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Vocal Mirror - Electronic Voice Analysis for Therapeutic Diagnosis and Rehabilitation

Vocal Mirror - Electronic Voice Analysis for Therapeutic Diagnosis and Rehabilitation. Group 21: Joe Owens-Ream Advisor: Dr. Tom Cleveland. Motivation. Many professional singers and speakers develop vocal problems through misuse of their own talking or singing voice.

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Vocal Mirror - Electronic Voice Analysis for Therapeutic Diagnosis and Rehabilitation

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  1. Vocal Mirror - Electronic Voice Analysis for Therapeutic Diagnosis and Rehabilitation Group 21: Joe Owens-Ream Advisor: Dr. Tom Cleveland

  2. Motivation • Many professional singers and speakers develop vocal problems through misuse of their own talking or singing voice. • This unnecessary wear can lead to problems such as vocal nodules, vocal polyps, cysts, and other voice disorders of unknown etiology, and eventual loss of voice. • By retraining the patient to correctly use their voice, a speech pathologist saves their voice. This involves imparting self-knowledge of pitch and amplitude use to the patient.

  3. Common Symptoms • Common symptoms include: vocal fatigue, increased vocal effort, lack of vocal quality and/or overall volume, hoarse or raspy voice, voice breaks, and breathy voice. • If the patient is a singer, the patient may additionally show a loss of high notes, unstable pianissimo (quiet) phonation, and increased breathiness throughout the singing range.

  4. Incidence of Voice Disorders • The prevalence of voice disorders in children up to 14 is about 6%. • In adulthood this decreases to as low as 1% but increases to 6.5% for those 45 to 70. • It is indicated in this study that these numbers for the adult population are low and that many voice disorders remain untreated or even unnoticed for years.

  5. Incidence (continued) • Disorders of vocal abuse and misuse are the most prevalent and preventable types of voice disorders. • The frequency of repeated vocal nodule occurrence ranges from 15% to 35%. • Of the total working population in the United States, approximately 25% have jobs that critically require voice use, and 3% of the population have occupations in which their voice is necessary for public safety.

  6. Your Voice • Sound is produced by vibrations induced when air is passed by vocal folds. • Wear and misuse can lead to nodes and cysts. • Such wear often happens without the patient’s knowledge. • Speaking at the incorrect optimal pitch, usually too low or in the Vocal Fry range, can cause this wear.

  7. Problems of Current System • Time spent in voice clinic • Feedback through speech pathologist • No take-home version • Lack of visual and aural representation of problems

  8. Working Solution The goal of the device is to, from a live signal or recording, extrapolate data about the frequency and amplitude usage of the speaker's/singer's voice.  This data will be analyzed by the system and output information on the pattern of voice usage, and provide real-time suggestions for use.  This data can then be used to diagnose speaking/singing problems and tendencies.

  9. Possible modes of application • VI exported to multiple computers through LabVIEW's Application Builder • PC/Mac (Laptop)w/ sound-card • PDA w/ audio capabilities • Specifically a Windows CE platform

  10. Flow Chart of Design

  11. Flow Chart of Virtual Instrument

  12. Work Completed • Researched the physics of sound waves and the physiology of the voice and vocal disorders. • Further narrowing of design definition to include logging, and output options • Researched possible overlap with current devices and software • Evaluated LabVIEW's signal analysis options and built in VIs • Completion of VI with logging and visualization capabilities

  13. Goals • Short term (completed): • Continue testing of device and VI • Finish LabView VI to input, display, and analyze audio signal, and connect through LabView Player to A/D board and mike on laptop or possibly in a PDA • Long term (future work): • Design portable device to be carried/worn by patient • Design device hardware for use in pathologist's clinic • Design various analysis sequences to output statistics or live audio information

  14. Equipment and Costs • Microphone ($20-$40) • A/D Board already owned in computer • Use of LabView software is free in BME computer lab • Projected final costs: minimal to none

  15. Sources • Leske, 1981 and Marge, et al., 1985. • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Ad Hoc Committee on Service Delivery in the Schools. (1993, March). Definitions of communication disorders and variations. Asha, 35 (Suppl.10), 40-41. • Ramig, L.O., & Verdolini, K. (1998, February). Treatment efficacy: Voice disorders. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 41, S101-S116. • Pannbacker, M. (1999, August). Treatment of vocal nodules: Options and outcomes. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 8, 201-208. • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (1999, May). Disorders of vocal abuse and misuse (NIH Pub. No. 99-4375). Bethesda, MD: Author.

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