers to Vocal Health in Primary School Teachers.

PubMed

Munier, Caitriona; Farrell, Rory

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the working conditions and workplace barriers to vocal health in primary school teachers. The relationship between working conditions and voice is analyzed. This is a survey study in 42 randomized schools from a restricted geographical area. An 85-item questionnaire was administered to 550 primary school teachers in 42 schools in Dublin. It was designed to obtain information on demographics, vocal use patterns, vocal health, work organization, working conditions, and teacher's perceptions of the conditions in teaching that might cause a voice problem. The relationship between voice and overstretched work demands, and voice and class size, was examined. A chi-squared test was run to test the null hypothesis that the variables overstretched work demands and voice and class size and voice are independent. Subjects were given the opportunity to give their opinion on their working conditions and on the availability of advice and support within the workplace. A final question sought their opinion on what should be included in a voice care program. A 55% response rate was obtained (n = 304). It was found with 96.52% confidence that the variables overstretched work demands and voice are related. Likewise, it was found that the variables class size and voice are related with 99.97% confidence. There are workplace barriers to vocal health. The working conditions of primary school teachers need to be fully adapted to promote vocal health. Changes by education and health policy makers are needed to achieve this goal. There is a need for future research which focuses on the working conditions of teachers. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of Noise Resulting From the Location and Conditions of Classrooms and Schools in Upper Egypt on Teachers' Voices.

PubMed

Phadke, Ketaki Vasant; Abo-Hasseba, Ahmed; Švec, Jan G; Geneid, Ahmed

2018-05-03

Teachers are professional voice users, always at high risk of developing voice disorders due to high vocal demand and unfavorable environmental conditions. This study aimed at identifying possible correlations between teachers' voice symptoms and their perception of noise, the location of schools, as well as the location and conditions of their classrooms. One hundred forty teachers (ages 21-56) from schools in Upper Egypt participated in this study. They filled out a questionnaire including questions about the severity and frequency of their voice symptoms, noise perception, and the location and conditions of their schools and classrooms. Questionnaire responses were statistically analyzed to identify possible correlations. There were significant correlations (P < 0.05) between voice symptoms, teachers' noise perception, and noise resulting from the location and conditions of schools and classrooms. Teachers experienced severe dysphonia, neck pain, and increased vocal effort with weekly or daily recurrence. Among the teachers who participated in the study, 24.2% felt they were always in a noisy environment, with 51.4% of the total participants reporting having to raise their voices. The most common sources of noise were from student activities and talking in the teachers' own classrooms (61.4%), noise from adjacent classrooms (52.9%), and road traffic (40.7%). Adverse effect on teachers' voices due to noise from poor school and classroom conditions necessitates solutions for the future improvement of conditions in Egyptian schools. This study may help future studies that focus on developing guidelines for the better planning of Egyptian schools in terms of improved infrastructure and architecture, thus considering the general and vocal health of teachers. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of the Intelligent Voice System for Kazakh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yessenbayev, Zh; Saparkhojayev, N.; Tibeyev, T.

2014-04-01

Modern speech technologies are highly advanced and widely used in day-to-day applications. However, this is mostly concerned with the languages of well-developed countries such as English, German, Japan, Russian, etc. As for Kazakh, the situation is less prominent and research in this field is only starting to evolve. In this research and application-oriented project, we introduce an intelligent voice system for the fast deployment of call-centers and information desks supporting Kazakh speech. The demand on such a system is obvious if the country's large size and small population is considered. The landline and cell phones become the only means of communication for the distant villages and suburbs. The system features Kazakh speech recognition and synthesis modules as well as a web-GUI for efficient dialog management. For speech recognition we use CMU Sphinx engine and for speech synthesis- MaryTTS. The web-GUI is implemented in Java enabling operators to quickly create and manage the dialogs in user-friendly graphical environment. The call routines are handled by Asterisk PBX and JBoss Application Server. The system supports such technologies and protocols as VoIP, VoiceXML, FastAGI, Java SpeechAPI and J2EE. For the speech recognition experiments we compiled and used the first Kazakh speech corpus with the utterances from 169 native speakers. The performance of the speech recognizer is 4.1% WER on isolated word recognition and 6.9% WER on clean continuous speech recognition tasks. The speech synthesis experiments include the training of male and female voices.

Listening to Children's Voices: Literature and the Arts as Means of Responding to the Effects of War, Terrorism, and Disaster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gangi, Jane M.; Barowsky, Ellis

2009-01-01

More and more children are forced to deal with crushing hardships. The responsibilities of adults worldwide to attend to the affected children have never been greater. In this article, the authors first give an overview of the psychological risks for children who experience war, terrorism, and disaster. They then listen to the voices of children…

Training to Use Voice Onset Time as a Cue to Talker Identification Induces a Left-Ear/Right-Hemisphere Processing Advantage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Alexander L.; Driscoll, Courtney

2006-01-01

We examined the effect of perceptual training on a well-established hemispheric asymmetry in speech processing. Eighteen listeners were trained to use a within-category difference in voice onset time (VOT) to cue talker identity. Successful learners (n = 8) showed faster response times for stimuli presented only to the left ear than for those…

Reading The History Manifesto as a Historian of Mathematics in Ancient China.

PubMed

Chemla, Karine

2016-06-01

The History Manifesto invites historians to consider the social and political responsibilities attached to their profession. This general concern is equally meaningful for the field of history and for the history and philosophy of science and technology. The specific concerns that motivate Jo Guldi and David Armitage lead them to advocate the "longue durée" and to insist primarily on social inequality, climate change, and governance. The concern on which this response to The History Manifesto centers is historians' social.responsibility in the waging of wars and their ethical responsibility at least not to contribute to mounting tensions. For the historian Lucien Febvre, in the immediate aftermath of World War II, a history of science and culture practiced in a certain way had a specific part to play in this regard. Febvre's practice of long-term history differed from Fernand Braudel's approach to the longue durée, in the tradition of which Guldi and Armitage situate their manifesto. This essay suggests that a historical approach to long-term history, sensitive to the concern Febvre voiced, might be helpful. It argues that long-term histories of science and technology practiced in a certain way have contributed to shaping collectives that perceive themselves as communities. Critical analysis of our practices as historians could certainly help develop awareness in our field in this respect.

Recorded maternal voice for preterm neonates undergoing heel lance.

PubMed

Johnston, C Celeste; Filion, Francoise; Nuyt, Anne Monique

2007-10-01

To determine if a recording of a mother's voice talking soothingly to her baby is useful in diminishing pain in newborns born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestational age (GA) during routine painful procedures. While maternal skin-to-skin contact has been proven efficacious for diminishing procedural pain in both full-term and preterm neonates, it is often not possible for mothers to be present during a painful procedure. Because auditory development occurs before the third trimester of gestation, it was hypothesized that maternal voice could substitute for maternal presence and be effective in diminishing pain response. Preterm infants between 32 and 36 weeks' GA (n = 20) in the first 10 days of life admitted to 2 urban university-affiliated neonatal intensive care units. Crossover design with random ordering of condition. Following informed consent, an audio recording of the mother talking soothingly to her baby was filtered to simulate the mother's voice traveling through amniotic fluid. A final 10-minute recording of repetition of mothers' talking was recorded with maximum peaks of 70 decibels (dB) and played at levels ranging between 60 and 70 ambient decibels (dbA), selected above recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics in order to be heard over high ambient noise in the settings. This was played to her infant by a portable cassette tape player 3 times daily during a 48-hour period after feedings (gavage, bottle, or breast). At the end of 48 hours when blood work was required for clinical purposes, using a crossover design, the infant underwent the heel lancing with or without the recording being played. The order of condition was randomized, and the second condition was within 10 days. The Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) was used as primary outcome. This is a composite measure using heart rate, oxygen saturation, 3 facial actions, behavioral state, and gestational age. This measure has demonstrated reliability and validity indexes. There were no significant differences between groups on the PIPP or any of the individual components of the PIPP except a lower oxygen saturation level in the voice condition following the procedure. The second condition, regardless of whether it was voice or control, had higher heart rate scores and lower oxygen saturation scores even in the prelance baseline and warming phases. Order did not affect PIPP scores or facial actions. Different modalities of maternal presence would appear to be necessary to blunt pain response in infants, and recorded maternal voice alone is not sufficient. The loudness of the recording may have obliterated the infant's ability to discern the mother's voice and may even have been aversive, reflected in decreased oxygen saturation levels in the voice condition. Preterm neonates of 32 to 36 weeks' gestation may become sensitized to painful experiences and show anticipatory physiological response.

Land mobile radio system phase I pilot report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-12-15

This report presents an executive summary, the project overview, Intelligent Transportation System standards and lessons learned for implementation of an Integrated Voice and Data, Land Mobile Radio System (ITS technologies for the Alaska Department ...

47 CFR 51.5 - Terms and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... voice, data, graphics or video telecommunications using any technology. Arbitration, final offer. Final... 1344, Jan. 10, 2000; 65 FR 2550, Jan. 18, 2000; 65 FR 54438, Sept. 8, 2000; 66 FR 43521, Aug. 20, 2001...

Temporal signatures of processing voiceness and emotion in sound

PubMed Central

Gunter, Thomas C.

2017-01-01

Abstract This study explored the temporal course of vocal and emotional sound processing. Participants detected rare repetitions in a stimulus stream comprising neutral and surprised non-verbal exclamations and spectrally rotated control sounds. Spectral rotation preserved some acoustic and emotional properties of the vocal originals. Event-related potentials elicited to unrepeated sounds revealed effects of voiceness and emotion. Relative to non-vocal sounds, vocal sounds elicited a larger centro-parietally distributed N1. This effect was followed by greater positivity to vocal relative to non-vocal sounds beginning with the P2 and extending throughout the recording epoch (N4, late positive potential) with larger amplitudes in female than in male listeners. Emotion effects overlapped with the voiceness effects but were smaller and differed topographically. Voiceness and emotion interacted only for the late positive potential, which was greater for vocal-emotional as compared with all other sounds. Taken together, these results point to a multi-stage process in which voiceness and emotionality are represented independently before being integrated in a manner that biases responses to stimuli with socio-emotional relevance. PMID:28338796

Temporal signatures of processing voiceness and emotion in sound.

PubMed

Schirmer, Annett; Gunter, Thomas C

2017-06-01

This study explored the temporal course of vocal and emotional sound processing. Participants detected rare repetitions in a stimulus stream comprising neutral and surprised non-verbal exclamations and spectrally rotated control sounds. Spectral rotation preserved some acoustic and emotional properties of the vocal originals. Event-related potentials elicited to unrepeated sounds revealed effects of voiceness and emotion. Relative to non-vocal sounds, vocal sounds elicited a larger centro-parietally distributed N1. This effect was followed by greater positivity to vocal relative to non-vocal sounds beginning with the P2 and extending throughout the recording epoch (N4, late positive potential) with larger amplitudes in female than in male listeners. Emotion effects overlapped with the voiceness effects but were smaller and differed topographically. Voiceness and emotion interacted only for the late positive potential, which was greater for vocal-emotional as compared with all other sounds. Taken together, these results point to a multi-stage process in which voiceness and emotionality are represented independently before being integrated in a manner that biases responses to stimuli with socio-emotional relevance. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Raising voices: How sixth graders construct authority and knowledge in argumentative essays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monahan, Mary Elizabeth

This qualitative classroom-based study documents one teacher-researcher's response to the "voice" debate in composition studies and to the opposing views expressed by Elbow and Bartholomae. The author uses Bakhtin's principle of dialogism, Hymes's theory of communicative competence, as well as Ivanic's discussion of discoursally constructed identities to reconceptualize voice and to redesign writing instruction in her sixth grade classroom. This study shows how students, by redefining and then acting on that voice pedagogy in terms that made sense to them, shaped the author's understanding of what counts as "voiced" writing in non-narrative discourse. Based on a grounded-theory analysis of the twenty-six sixth graders' argumentative essays in science, the author explains voice, not as a property of writers or of texts, but as a process of "knowing together"---a collaborative, but not entirely congenial, exercise of establishing one's authority by talking with, against, and through other voices on the issue. As the results of this study show, the students' "I-Ness" or authorial presence within their texts, was born in a nexus of relationships with "rivals," "allies" and "readers." Given their teacher's injunctions to project confidence and authority in argumentative writing, the students assumed fairly adversarial stances toward these conversational partners throughout their essays. Exaggerating the terms for voiced writing built into the curriculum, the sixth graders produced essays that read more like caricatures than examples of argumentation. Their displays of rhetorical bravado and intellectual aggressiveness, however offsetting to the reader, still enabled these sixth graders to composed voiced essays. This study raises doubts about the value of urging students to sound like their "true selves" or to adopt the formal registers of academe. Students, it seems clear, stand to gain by experimenting with a range of textual identities. The author suggests that voice, as a dialogic process, involves a struggle for meaning---in concert, but also very much in conflict with---other speakers and their intentions.

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Alters Auditory-motor Integration For Voice Control

PubMed Central

Li, Weifeng; Chen, Ziyi; Yan, Nan; Jones, Jeffery A.; Guo, Zhiqiang; Huang, Xiyan; Chen, Shaozhen; Liu, Peng; Liu, Hanjun

2016-01-01

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common drug-refractory focal epilepsy in adults. Previous research has shown that patients with TLE exhibit decreased performance in listening to speech sounds and deficits in the cortical processing of auditory information. Whether TLE compromises auditory-motor integration for voice control, however, remains largely unknown. To address this question, event-related potentials (ERPs) and vocal responses to vocal pitch errors (1/2 or 2 semitones upward) heard in auditory feedback were compared across 28 patients with TLE and 28 healthy controls. Patients with TLE produced significantly larger vocal responses but smaller P2 responses than healthy controls. Moreover, patients with TLE exhibited a positive correlation between vocal response magnitude and baseline voice variability and a negative correlation between P2 amplitude and disease duration. Graphical network analyses revealed a disrupted neuronal network for patients with TLE with a significant increase of clustering coefficients and path lengths as compared to healthy controls. These findings provide strong evidence that TLE is associated with an atypical integration of the auditory and motor systems for vocal pitch regulation, and that the functional networks that support the auditory-motor processing of pitch feedback errors differ between patients with TLE and healthy controls. PMID:27356768

The specificity of neural responses to music and their relation to voice processing: an fMRI-adaptation study.

PubMed

Armony, Jorge L; Aubé, William; Angulo-Perkins, Arafat; Peretz, Isabelle; Concha, Luis

2015-04-23

Several studies have identified, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a region within the superior temporal gyrus that preferentially responds to musical stimuli. However, in most cases, significant responses to other complex stimuli, particularly human voice, were also observed. Thus, it remains unknown if the same neurons respond to both stimulus types, albeit with different strengths, or whether the responses observed with fMRI are generated by distinct, overlapping neural populations. To address this question, we conducted an fMRI experiment in which short music excerpts and human vocalizations were presented in a pseudo-random order. Critically, we performed an adaptation-based analysis in which responses to the stimuli were analyzed taking into account the category of the preceding stimulus. Our results confirm the presence of a region in the anterior STG that responds more strongly to music than voice. Moreover, we found a music-specific adaptation effect in this area, consistent with the existence of music-preferred neurons. Lack of differences between musicians and non-musicians argues against an expertise effect. These findings provide further support for neural separability between music and speech within the temporal lobe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards a 21st century telephone exchange at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentín, F.; Hesnaux, A.; Sierra, R.; Chapron, F.

2015-12-01

The advent of mobile telephony and Voice over IP (VoIP) has significantly impacted the traditional telephone exchange industry—to such an extent that private branch exchanges are likely to disappear completely in the near future. For large organisations, such as CERN, it is important to be able to smooth this transition by implementing new multimedia platforms that can protect past investments and the flexibility needed to securely interconnect emerging VoIP solutions and forthcoming developments such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). We present the results of ongoing studies and tests at CERN of the latest technologies in this area.

"I Know How Much This Child Has Learned. I Have Proof!": Employing Digital Technologies for Documentation Processes in Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boardman, Margot

2007-01-01

This study set out to investigate the use of digital cameras and voice recorders to accurately capture essential components of early learners' achievements. The project was undertaken by 29 early childhood educators within kindergarten settings in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Data collected indicated that digital technologies,…

Differences in Access to Information and Communication Technologies: Voices of British Muslim Teenage Girls at Islamic Faith Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardaker, Glenn; Sabki, Aishah; Qazi, Atika; Iqbal, Javed

2017-01-01

Purpose: Most research on information and communication technologies (ICT) differences has been related to gender and ethnicity, and to a lesser extent religious affiliation. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this field of research by situating the discussion in the context of British Muslims and extending current research into ICT…

Perceptions and Career Prospects of the Distance Doctor of Education Degree: Voices from the Mid-Career ELT Tertiary Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kung, Fan-Wei

2017-01-01

The advancement of computer technologies has brought a plethora of technological innovations in educational settings. It is no exception in teacher training and education programmes around the world as the growth of professionalism has made the distance doctoral programmes possible for mid-career English language teaching (ELT) practitioners. The…

Exploring Student Voice in Teachers' Motivation to Use ICT in Higher Education: Qualitative Evidence from a Developing Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Mingming; Teo, Timothy

2017-01-01

Success of ICT integration in the classrooms is, to a large part, accounted for by teachers' engagement with technologies. However, while many studies have identified the factors that affect teachers' decision to use technology, few have considered student perception as a likely influence. Increasingly, there is evidence in the literature to…

Showing and Telling: Using Tablet Technology to Engage Students in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingram, Naomi; Williamson-Leadley, Sandra; Pratt, Keryn

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a qualitative investigation into the use of Show and Tell tablet technology in mathematics classrooms. A Show and Tell application (app) allows the user to capture voice and writing or text in real time. Described here are the perceptions of 11 teachers during and after their exploration into the use of Show and Tell in their…

Wisconsin District Case Study. A Report and Estimating Tool for K-12 School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consortium for School Networking, 2004

2004-01-01

The Wisconsin case study school district is primarily urban and growing with 21,500 students on 40 campuses. This document contains case studies that are presented in the same format at the 2003 studies, but also have a focus on additional technologies beyond the base distributed computing model. These new technologies are voice/data integration,…

Taming the fear of voice: Dilemmas in maintaining a high vaccination rate in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Geelen, Els; van Vliet, Hans; de Hoogh, Pieter; Horstman, Klasien

2016-03-01

In the context of international public debates on vaccination the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Dutch public health body responsible for the National Immunization Programme (NIP), fears that the high vaccination rate of children in the Netherlands obscures the many doubts and criticisms parents may have about vaccination. The question arises as to how the robustness of this vaccination rate and the resilience of the NIP can be assessed. To answer this question, we explore the vaccination practices and relationships between professionals and parents using qualitative methods. Drawing on Hirschman's concepts of exit, voice and loyalty, we distinguish between two different approaches to vaccination: one which enforces parental loyalty to the vaccination programme, and one which allows for voice. The analysis shows that due to their lack of voice in the main vaccination setting, parents' considerations are unknown and insight into their loyalty is lacking. We argue that the Dutch vaccination programme is caught between the insecurity of enforced parental loyalty to the NIP and the insecurity of enabling parental voice and negotiating space. We conclude that to increase the resilience of the NIP, experimenting with voice and exit is inevitable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An initial study of voice characteristics of children using two different sound coding strategies in comparison to normal hearing children.

PubMed

Coelho, Ana Cristina; Brasolotto, Alcione Ghedini; Bevilacqua, Maria Cecília

2015-06-01

To compare some perceptual and acoustic characteristics of the voices of children who use the advanced combination encoder (ACE) or fine structure processing (FSP) speech coding strategies, and to investigate whether these characteristics differ from children with normal hearing. Acoustic analysis of the sustained vowel /a/ was performed using the multi-dimensional voice program (MDVP). Analyses of sequential and spontaneous speech were performed using the real time pitch. Perceptual analyses of these samples were performed using visual-analogic scales of pre-selected parameters. Seventy-six children from three years to five years and 11 months of age participated. Twenty-eight were users of ACE, 23 were users of FSP, and 25 were children with normal hearing. Although both groups with CI presented with some deviated vocal features, the users of ACE presented with voice quality more like children with normal hearing than the users of FSP. Sound processing of ACE appeared to provide better conditions for auditory monitoring of the voice, and consequently, for better control of the voice production. However, these findings need to be further investigated due to the lack of comparative studies published to understand exactly which attributes of sound processing are responsible for differences in performance.

Voice-Activated Lightweight Reacher to Assist with Upper Extremity Movement Limitations: A Case Study.

PubMed

Khalid, Umer; Conti, Gerry E; Erlandson, Robert F; Ellis, Richard D; Brown, Vince; Pandya, Abhilash K

2015-01-01

The focus of this research was to design a functional and user-friendly reacher for people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Engineering advancements have taken assistive robotics to new dimensions. Technologies such as wheelchair robotics and myo-electronically controlled systems have opened up a wide range of new applications to assist people with physical disabilities. Similarly, exo-skeletal limbs and body suits have provided new foundations from which technologies can aid function. Unfortunately, these devices have issues of usability, weight, and discomfort with donning. The Smart Assistive Reacher Arm (SARA) system, developed in this research, is a voice-activated, lightweight, mobile device that can be used when needed. SARA was built to help overcome daily reach challenges faced by individuals with limited arm and hand movement capability, such as people with cervical level 5-6 (C5-6) SCI. This article shows that a functional reacher arm with voice control can be beneficial for this population. Comparison study with healthy participants and an SCI participant shows that, when using SARA, a person with SCI can perform simple reach and grasp tasks independently, without someone else's help. This suggests that the interface is intuitive and can be easily used to a high level of proficiency by a SCI individual.

Audio feature extraction using probability distribution function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhaib, A.; Wan, Khairunizam; Aziz, Azri A.; Hazry, D.; Razlan, Zuradzman M.; Shahriman A., B.

2015-05-01

Voice recognition has been one of the popular applications in robotic field. It is also known to be recently used for biometric and multimedia information retrieval system. This technology is attained from successive research on audio feature extraction analysis. Probability Distribution Function (PDF) is a statistical method which is usually used as one of the processes in complex feature extraction methods such as GMM and PCA. In this paper, a new method for audio feature extraction is proposed which is by using only PDF as a feature extraction method itself for speech analysis purpose. Certain pre-processing techniques are performed in prior to the proposed feature extraction method. Subsequently, the PDF result values for each frame of sampled voice signals obtained from certain numbers of individuals are plotted. From the experimental results obtained, it can be seen visually from the plotted data that each individuals' voice has comparable PDF values and shapes.

Secure voice for mobile satellite applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaisnys, Arvydas; Berner, Jeff

1990-01-01

The initial system studies are described which were performed at JPL on secure voice for mobile satellite applications. Some options are examined for adapting existing Secure Telephone Unit III (STU-III) secure telephone equipment for use over a digital mobile satellite link, as well as for the evolution of a dedicated secure voice mobile earth terminal (MET). The work has included some lab and field testing of prototype equipment. The work is part of an ongoing study at JPL for the National Communications System (NCS) on the use of mobile satellites for emergency communications. The purpose of the overall task is to identify and enable the technologies which will allow the NCS to use mobile satellite services for its National Security Emergency Preparedness (NSEP) communications needs. Various other government agencies will also contribute to a mobile satellite user base, and for some of these, secure communications will be an essential feature.

Electrotherapy and the human voice: a literature review of the historical origins and contemporary applications.

PubMed

Gilman, Marina; Gilman, Sander L

2008-03-01

The present article surveys the literature on the electrotherapy treatment for voice disorders from the mid-18th century to World War I (1914--1918) and the post 1970s reappearance of such therapies. The reappearance of electrotherapy as treatment for voice disorders in the past 20 years has been heralded as a major breakthrough. In light of our reading of the scientific literature of the 19th century, it can be shown to repeat many of the presuppositions of electrotherapists of that time. The current resurgence of interest and research in electrical stimulation of the larynx is buoyed by technological innovations analogous to those in the 19th century. Although the current state of research has enhanced our understanding of vocal fold physiology, it does not necessarily provide a new therapeutic approach as a survey of the most recent literature shows.

Secure Recognition of Voice-Less Commands Using Videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yau, Wai Chee; Kumar, Dinesh Kant; Weghorn, Hans

Interest in voice recognition technologies for internet applications is growing due to the flexibility of speech-based communication. The major drawback with the use of sound for internet access with computers is that the commands will be audible to other people in the vicinity. This paper examines a secure and voice-less method for recognition of speech-based commands using video without evaluating sound signals. The proposed approach represents mouth movements in the video data using 2D spatio-temporal templates (STT). Zernike moments (ZM) are computed from STT and fed into support vector machines (SVM) to be classified into one of the utterances. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique produces a high accuracy of 98% in a phoneme classification task. The proposed technique is demonstrated to be invariant to global variations of illumination level. Such a system is useful for securely interpreting user commands for internet applications on mobile devices.

Fructose: pure, white, and deadly? Fructose, by any other name, is a health hazard.

PubMed

Bray, George A

2010-07-01

The worldwide consumption of sucrose, and thus fructose, has risen logarithmically since 1800. Many concerns about the health hazards of calorie-sweetened beverages, including soft drinks and fruit drinks and the fructose they provide, have been voiced over the past 10 years. These concerns are related to higher energy intake, risk of obesity, risk of diabetes, risk of cardiovascular disease, risk of gout in men, and risk of metabolic syndrome. Fructose appears to be responsible for most of the metabolic risks, including high production of lipids, increased thermogenesis, and higher blood pressure associated with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Some claim that sugar is natural, but natural does not assure safety. 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

[Testimonials of brave women: the forgotten voices].

PubMed

Santiago, L E

2001-03-01

This paper examines the narrative testimony of women survivors of two atrocious events that took place in the XX century: the Holocaust in the 40's and the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 80's. The author recognizes similarities in thoughts, feelings, experiences and meaning regarding several issues of human suffering that emerge from these testimonies. It expounds the perceptions on death, motherhood, family separation, intimacy and sexuality. For the author approach of these issues from a female perspective can provide new meanings arrived at the development of a new discourse and new social practices. Promotes to think about reactions of indifference before human suffering. Concludes by questioning why technological, scientific advances and advances in social development have not been able to provide human responses to human problems.

Classroom sound can be used to classify teaching practices in college science courses.

PubMed

Owens, Melinda T; Seidel, Shannon B; Wong, Mike; Bejines, Travis E; Lietz, Susanne; Perez, Joseph R; Sit, Shangheng; Subedar, Zahur-Saleh; Acker, Gigi N; Akana, Susan F; Balukjian, Brad; Benton, Hilary P; Blair, J R; Boaz, Segal M; Boyer, Katharyn E; Bram, Jason B; Burrus, Laura W; Byrd, Dana T; Caporale, Natalia; Carpenter, Edward J; Chan, Yee-Hung Mark; Chen, Lily; Chovnick, Amy; Chu, Diana S; Clarkson, Bryan K; Cooper, Sara E; Creech, Catherine; Crow, Karen D; de la Torre, José R; Denetclaw, Wilfred F; Duncan, Kathleen E; Edwards, Amy S; Erickson, Karen L; Fuse, Megumi; Gorga, Joseph J; Govindan, Brinda; Green, L Jeanette; Hankamp, Paul Z; Harris, Holly E; He, Zheng-Hui; Ingalls, Stephen; Ingmire, Peter D; Jacobs, J Rebecca; Kamakea, Mark; Kimpo, Rhea R; Knight, Jonathan D; Krause, Sara K; Krueger, Lori E; Light, Terrye L; Lund, Lance; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia M; McCarthy, Briana K; McPheron, Linda J; Miller-Sims, Vanessa C; Moffatt, Christopher A; Muick, Pamela C; Nagami, Paul H; Nusse, Gloria L; Okimura, Kristine M; Pasion, Sally G; Patterson, Robert; Pennings, Pleuni S; Riggs, Blake; Romeo, Joseph; Roy, Scott W; Russo-Tait, Tatiane; Schultheis, Lisa M; Sengupta, Lakshmikanta; Small, Rachel; Spicer, Greg S; Stillman, Jonathon H; Swei, Andrea; Wade, Jennifer M; Waters, Steven B; Weinstein, Steven L; Willsie, Julia K; Wright, Diana W; Harrison, Colin D; Kelley, Loretta A; Trujillo, Gloriana; Domingo, Carmen R; Schinske, Jeffrey N; Tanner, Kimberly D

2017-03-21

Active-learning pedagogies have been repeatedly demonstrated to produce superior learning gains with large effect sizes compared with lecture-based pedagogies. Shifting large numbers of college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty to include any active learning in their teaching may retain and more effectively educate far more students than having a few faculty completely transform their teaching, but the extent to which STEM faculty are changing their teaching methods is unclear. Here, we describe the development and application of the machine-learning-derived algorithm Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching (DART), which can analyze thousands of hours of STEM course audio recordings quickly, with minimal costs, and without need for human observers. DART analyzes the volume and variance of classroom recordings to predict the quantity of time spent on single voice (e.g., lecture), multiple voice (e.g., pair discussion), and no voice (e.g., clicker question thinking) activities. Applying DART to 1,486 recordings of class sessions from 67 courses, a total of 1,720 h of audio, revealed varied patterns of lecture (single voice) and nonlecture activity (multiple and no voice) use. We also found that there was significantly more use of multiple and no voice strategies in courses for STEM majors compared with courses for non-STEM majors, indicating that DART can be used to compare teaching strategies in different types of courses. Therefore, DART has the potential to systematically inventory the presence of active learning with ∼90% accuracy across thousands of courses in diverse settings with minimal effort.

Internet Based Remote Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberlain, James

1999-01-01

This is the Final Report for the Internet Based Remote Operations Contract, has performed payload operations research support tasks March 1999 through September 1999. These tasks support the GSD goal of developing a secure, inexpensive data, voice, and video mission communications capability between remote payload investigators and the NASA payload operations team in the International Space Station (ISS) era. AZTek has provided feedback from the NASA payload community by utilizing its extensive payload development and operations experience to test and evaluate remote payload operations systems. AZTek has focused on use of the "public Internet" and inexpensive, Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Internet-based tools that would most benefit "small" (e.g., $2 Million or less) payloads and small developers without permanent remote operations facilities. Such projects have limited budgets to support installation and development of high-speed dedicated communications links and high-end, custom ground support equipment and software. The primary conclusions of the study are as follows: (1) The trend of using Internet technology for "live" collaborative applications such as telescience will continue. The GSD-developed data and voice capabilities continued to work well over the "public" Internet during this period. 2. Transmitting multiple voice streams from a voice-conferencing server to a client PC to be mixed and played on the PC is feasible. 3. There are two classes of voice vendors in the market: - Large traditional phone equipment vendors pursuing integration of PSTN with Internet, and Small Internet startups.The key to selecting a vendor will be to find a company sufficiently large and established to provide a base voice-conferencing software product line for the next several years.

Classroom sound can be used to classify teaching practices in college science courses

PubMed Central

Seidel, Shannon B.; Wong, Mike; Bejines, Travis E.; Lietz, Susanne; Perez, Joseph R.; Sit, Shangheng; Subedar, Zahur-Saleh; Acker, Gigi N.; Akana, Susan F.; Balukjian, Brad; Benton, Hilary P.; Blair, J. R.; Boaz, Segal M.; Boyer, Katharyn E.; Bram, Jason B.; Burrus, Laura W.; Byrd, Dana T.; Caporale, Natalia; Carpenter, Edward J.; Chan, Yee-Hung Mark; Chen, Lily; Chovnick, Amy; Chu, Diana S.; Clarkson, Bryan K.; Cooper, Sara E.; Creech, Catherine; Crow, Karen D.; de la Torre, José R.; Denetclaw, Wilfred F.; Duncan, Kathleen E.; Edwards, Amy S.; Erickson, Karen L.; Fuse, Megumi; Gorga, Joseph J.; Govindan, Brinda; Green, L. Jeanette; Hankamp, Paul Z.; Harris, Holly E.; He, Zheng-Hui; Ingalls, Stephen; Ingmire, Peter D.; Jacobs, J. Rebecca; Kamakea, Mark; Kimpo, Rhea R.; Knight, Jonathan D.; Krause, Sara K.; Krueger, Lori E.; Light, Terrye L.; Lund, Lance; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia M.; McCarthy, Briana K.; McPheron, Linda J.; Miller-Sims, Vanessa C.; Moffatt, Christopher A.; Muick, Pamela C.; Nagami, Paul H.; Nusse, Gloria L.; Okimura, Kristine M.; Pasion, Sally G.; Patterson, Robert; Riggs, Blake; Romeo, Joseph; Roy, Scott W.; Russo-Tait, Tatiane; Schultheis, Lisa M.; Sengupta, Lakshmikanta; Small, Rachel; Spicer, Greg S.; Stillman, Jonathon H.; Swei, Andrea; Wade, Jennifer M.; Waters, Steven B.; Weinstein, Steven L.; Willsie, Julia K.; Wright, Diana W.; Harrison, Colin D.; Kelley, Loretta A.; Trujillo, Gloriana; Domingo, Carmen R.; Schinske, Jeffrey N.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2017-01-01

Active-learning pedagogies have been repeatedly demonstrated to produce superior learning gains with large effect sizes compared with lecture-based pedagogies. Shifting large numbers of college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty to include any active learning in their teaching may retain and more effectively educate far more students than having a few faculty completely transform their teaching, but the extent to which STEM faculty are changing their teaching methods is unclear. Here, we describe the development and application of the machine-learning–derived algorithm Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching (DART), which can analyze thousands of hours of STEM course audio recordings quickly, with minimal costs, and without need for human observers. DART analyzes the volume and variance of classroom recordings to predict the quantity of time spent on single voice (e.g., lecture), multiple voice (e.g., pair discussion), and no voice (e.g., clicker question thinking) activities. Applying DART to 1,486 recordings of class sessions from 67 courses, a total of 1,720 h of audio, revealed varied patterns of lecture (single voice) and nonlecture activity (multiple and no voice) use. We also found that there was significantly more use of multiple and no voice strategies in courses for STEM majors compared with courses for non-STEM majors, indicating that DART can be used to compare teaching strategies in different types of courses. Therefore, DART has the potential to systematically inventory the presence of active learning with ∼90% accuracy across thousands of courses in diverse settings with minimal effort. PMID:28265087

Participatory Investigation of the Great East Japan Disaster: PhotoVoice from Women Affected by the Calamity.

PubMed

Yoshihama, Mieko; Yunomae, Tomoko

2018-05-02

Disasters exacerbate predisaster inequities and intensify the vulnerability of women and other marginalized and disempowered groups. Thus, disaster policies and responses should incorporate the experiences and perspectives of those who are marginalized. The authors sought to conduct a participatory research project to help develop more inclusive, gender-informed disaster responses and policies in Japan. In June 2011, following three months of planning and preparation, they initiated a participatory examination of the impact of the Great East Japan Disaster using PhotoVoice methodology. Engaging the very women affected by the calamity, the authors first implemented the project in three localities in the hardest-hit areas of northern Japan-the prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate. The authors have since expanded the project to other locations, and the project is ongoing. Focused on the planning, implementation, and outcomes of the initial phase, this article examines the role and potential of participatory action research using the PhotoVoice methodology in the aftermath of a major disaster.

Numerical analysis of effects of transglottal pressure change on fundamental frequency of phonation.

PubMed

Deguchi, Shinji; Matsuzaki, Yuji; Ikeda, Tadashige

2007-02-01

In humans, a decrease in transglottal pressure (Pt) causes an increase in the fundamental frequency of phonation (F0) only at a specific voice pitch within the modal register, the mechanism of which remains unclear. In the present study, numerical analyses were performed to investigate the mechanism of the voice pitch-dependent positive change of F0 due to Pt decrease. The airflow and the airway, including the vocal folds, were modeled in terms of mechanics of fluid and structure. Simulations of phonation using the numerical model indicated that Pt affects both the average position and the average amplitude magnitude of vocal fold self-excited oscillation in a non-monotonous manner. This effect results in voice pitch-dependent responses of F0 to Pt decreases, including the positive response of F0 as actually observed in humans. The findings of the present study highlight the importance of considering self-excited oscillation of the vocal folds in elucidation of the phonation mechanism.

Visual attention modulates brain activation to angry voices.

PubMed

Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Straube, Thomas

2011-06-29

In accordance with influential models proposing prioritized processing of threat, previous studies have shown automatic brain responses to angry prosody in the amygdala and the auditory cortex under auditory distraction conditions. However, it is unknown whether the automatic processing of angry prosody is also observed during cross-modal distraction. The current fMRI study investigated brain responses to angry versus neutral prosodic stimuli during visual distraction. During scanning, participants were exposed to angry or neutral prosodic stimuli while visual symbols were displayed simultaneously. By means of task requirements, participants either attended to the voices or to the visual stimuli. While the auditory task revealed pronounced activation in the auditory cortex and amygdala to angry versus neutral prosody, this effect was absent during the visual task. Thus, our results show a limitation of the automaticity of the activation of the amygdala and auditory cortex to angry prosody. The activation of these areas to threat-related voices depends on modality-specific attention.

Struggling to Hear? Tiny Devices Can Keep You Connected

MedlinePlus

... features. For example, some can connect to your mobile phone, TV, and other devices using Bluetooth technology. That ... Loss? Hearing Aids Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use (Infographic) Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, ...

The Food Fabricators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Ross Hume

1976-01-01

Examined are the tenets underlying the technical attitudes and perceptions of food technologists and scientists. Technology usually advances in a linear fashion without identifying secondary effects in social and political realms. Consumerism becomes the public voice in identifying these sociotechnologic effects. (MR)

Transition plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-02

Although the 9-1-1 system has been a success for nearly 40 years, changes in the publics use of : technology, the saturation of the mobile market, and the spread of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) : telephony over broadband are contributing to...

Intra-building telecommunications cabling standards for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, R.L.

1993-08-01

This document establishes a working standard for all telecommunications cable installations at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico. It is based on recent national commercial cabling standards. The topics addressed are Secure and Open/Restricted Access telecommunications environments and both twisted-pair and optical-fiber components of communications media. Some of the state-of-the-art technologies that will be supported by the intrabuilding cable infrastructure are Circuit and Packet Switched Networks (PBX/5ESS Voice and Low-Speed Data), Local Area Networks (Ethernet, Token Ring, Fiber and Copper Distributed Data Interface), and Wide Area Networks (Asynchronous Transfer Mode). These technologies can be delivered to every desk and can transportmore » data at rates sufficient to support all existing applications (such as Voice, Text and graphics, Still Images, Full-motion Video), as well as applications to be defined in the future.« less

Responsive Consumerism: Empowerment in Markets for Health Plans

PubMed Central

Elbel, Brian; Schlesinger, Mark

2009-01-01

Context: American health policy is increasingly relying on consumerism to improve its performance. This article examines a neglected aspect of medical consumerism: the extent to which consumers respond to problems with their health plans. Methods: Using a telephone survey of five thousand consumers conducted in 2002, this article assesses how frequently consumers voice formal grievances or exit from their health plan in response to problems of differing severity. This article also examines the potential impact of this responsiveness on both individuals and the market. In addition, using cross-group comparisons of means and regressions, it looks at how the responses of “empowered” consumers compared with those who are “less empowered.” Findings: The vast majority of consumers do not formally voice their complaints or exit health plans, even in response to problems with significant consequences. “Empowered” consumers are only minimally more likely to formally voice and no more likely to leave their plan. Moreover, given the greater prevalence of trivial problems, consumers are much more likely to complain or leave their plans because of problems that are not severe. Greater empowerment does not alleviate this. Conclusions: While much of the attention on consumerism has focused on prospective choice, understanding how consumers respond to problems is equally, if not more, important. Relying on consumers’ responses as a means to protect individual consumers or influence the market for health plans is unlikely to be successful in its current form. PMID:19751285

Multi-modal demands of a smartphone used to place calls and enter addresses during highway driving relative to two embedded systems

PubMed Central

Reimer, Bryan; Mehler, Bruce; Reagan, Ian; Kidd, David; Dobres, Jonathan

2016-01-01

Abstract There is limited research on trade-offs in demand between manual and voice interfaces of embedded and portable technologies. Mehler et al. identified differences in driving performance, visual engagement and workload between two contrasting embedded vehicle system designs (Chevrolet MyLink and Volvo Sensus). The current study extends this work by comparing these embedded systems with a smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S4). None of the voice interfaces eliminated visual demand. Relative to placing calls manually, both embedded voice interfaces resulted in less eyes-off-road time than the smartphone. Errors were most frequent when calling contacts using the smartphone. The smartphone and MyLink allowed addresses to be entered using compound voice commands resulting in shorter eyes-off-road time compared with the menu-based Sensus but with many more errors. Driving performance and physiological measures indicated increased demand when performing secondary tasks relative to ‘just driving’, but were not significantly different between the smartphone and embedded systems. Practitioner Summary: The findings show that embedded system and portable device voice interfaces place fewer visual demands on the driver than manual interfaces, but they also underscore how differences in system designs can significantly affect not only the demands placed on drivers, but also the successful completion of tasks. PMID:27110964

The smartphone and the driver's cognitive workload: A comparison of Apple, Google, and Microsoft's intelligent personal assistants.

PubMed

Strayer, David L; Cooper, Joel M; Turrill, Jonna; Coleman, James R; Hopman, Rachel J

2017-06-01

The goal of this research was to examine the impact of voice-based interactions using 3 different intelligent personal assistants (Apple's Siri , Google's Google Now for Android phones, and Microsoft's Cortana ) on the cognitive workload of the driver. In 2 experiments using an instrumented vehicle on suburban roadways, we measured the cognitive workload of drivers when they used the voice-based features of each smartphone to place a call, select music, or send text messages. Cognitive workload was derived from primary task performance through video analysis, secondary-task performance using the Detection Response Task (DRT), and subjective mental workload. We found that workload was significantly higher than that measured in the single-task drive. There were also systematic differences between the smartphones: The Google system placed lower cognitive demands on the driver than the Apple and Microsoft systems, which did not differ. Video analysis revealed that the difference in mental workload between the smartphones was associated with the number of system errors, the time to complete an action, and the complexity and intuitiveness of the devices. Finally, surprisingly high levels of cognitive workload were observed when drivers were interacting with the devices: "on-task" workload measures did not systematically differ from that associated with a mentally demanding Operation Span (OSPAN) task. The analysis also found residual costs associated using each of the smartphones that took a significant time to dissipate. The data suggest that caution is warranted in the use of smartphone voice-based technology in the vehicle because of the high levels of cognitive workload associated with these interactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

An open-label study of sodium oxybate in Spasmodic dysphonia.

PubMed

Rumbach, Anna F; Blitzer, Andrew; Frucht, Steven J; Simonyan, Kristina

2017-06-01

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific laryngeal dystonia that affects speech production. Co-occurring voice tremor (VT) often complicates the diagnosis and clinical management of SD. Treatment of SD and VT is largely limited to botulinum toxin injections into laryngeal musculature; other pharmacological options are not sufficiently developed. Open-label study. We conducted an open-label study in 23 SD and 22 SD/VT patients to examine the effects of sodium oxybate (Xyrem), an oral agent with therapeutic effects similar to those of alcohol in these patients. Blinded randomized analysis of voice and speech samples assessed symptom improvement before and after drug administration. Sodium oxybate significantly improved voice symptoms (P = .001) primarily by reducing the number of SD-characteristic voice breaks and severity of VT. Sodium oxybate further showed a trend for improving VT symptoms (P = .03) in a subset of patients who received successful botulinum toxin injections for the management of their SD symptoms. The drug's effects were observed approximately 30 to 40 minutes after its intake and lasted about 3.5 to 4 hours. Our study demonstrated that sodium oxybate reduced voice symptoms in 82.2% of alcohol-responsive SD patients both with and without co-occurring VT. Our findings suggest that the therapeutic mechanism of sodium oxybate in SD and SD/VT may be linked to that of alcohol, and as such, sodium oxybate might be beneficial for alcohol-responsive SD and SD/VT patients. 4 Laryngoscope, 127:1402-1407, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Perceptual Detection of Subtle Dysphonic Traits in Individuals with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using an Audience Response Systems Approach.

PubMed

Johansson, Kerstin; Strömbergsson, Sofia; Robieux, Camille; McAllister, Anita

2017-01-01

Reduced respiratory function following lower cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCIs) may indirectly result in vocal dysfunction. Although self-reports indicate voice change and limitations following CSCI, earlier efforts using global perceptual ratings to distinguish speakers with CSCI from noninjured speakers have not been very successful. We investigate the use of an audience response system-based approach to distinguish speakers with CSCI from noninjured speakers, and explore whether specific vocal traits can be identified as characteristic for speakers with CSCI. Fourteen speech-language pathologists participated in a web-based perceptual task, where their overt reactions to vocal dysfunction were registered during the continuous playback of recordings of 36 speakers (18 with CSCI, and 18 matched controls). Dysphonic events were identified through manual perceptual analysis, to allow the exploration of connections between dysphonic events and listener reactions. More dysphonic events, and more listener reactions, were registered for speakers with CSCI than for noninjured speakers. Strain (particularly in phrase-final position) and creak (particularly in nonphrase-final position) distinguish speakers with CSCI from noninjured speakers. For the identification of intermittent and subtle signs of vocal dysfunction, an approach where the temporal distribution of symptoms is registered offers a viable means to distinguish speakers affected by voice dysfunction from non-affected speakers. In speakers with CSCI, clinicians should listen for presence of final strain and nonfinal creak, and pay attention to self-reported voice function and voice problems, to identify individuals in need for clinical assessment and intervention. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chiropractic Care for a Patient with Spasmodic Dysphonia Associated with Cervical Spine Trauma

PubMed Central

Waddell, Roger K.

2005-01-01

Abstract Objective To discuss the diagnosis and response to treatment of spasmodic dysphonia in a 25-year-old female vocalist following an auto accident. Clinical Features The voice disorder and neck pain appeared after the traumatic incident. Examination of the cervical spine revealed moderate pain, muscle spasm and restricted joint motion at C-1 and C-5 on the left side. Cervical range of motion was reduced on left rotation. Bilateral manual muscle testing of the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles, which share innervation with the laryngeal muscles by way of the spinal accessory nerve, were weak on the left side. Pre and post accident voice range profiles (phonetograms) that measure singing voice quality were examined. The pre- and post-accident phonetograms revealed significant reduction in voice intensity and fundamental frequency as measured in decibels and hertz. Intervention and Outcome Low-force chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy to C-1 and C-5 was employed. Following a course of care, the patient's singing voice returned to normal, as well as a resolution of her musculo- skeletal complaints. Conclusion It appears that in certain cases, the singing voice can be adversely affected if neck or head trauma is severe enough. This case proposes that trauma with irritation to the cervical spine nerve roots as they communicate with the spinal accessory, and in turn the laryngeal nerves, may be contributory in some functional voice disorders or muscle tension dysphonia. PMID:19674642

ERP correlates of motivating voices: quality of motivation and time-course matters

PubMed Central

Zougkou, Konstantina; Weinstein, Netta

2017-01-01

Abstract Here, we conducted the first study to explore how motivations expressed through speech are processed in real-time. Participants listened to sentences spoken in two types of well-studied motivational tones (autonomy-supportive and controlling), or a neutral tone of voice. To examine this, listeners were presented with sentences that either signaled motivations through prosody (tone of voice) and words simultaneously (e.g. ‘You absolutely have to do it my way’ spoken in a controlling tone of voice), or lacked motivationally biasing words (e.g. ‘Why don’t we meet again tomorrow’ spoken in a motivational tone of voice). Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in response to motivations conveyed through words and prosody showed that listeners rapidly distinguished between motivations and neutral forms of communication as shown in enhanced P2 amplitudes in response to motivational when compared with neutral speech. This early detection mechanism is argued to help determine the importance of incoming information. Once assessed, motivational language is continuously monitored and thoroughly evaluated. When compared with neutral speech, listening to controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) speech led to enhanced late potential ERP mean amplitudes, suggesting that listeners are particularly attuned to controlling messages. The importance of controlling motivation for listeners is mirrored in effects observed for motivations expressed through prosody only. Here, an early rapid appraisal, as reflected in enhanced P2 amplitudes, is only found for sentences spoken in controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) prosody. Once identified as sounding pressuring, the message seems to be preferentially processed, as shown by enhanced late potential amplitudes in response to controlling prosody. Taken together, results suggest that motivational and neutral language are differentially processed; further, the data suggest that listening to cues signaling pressure and control cannot be ignored and lead to preferential, and more in-depth processing mechanisms. PMID:28525641

ERP correlates of motivating voices: quality of motivation and time-course matters.

PubMed

Zougkou, Konstantina; Weinstein, Netta; Paulmann, Silke

2017-10-01

Here, we conducted the first study to explore how motivations expressed through speech are processed in real-time. Participants listened to sentences spoken in two types of well-studied motivational tones (autonomy-supportive and controlling), or a neutral tone of voice. To examine this, listeners were presented with sentences that either signaled motivations through prosody (tone of voice) and words simultaneously (e.g. 'You absolutely have to do it my way' spoken in a controlling tone of voice), or lacked motivationally biasing words (e.g. 'Why don't we meet again tomorrow' spoken in a motivational tone of voice). Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in response to motivations conveyed through words and prosody showed that listeners rapidly distinguished between motivations and neutral forms of communication as shown in enhanced P2 amplitudes in response to motivational when compared with neutral speech. This early detection mechanism is argued to help determine the importance of incoming information. Once assessed, motivational language is continuously monitored and thoroughly evaluated. When compared with neutral speech, listening to controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) speech led to enhanced late potential ERP mean amplitudes, suggesting that listeners are particularly attuned to controlling messages. The importance of controlling motivation for listeners is mirrored in effects observed for motivations expressed through prosody only. Here, an early rapid appraisal, as reflected in enhanced P2 amplitudes, is only found for sentences spoken in controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) prosody. Once identified as sounding pressuring, the message seems to be preferentially processed, as shown by enhanced late potential amplitudes in response to controlling prosody. Taken together, results suggest that motivational and neutral language are differentially processed; further, the data suggest that listening to cues signaling pressure and control cannot be ignored and lead to preferential, and more in-depth processing mechanisms. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Mouth and Voice: A Relationship between Visual and Auditory Preference in the Human Superior Temporal Sulcus

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Cortex in and around the human posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is known to be critical for speech perception. The pSTS responds to both the visual modality (especially biological motion) and the auditory modality (especially human voices). Using fMRI in single subjects with no spatial smoothing, we show that visual and auditory selectivity are linked. Regions of the pSTS were identified that preferred visually presented moving mouths (presented in isolation or as part of a whole face) or moving eyes. Mouth-preferring regions responded strongly to voices and showed a significant preference for vocal compared with nonvocal sounds. In contrast, eye-preferring regions did not respond to either vocal or nonvocal sounds. The converse was also true: regions of the pSTS that showed a significant response to speech or preferred vocal to nonvocal sounds responded more strongly to visually presented mouths than eyes. These findings can be explained by environmental statistics. In natural environments, humans see visual mouth movements at the same time as they hear voices, while there is no auditory accompaniment to visual eye movements. The strength of a voxel's preference for visual mouth movements was strongly correlated with the magnitude of its auditory speech response and its preference for vocal sounds, suggesting that visual and auditory speech features are coded together in small populations of neurons within the pSTS. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans interacting face to face make use of auditory cues from the talker's voice and visual cues from the talker's mouth to understand speech. The human posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), a brain region known to be important for speech perception, is complex, with some regions responding to specific visual stimuli and others to specific auditory stimuli. Using BOLD fMRI, we show that the natural statistics of human speech, in which voices co-occur with mouth movements, are reflected in the neural architecture of the pSTS. Different pSTS regions prefer visually presented faces containing either a moving mouth or moving eyes, but only mouth-preferring regions respond strongly to voices. PMID:28179553

Mouth and Voice: A Relationship between Visual and Auditory Preference in the Human Superior Temporal Sulcus.

PubMed

Zhu, Lin L; Beauchamp, Michael S

2017-03-08

Cortex in and around the human posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is known to be critical for speech perception. The pSTS responds to both the visual modality (especially biological motion) and the auditory modality (especially human voices). Using fMRI in single subjects with no spatial smoothing, we show that visual and auditory selectivity are linked. Regions of the pSTS were identified that preferred visually presented moving mouths (presented in isolation or as part of a whole face) or moving eyes. Mouth-preferring regions responded strongly to voices and showed a significant preference for vocal compared with nonvocal sounds. In contrast, eye-preferring regions did not respond to either vocal or nonvocal sounds. The converse was also true: regions of the pSTS that showed a significant response to speech or preferred vocal to nonvocal sounds responded more strongly to visually presented mouths than eyes. These findings can be explained by environmental statistics. In natural environments, humans see visual mouth movements at the same time as they hear voices, while there is no auditory accompaniment to visual eye movements. The strength of a voxel's preference for visual mouth movements was strongly correlated with the magnitude of its auditory speech response and its preference for vocal sounds, suggesting that visual and auditory speech features are coded together in small populations of neurons within the pSTS. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans interacting face to face make use of auditory cues from the talker's voice and visual cues from the talker's mouth to understand speech. The human posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), a brain region known to be important for speech perception, is complex, with some regions responding to specific visual stimuli and others to specific auditory stimuli. Using BOLD fMRI, we show that the natural statistics of human speech, in which voices co-occur with mouth movements, are reflected in the neural architecture of the pSTS. Different pSTS regions prefer visually presented faces containing either a moving mouth or moving eyes, but only mouth-preferring regions respond strongly to voices. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/372697-12$15.00/0.

Cognitive Load in Voice Therapy Carry-Over Exercises.

PubMed

Iwarsson, Jenny; Morris, David Jackson; Balling, Laura Winther

2017-01-01

The cognitive load generated by online speech production may vary with the nature of the speech task. This article examines 3 speech tasks used in voice therapy carry-over exercises, in which a patient is required to adopt and automatize new voice behaviors, ultimately in daily spontaneous communication. Twelve subjects produced speech in 3 conditions: rote speech (weekdays), sentences in a set form, and semispontaneous speech. Subjects simultaneously performed a secondary visual discrimination task for which response times were measured. On completion of each speech task, subjects rated their experience on a questionnaire. Response times from the secondary, visual task were found to be shortest for the rote speech, longer for the semispontaneous speech, and longest for the sentences within the set framework. Principal components derived from the subjective ratings were found to be linked to response times on the secondary visual task. Acoustic measures reflecting fundamental frequency distribution and vocal fold compression varied across the speech tasks. The results indicate that consideration should be given to the selection of speech tasks during the process leading to automation of revised speech behavior and that self-reports may be a reliable index of cognitive load.

Early development of polyphonic sound encoding and the high voice superiority effect.

PubMed

Marie, Céline; Trainor, Laurel J

2014-05-01

Previous research suggests that when two streams of pitched tones are presented simultaneously, adults process each stream in a separate memory trace, as reflected by mismatch negativity (MMN), a component of the event-related potential (ERP). Furthermore, a superior encoding of the higher tone or voice in polyphonic sounds has been found for 7-month-old infants and both musician and non-musician adults in terms of a larger amplitude MMN in response to pitch deviant stimuli in the higher than the lower voice. These results, in conjunction with modeling work, suggest that the high voice superiority effect might originate in characteristics of the peripheral auditory system. If this is the case, the high voice superiority effect should be present in infants younger than 7 months. In the present study we tested 3-month-old infants as there is no evidence at this age of perceptual narrowing or specialization of musical processing according to the pitch or rhythmic structure of music experienced in the infant׳s environment. We presented two simultaneous streams of tones (high and low) with 50% of trials modified by 1 semitone (up or down), either on the higher or the lower tone, leaving 50% standard trials. Results indicate that like the 7-month-olds, 3-month-old infants process each tone in a separate memory trace and show greater saliency for the higher tone. Although MMN was smaller and later in both voices for the group of sixteen 3-month-olds compared to the group of sixteen 7-month-olds, the size of the difference in MMN for the high compared to low voice was similar across ages. These results support the hypothesis of an innate peripheral origin of the high voice superiority effect. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Task-specific singing dystonia: vocal instability that technique cannot fix.

PubMed

Halstead, Lucinda A; McBroom, Deanna M; Bonilha, Heather Shaw

2015-01-01

Singer's dystonia is a rare variation of focal laryngeal dystonia presenting only during specific tasks in the singing voice. It is underdiagnosed since it is commonly attributed to technique problems including increased muscle tension, register transition, or wobble. Singer's dystonia differs from technique-related issues in that it is task- and/or pitch-specific, reproducible and occurs independently from the previously mentioned technical issues.This case series compares and contrasts profiles of four patients with singer's dystonia to increase our knowledge of this disorder. This retrospective case series includes a detailed case history, results of singing evaluations from individual voice teachers, review of singing voice samples by a singing voice specialist, evaluation by a laryngologist with endoscopy and laryngeal electromyography (LEMG), and spectral analysis of the voice samples by a speech-language pathologist. Results demonstrate the similarities and unique differences of individuals with singer's dystonia. Response to treatment and singing status varied from nearly complete relief of symptoms with botulinum toxin injections to minor relief of symptoms and discontinuation of singing. The following are the conclusions from this case series: (1) singer's dystonia exists as a separate entity from technique issues, (2) singer's dystonia is consistent with other focal task-specific dystonias found in musicians, (3) correctly diagnosing singer's dystonia allows singer's access to medical treatment of dystonia and an opportunity to modify their singing repertoire to continue singing with the voice they have, and (4) diagnosis of singer's dystonia requires careful sequential multidisciplinary evaluation to isolate the instability and confirm dystonia by LEMG and spectral voice analysis. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contributions of speech science to the technology of man-machine voice interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lea, Wayne A.

1977-01-01

Research in speech understanding was reviewed. Plans which include prosodics research, phonological rules for speech understanding systems, and continued interdisciplinary phonetics research are discussed. Improved acoustic phonetic analysis capabilities in speech recognizers are suggested.

Use of speech generating devices can improve perception of qualifications for skilled, verbal, and interactive jobs.

PubMed

Stern, Steven E; Chobany, Chelsea M; Beam, Alexander A; Hoover, Brittany N; Hull, Thomas T; Linsenbigler, Melissa; Makdad-Light, Courtney; Rubright, Courtney N

2017-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that when speech generating devices (SGD) are used as assistive technologies, they are preferred over the users' natural voices. We sought to examine whether using SGDs would affect listener's perceptions of hirability of people with complex communication needs. In a series of three experiments, participants rated videotaped actors, one using SGD and the other using their natural, mildly dysarthric voice, on (a) a measurement of perceptions of speaker credibility, strength, and informedness and (b) measurements of hirability for jobs coded in terms of skill, verbal ability, and interactivity. Experiment 1 examined hirability for jobs varying in terms of skill and verbal ability. Experiment 2 was a replication that examined hirability for jobs varying in terms of interactivity. Experiment 3 examined jobs in terms of skill and specific mode of interaction (face-to-face, telephone, computer-mediated). Actors were rated more favorably when using SGD than their own voices. Actors using SGD were also rated more favorably for highly skilled and highly verbal jobs. This preference for SGDs over mildly dysarthric voice was also found for jobs entailing computer-mediated-communication, particularly skillful jobs.

Development and Validation of the Children's Voice Handicap Index-10 for Parents.

PubMed

Ricci-Maccarini, Andrea; De Maio, Vincenzo; Murry, Thomas; Schindler, Antonio

2016-01-01

The Children's Voice Handicap Index-10 (CVHI-10) was introduced as a tool for self-assessment of children's dysphonia. However, in the management of children with voice disorders, both parents' and children's perspectives play an important role. Because a self-tool including both a children's and a parents' version does not exist yet, the aim of the study was to develop and validate an assessment tool which parallels the CVHI-10 for parents to assess the level of voice handicap in their child's voice. Observational, prospective, cross-sectional study. To develop a CVHI-10 for parents, called "CVHI-10-P", the CVHI-10 items were adapted to reflect parents' responses about their child. Fifty-five children aged 7-12 years completed the CVHI-10, whereas their parents completed the CVHI-10-P. Each child's voice was also perceptually assessed by an otolaryngologist using the Grade Breathness Roughness (GRB) scale. Fifty-one of the 55 children underwent voice therapy (VT) and were assessed afterward using the GRB, CVHI-10, and CVHI-10-P. CVHI-10-P internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach alpha = .78). Correlation between CVHI-10-P and CVHI-10 was moderate (r = 0.37). CVHI-10-P total scores were lower than CVHI-10 scores in most of the cases. Single-item mean scores were always lower in CVHI-10-P compared with CVHI-10, with the exception of the only one item of the CVHI-10-P that directly involves the parent's experience (item 10). Data gained from one tool are not directly related to the other, suggesting that these two tools appraise the child's voice handicap from different perspectives. The overall perceptual assessment scores of the 51 children after VT significantly improved. There was a statistically significant reduction of the total scores and for each item in CVHI-10 and CVHI-10-P after VT. These data support the adoption of the CVHI-10-P as an assessment tool and an outcome measure for management of children's voice disorders. CVHI-10-P is a valid tool to appraise parents' perspective of their child's voice disorder. The use of the CVHI-10 and the CVHI-10-P is recommended for objectively determining the level of voice handicap in children by parents and child. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of Risk Factors for Development of Voice Disorders and its Impact on the Quality of Life of School Teachers in Mangalore, India.

PubMed

Alva, Arati; Machado, Megna; Bhojwani, Kiran; Sreedharan, Suja

2017-01-01

School teachers are most prone to the development and detrimental effects of voice disorders as a consequence of their work. The risk factors for development of dysphonia in teachers are multifactorial. The primary aim of our study was to investigate the various risk factors that influence the onset and progression of voice disorders in school teachers in the Indian context. We wanted to assess the effect of voice problems on the physical, psychosocial and functional aspect of a teacher's life. It was a cross-sectional study conducted across three English medium institutions. A total of 105 teachers consented to participate in the study and they had to answer a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, which included demographic details, living habits (drug intake, smoking and alcohol intake) health condition [any Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), stress, etc., or any history of surgery], teaching characteristics, voice symptoms and physical discomforts and quality of life assessment. The completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed based on the responses obtained. It was found that 81% of the study population had voice problems at some point of their career. A total of 26% of them fell into the voice disorder category. The association of upper respiratory infections DNS and GERD with voice disorders was found to be statistically significant. We also found that a significant number of teachers with voice disorders had changed their teaching styles and were planning to opt for an early retirement. Most importantly, it was also seen that teachers with voice disorders were more likely to have a poorer quality of life as compared to those without a voice disorder (p<0.001). Voice disorders had a significant bearing on all the spheres of a school teacher's life. The affected teachers were more likely to take sick leaves, change overall job opinions, retire early, reduce overall communiations, repeat statements and avoid talking to people in person as well as over the telephone. It reduced their overall social abilities and made them avoid social activities. They got easily upset and were dissatisfied with their job performance. All these in turn deteriorate the quality of life in these individuals.

Study of Risk Factors for Development of Voice Disorders and its Impact on the Quality of Life of School Teachers in Mangalore, India

PubMed Central

Machado, Megna; Bhojwani, Kiran; Sreedharan, Suja

2017-01-01

Introduction School teachers are most prone to the development and detrimental effects of voice disorders as a consequence of their work. The risk factors for development of dysphonia in teachers are multifactorial. Aim The primary aim of our study was to investigate the various risk factors that influence the onset and progression of voice disorders in school teachers in the Indian context. We wanted to assess the effect of voice problems on the physical, psychosocial and functional aspect of a teacher’s life. Materials and Methods It was a cross-sectional study conducted across three English medium institutions. A total of 105 teachers consented to participate in the study and they had to answer a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, which included demographic details, living habits (drug intake, smoking and alcohol intake) health condition [any Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), stress, etc., or any history of surgery], teaching characteristics, voice symptoms and physical discomforts and quality of life assessment. The completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed based on the responses obtained. Results It was found that 81% of the study population had voice problems at some point of their career. A total of 26% of them fell into the voice disorder category. The association of upper respiratory infections DNS and GERD with voice disorders was found to be statistically significant. We also found that a significant number of teachers with voice disorders had changed their teaching styles and were planning to opt for an early retirement. Most importantly, it was also seen that teachers with voice disorders were more likely to have a poorer quality of life as compared to those without a voice disorder (p<0.001). Conclusion Voice disorders had a significant bearing on all the spheres of a school teacher’s life. The affected teachers were more likely to take sick leaves, change overall job opinions, retire early, reduce overall communiations, repeat statements and avoid talking to people in person as well as over the telephone. It reduced their overall social abilities and made them avoid social activities. They got easily upset and were dissatisfied with their job performance. All these in turn deteriorate the quality of life in these individuals. PMID:28273984