Previous research has shown that L2 students have difficulties producing and even recognising sounds that do not exist in their mother tongue. It has also been concluded that accented speech not only compromises intelligibility but also makes the listener negatively biased towards the speaker. The present study explores how proficient Swedish students are in producing the speech sounds /dʒ/, /j/, /v/, /w/, /ʃ/and /tʃ/, of which /dʒ/, /w/ and /tʃ/do not exist in Swedish. In addition, it explores whether their pronunciation of these sounds improves after a brief pronunciation lesson, if this improvement is lasting and whether they tend to learn the pronunciation of words as separate units or are able to generalise the rules of pronunciation and appropriately apply them. It also investigates whether a difference in the structure of the pronunciation lesson affects the students’ results. The study revealed that the students do have difficulties with correctly producing in particular /tʃ/, /dʒ/ and /j/. More specifically, they tended to confuse /dʒ/ and /j/ whereas many students appeared to have been unaware that /tʃ/ exists and used the /ʃ/-sound instead, which exists in Swedish. After the pronunciation lesson, however, the students significantly improved their pronunciation. This improvement was shown to be lasting and the students were generalising rules rather than learning words as separate units. What the study failed to show was a significant difference in results caused by a difference in the structure of the pronunciation lesson.

This thesis discusses the role of music and musical sounds in Butterfly Burning by Yvonne Vera. It analyses the way that Vera has used music interlinked with the action of the novel.  This thesis analyses a few areas where music is represented and is important such as: music as an element of healing/forgiveness; music as an element of hope; music as an element of despair; music as an element of working life and the absence of music.  This thesis also briefly discusses who the narrator of the novel is and Vera’s writing technique that incorporates images with hypothetical sounds.   The conclusion shows that music and musical sounds are important to the novel.  It also shows that the music in Butterfly Burning can be compared to the music in a film.  Vera has managed to combine the story of the novel and the description of music so that it becomes one inseparable unit.

Doholla or Darbuka is a traditional Arab percussion instrument with a specific restricted secondary role. My project aims to challenge this role and expand the possibilities and horizons of this instrument by using it as a solo instrument breaking the norms and expectations ruling the instrument. My research focuses on answering the following question: can I present this instrument as a solo or main instrument? I used different methods to experiment with the instrument, including but not limited to, exploring sounds on parts of the instrument’s body that were not used before to create new sounds, or switching the classical loop role of the instrument with a new more varied one. In addition to using techniques that are from different cultures and others that are specific to other percussion instruments in general. As a result, I came to find a wide collection of new sounds that can be used in different contexts, which can be utilized in composing vibrant compositions. I was also able to compose and perform solo compositions with doholla/ darbuka that are written specifically to present the instrument’s richness as well as compositions where doholla had the main changing part while another melodic instrument was providing the background loop role. And finally I managed to prove that this instrument could exist successfully outside its traditionally known boundaries. / <p>George Oro: Darboka, Doholla</p><p>Jiro Kevork: Drums</p><p>Liliana Zavala: Conga</p><p>Mårten Hillbom: Drums</p><p>Composition 6; Composition 9; Dueto; Longa Nahawand; Solo; Trio; ss;Two Darboka</p>

L'efficacité de la reconnaissance auditive peut être décrite et quantifiée suivant deux aspects différents : la quantité d'information nécessaire pour y parvenir et sa rapidité. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'évaluer expérimentalement ces deux aspects. Dans une première partie expérimentale, nous nous sommes intéressés à la quantité d'information en créant des représentations parcimonieuses de sons naturels originaux appelées esquisses auditives. Nous avons montré qu'une esquisse auditive est reconnue malgré la quantité très limitée d'information auditive présente dans les stimuli. Pour l'analyse des stimuli auditifs, nous avons développé un modèle de distance auditive entre catégories sonores. Pour l'analyse des performances des participants, nous avons développé un modèle pour le calcul de la sensibilité par catégorie sonore et tenant compte du biais, qui s'intègre dans la théorie de détection du signal. Ces analyses nous ont permis de montrer qu'en réalité les résultats ne sont pas équivalents entre les différentes catégories sonores. La voix se démarque des autres catégories testées (e.g. instruments de musique) : la technique de sélection de l'information parcimonieuse ne semble pas adaptée aux indices de la voix. Dans une seconde partie expérimentale, nous avons étudié le décours temporel de la reconnaissance auditive. Afin d'estimer le temps nécessaire au système auditif pour reconnaître un son, nous avons utilisé un récent paradigme de présentation audio séquentielle rapide (RASP, pour Rapid Audio Sequential Presentation). Nous avons montré que moins de 50 ms suffisent pour reconnaître un son naturel court, avec une meilleure reconnaissance pour la pour la voix humaine. / The efficacy of auditory recognition relies on two different aspects: the quantity of information necessary and the processing speed. The objective of this thesis was to experimentally evaluate these two aspects. In a first experimental part, we explored the amount of information by creating sparse representations of original natural sounds to form what is called auditory sketches. We showed that an auditory sketch is recognizable despite the very limited quantity of auditory information in the stimuli. To achieve these results, we dedicated an important part of our work on the elaboration of adequate tools in function of the tested sound categories. Thus, for the analysis of auditory stimuli, we have developed an auditory distance model between sound categories. For the analysis of the performances of the participants, we have developed a model to calculate the sensitivity by sound category and taking into account the bias, which falls within the signal detection theory. These analyses allowed us to show that, actually, the results are not equivalent between the different sound categories. Voices stand out from the other categories tested (e.g. musical instruments): the technique of selection of the sparse information does not seem adapted to the voice features. In a second experimental part, we investigated the temporal course of auditory recognition. To estimate the time necessary for the auditory system to recognize a sound, we used a recent paradigm of Rapid Audio Sequential Presentation (RASP). We showed that less than 50 ms are enough to recognize a short natural sound, with a better recognition for the human voice.

Notre travail de thèse est consacré au développement d’une nouvelle approche d’analyse du signal oscillométrique pour mesurer la pression artérielle systolique et identifier les personnes dont la paroi artérielle est anormalement rigide. L’oscillométrie, largement exploitée pour la mesure automatique non-vulnérante de la pression artérielle, repose sur l’amplitude des variations dynamiques de pression du brassard pneumatique générées par l’expansion de l’artère brachiale sous l’effet de l’onde de pouls. Nous avons d’abord effectué une revue de la littérature sur les méthodes auscultatoire et oscillométrique. La méthode auscultatoire, fondée sur la détection des bruits produits par l’artère brachiale sous le brassard, reste la référence pour la validation des moniteurs oscillométriques. Depuis la description de ces bruits par Nicolaï Korotkoff en 1905, de nombreux auteurs ont tenté d’en expliquer l’origine et d’en identifier les limites et pièges en comparaison avec la mesure intra-artérielle directe. La technique oscillométrique dérive de l’invention du sphygmographe par Etienne-Jules Marey en 1859. Les constructeurs procèdent à la validation de leurs appareils en référence aux normes internationales (ISO) sans dévoiler les algorithmes mise en œuvre. De très nombreuses approches ont été proposées, depuis des rapports déterminés empiriquement jusqu’à des réseaux de neurones en passant par divers modèles mathématiques, pour déterminer les pressions systolique et diastolique à partir de la pression moyenne mesurée sur la courbe oscillométrique. Cependant, l’oscillométrie donne des résultats variables et présente des erreurs significatives, en particulier pour la détermination de la pression systolique, notamment chez les sujets ayant des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires.Sur la base de cette analyse, considérant que la référence reste la détection des bruits de Korotkoff, nous avons cherché à en mieux comprendre les mécanismes. Nous avons enregistré les images échographiques et le signal Doppler de l’artère brachiale sous le brassard lors de la mesure de pression artérielle chez des sujets volontaires, en synchronisation avec l’ECG, la pression du brassard et les bruits de Korotkoff. Nous avons pu observer les variations cycliques du diamètre de l’artère brachiale pendant le dégonflage du brassard, et mesurer la vitesse locale de propagation de l’onde de pouls, ainsi que les délais entre le signal oscillométrique, l’ECG et les bruits de Korotkoff. Nous avons pu ainsi démontrer que les bruits de Korotkoff sont produits par la vibration de la paroi artérielle sous l’impact de l’onde de pouls, puis par la turbulence de l’écoulement flux sanguin, et nous avons montré la diminution marquée de la vitesse locale de l’onde de pouls lorsque la pression du brassard réduit la pression artérielle transmurale. L’observation de ces enregistrements nous a montré l’intérêt de l’analyse de la forme de l’onde de pouls enregistrée par oscillométrie. Nous en avons tiré une approche innovante fondée sur l’analyse temporelle pour la détermination directe de la pression artérielle systolique. Nous avons réalisé une étude clinique prospective, selon un protocole approuvé par le Comité d’éthique du CHU de Nîmes, pour valider notre nouvelle approche. Nous avons comparé notre technique à la méthode auscultatoire chez 145 sujets avec ou sans facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire, et à la pression mesurée par cathéter radial chez 35 patients hospitalisés en réanimation. Nous avons obtenu une excellente concordance avec le premier bruit de Korotkoff, avec des résultats très supérieurs à l’oscillométrie réalisée à l’aide d’un appareil validé. De plus, notre technique s’est montrée capable d’identifier les sujets porteurs de facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires, se comparant favorablement à la vitesse de l’onde de pouls aortique. / Our thesis is devoted to the development of a new oscillometric signal analysis approach to measure systolic blood pressure and identify subjects with abnormal arterial wall rigidity. Oscillometry, widely used for the non-invasive automatic measurement of blood pressure, is based on the amplitude of the dynamic cuff-pressure oscillations generated by the expansion of the brachial artery at the arrival of the pulse wave.We first conducted a literature review on the auscultatory and oscillometric methods. The auscultatory method, based on the detection of the sounds emitted by the brachial artery under the cuff, remains the reference for the validation of oscillometric monitors. Since the description of these sounds by Nicolai Korotkoff in 1905, many authors attempted to explain their origin and assess their limits and pitfalls in comparison with direct intra-arterial blood pressure measurement.Oscillometric technique derive from the sphygmograph built by Etienne-Jules Marey in 1859. Manufacturers validate their oscillometric devices in reference to the international standards (ISO) without revealing the algorithms they use. Numerous approaches have been proposed, from fixed empirical ratios to neural networks to various mathematical models, for the calculation of systolic and diastolic pressure since only the mean arterial pressure is actually measured on the oscillometric curve. However, oscillometry yields variable results and produces significant errors, especially for systolic pressure, notably in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.Based on this analysis, and considering that the reference remains the detection of Korotkoff sounds, we sought to better understand their mechanisms. We recorded ultrasound images and the Doppler signal of the brachial artery under the cuff when measuring blood pressure in volunteers, simultaneously with ECG, cuff pressure and Korotkoff sounds. We could record the systolic diameter changes of the brachial artery during cuff deflation, and measure the local pulse wave velocity, as well as the time delay between the oscillometric signal, the ECG and the Korotkoff sounds. We were able to demonstrate that the Korotkoff sounds are produced by arterial wall vibration under the impact of the pulse wave, then by blood flow turbulence, and we measured the marked decrease in local pulse wave velocity when the cuff inflation reduces the brachial artery transmural pressure.We concluded to the interest of pulse waveform analysis, and designed an innovative approach based on its temporal characteristics for the direct determination of systolic blood pressure. We conducted a prospective clinical study, according to a protocol approved by the Ethics Committee of the Nîmes University Hospital Center, to validate our new approach. We compared our technique to the auscultation method in 145 subjects with or without cardiovascular risk factors, and to direct blood pressure measurement with a radial catheter in 35 patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit. We obtained an excellent correlation with the first Korotkoff sound, with better results than conventional oscillometry. In addition, our technique has proven able to identify subjects with cardiovascular risk factors with an accuracy favorably comparable to aortic pulse wave velocity.

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I denna undersökning presenteras tillvägagångssättet för att ta fram en process för hur man på ett enkelt sätt kan arbeta med ljud i spel. Det kommer att lyftas fram information som togs fram genom att intervjua personer från spelbranschen vars uppgift handlar om ljudskapande och andra akademiska underlag inom området. Undersökningen genomfördes med hjälp av The Analysis Project och innebär att lösa olika problem genom att kolla på existerande lösningar. Perspektivet ger en bredare bild kring hur ljud i spel fungerar och kunna bidra med ett tillvägagångssätt som är tydligt. Undersökningen är baserad på tidigare forskning inom detta område såsom egna erfarenheter kring fakta och den praktiska delen. Genom intervjuerna har frågeställningen blivit besvarad på ett systematiskt sätt som hjälper läsaren att förstå de olika processer som ljuddesigner har. Undersökningen resulterade i en tydlig process som beskriver olika tekniker som kan användas av andra ljuddesigners i sina processer. / This bachelor thesis presents the approach that has developed a process for how one can easily work with sounds in games. Here, information will be highlighted by interviewing people from the gaming industry whose task is to create sound and other academic material in the field. The survey was carried out with the help of The Analysis Project and involves solving various problems by looking at existing solutions. Through this perspective, develop a broader picture of how sounds in games work and to contribute a guide with a clear approach. The study is based on previous research in the area, such as our own experiences regarding facts and the practical part. Through the interview the issue has been answered in a systematic manner which helps the reader to understand the processes in which sound designers are working with. This body of work resulted in a clear process that defines different techniques from which other sound designers can use in their own works.

A growing body of research focuses on how background sounds shape and alter critical elements of animals’ lives, such as foraging behavior, habitat use, and ecological interactions (Bradbury & Vehrencamp, 2011; Barber et al., 2010; Kight & Swaddle, 2011; Shannon et al., 2016). Much of this research has centered on the effects of anthropogenic noise (Dominoni et al., 2020; Francis & Barber, 2013; Ortega, 2012; Swaddle et al., 2015), but recent studies have also revealed that natural sound sources can influence animal behavior (Davidson et al., 2017; Le et al., 2019). Natural sounds, such as crashing surf, can create conditions where signaling and listening are difficult, but how this influences different species’ ecological interactions are unknown. To study the effects of crashing surf sound we experimentally introduced landscape-level acoustic playbacks where surf sound was not naturally present to create a “phantom ocean”. Phantom ocean treatment sites were employed alongside higher frequency “shifted” treatment sites to test for frequency-dependent effects, “real ocean” sites where surf sound was endemic, and ambient control sites. The phantom and shifted treatments were played continuously during the spring and summer of 2017-2019. Within this acoustic experimental landscape we conducted multiple studies to test the effects of crashing surf sound on animal behavior, habitat use, and ecological interactions. Through an artificial caterpillar predation experiment modeled after Roslin et al. (2017), we found that when exposed to natural sound treatments the foraging activity of rodents and arthropods increased, while that of birds declined. A potential explanation for this pattern includes taxon-specific responses reflecting different perceived risk-reward trade-offs in natural sound conditions. To follow this up we performed occupancy modeling on data collected by camera traps set within our system. We observed different responses among groups of species with different functional roles in the community for both detection (p) and occupancy (Ψ) probabilities. Our combined results indicate different species and functional groups have unique foraging behavior and patch use responses to natural sounds, likely based on their ecological interactions. Specifically, Cricetid rodents are likely more active in areas exposed to natural sounds, possibly due to lower perceived predation risk because mesocarnivores are less active. Insectivorous birds are also likely less active under natural sounds conditions, although the frequency of the sound, and the body size and diet of the bird appear influential. Together these findings suggest that natural sounds shape not only individual behavioral adjustments, but also multi-trophic, community level interactions. Our results show that natural sounds are an important driver of ecological interactions, but much remains to be uncovered. The mechanisms by which natural sounds influence individuals, populations, and many other aspects of ecology remain unexplored and provide fertile ground for future inquiry.

Sound localisation is one of the most representative function of the auditory system and, as such, it has been extensively investigated across species. Spatial hearing can be dramatically altered across the life span, yet research in humans have highlighted the remarkable capacity of the brain to adapt to changes of listening conditions, such as temporary ear plugging or long lasting hearing impairments. Although several investigations have examined accommodation to altered auditory cues (Chapter 1), a common theoretical framework seems to lack and a number of questions remain open. This limits the possibility to translate our current knowledge into concrete clinical applications for individuals who experience spatial hearing difficulties after hearing loss. The current dissertation reflects the attempt to answer specific questions regarding the process of sound localisation. The first study (Chapter 2) aimed to investigate the relation between different reference frames in spatial hearing, namely egocentric and allocentric sound representation. We studies this topic in the context of a learning paradigm, assessing to what extent localisation of single sounds in simulated monaural hearing (unilateral ear plugging) can improve following an audio-visual spatial hearing training focused on egocentric sound processing vs allocentric sound processing. An untrained group was also included in the study. We found that localisation performance in the horizontal plane improved specifically in the side ipsilateral to the ear-plug for all groups. Yet, the trained groups showed a qualitatively different change of performance after four days of multisensory ego/allocentric training compared to the untrained group, providing initial evidence of the possible role of allocentric coding in acoustic space re-learning. These results further highlight the importance of including a test-retest group in paradigms of sound localisation training. The second study (Chapter 3) focused on a specific aspect of the phenomenological experience of spatial hearing, namely the subjective confidence about the perceived sound position. We examined the relation between objective localisation accuracy and subjective certainty while participants localised sounds in two different listening conditions – binaural or simulated monaural hearing. Results showed that overall subjective certainty on sound position decreased in the altered listening condition (unilateral ear-plugging). In simulated monaural hearing, localisation accuracy and spatial confidence dissociated. For instance, there were trials in which participants were accurate, but felt uncertain, and trials in which they were less accurate but expressed higher ratings of spatial confidence on sound position. Furthermore, subjective confidence increased as a function of time within the testing block, and it was related to the spatial distribution of the perceived sound-source position. The third study (Chapter 4) exploited magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study the dynamics of the cortical network implied in active sound localisation. We implemented a novel apparatus to study sound localisation in MEG with real sounds in external space, and collected behavioural and subjective responses (i.e., accuracy and confidence, as in Study 2) during this altered listening condition. Results showed that participants were able to perceive the spatial difference between the positions of stimulation, thus proving the reliability of our novel setting for the study of spatial hearing in MEG. MEG data highlight a distributed bilateral cortical network involved in active sound localisation, which emerged shortly after stimulus presentation (100—125 ms). The network comprise the classical dorsal auditory pathway plus other cortical regions usually underestimated in previous literature – most notably, regions in the central sulcus/precentral gyrus possibly involved in head movements. Connectivity analysis revealed different patterns of neural coupling, as a function of frequency band. In particular, coherence in high gamma revealed significant connections involving the parietal cortex and the posterior superior temporal cortex. In the final chapter (Chapter 5), I summarise the main findings of the three studies, discuss their implications and outline potential future directions.

Misophonia is a condition characterized by a strong physiological, emotional, and behaviouralresponse to specific auditory stimuli, which have a significant negative impact on the wellbeingof affected individuals. The present investigation focuses on emotional dysregulation, which arises due to the triggering of specific auditory stimuli. Individuals with misophoniastruggle to regulate their emotions when exposed to sounds, leading to emotional reactions, including anger, anxiety, disgust, avoidance behaviour, fight or flight, and feeling overwhelmed. These reactions might even lead to violent impulses directed towards the source of the sound. Despite its growing recognition, little is yet known about misophonia, and experts have not established any clear boundaries or criteria for the condition to be considered adisorder. As such, it is not yet included in any classification systems for disorders. The aim of this study is to understand how individuals with misophonia experience emotional dysregulation, how do they describe their experience, what is it like to live with misophonia ona day-to-day basis, and how do individuals understand and cope with emotional dysregulation caused by misophonia? The study utilized a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews as the data collection method. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes within the data. Participants stated that misophonia causes significant distress and disruption impacting emotional well-being and daily functioning. Validation of this new condition can be very helpful and make a positive impact in their social circle, and that lack of awareness and effective treatment may hold back seeking professional help.