OBJETIVO: Comparar a voz de mulheres antes e depois de 60 e 90 minutos de prova de fala contínua, e após repouso de 15 minutos. MÉTODOS: Trinta e uma mulheres com idade entre 18 e 25 anos, foram submetidas à tarefa de resistência fonatória, utilizando-se da leitura de um texto padrão por 90 minutos, repetido até que o tempo se esgotasse. Antes da tarefa de fala contínua, após 60 minutos, após 90 minutos, e depois de 15 minutos de repouso vocal absoluto, aplicou-se questionário para conhecimento do bem estar vocal, registrou-se a emissão prolongada da vogal \"a\", para posterior extração das medidas acústicas e da análise perceptivo-auditiva com o uso da escala GIRBAS. A seguir, fez-se a mensuração das medidas do sistema aéreo fonatório, empregando os protocolos: capacidade vital pulmonar (CVP), tempo máximo de fonação (TMF) e a eficiência vocal (EV). A intensidade vocal foi registrada com decibelímetro e a auto-avaliação da percepção auditiva, tátil e cinestésica da voz com o uso de uma escala visual analógica de 100mm. RESULTADOS: Após 60 minutos de fala, aumentou a frequência fundamental (f0) de 215,4 para 220,2Hz (p<0,01), a ATRI (p=0,04) e a NHR (p=0,03), e com 90 minutos, a f0 variou de 215,4 para 223,6Hz (p<0,01), aumentando também a Fhi (p= 0,04) e a Flo (p= 0,02), e diminuindo a APQ (p=0,01) e a VTi (p=0,04). Comparando as medidas observadas na pré-prova e após o repouso, aumentaram f0 (p<0,01), Fhi (p=0,02) e Flo (p=0,03). Entre os tempos 60 minutos e após o repouso, houve aumento da PPQ (p=0,04), da ATRI (p=0,06) e da NHR (p=0,02). Para 90 minutos e repouso, a PPQ (p=0,03) e a Fatr (p=0,04) aumentaram. Vinte e sete participantes apresentaram grau geral da disfonia 1 tanto para 60 minutos, quanto para 90 minutos, e quatro passaram a apresentar grau 2 em 90 minutos (p=0,04). O parâmetro instabilidade alterou de grau 1, com 60 minutos, para grau 2, com 90 minutos de fala contínua (p=<0,01). A intensidade habitual aumentou (p<0,01) de 61,4 para 63,4dB após 90 minutos. Após o repouso, houve diminuição da intensidade (p=0,01), em relação ao pré-prova. Nas medidas observadas pelo sistema aéreo fonatório, o fluxo de ar expiratório diminuiu após 90 minutos de fala (p=0,04), aumentando depois do repouso (p=0,04). Após 90 minutos de fala a f0(Hz) aumentou 211,85 para 221,54 (p<0,01). A resistência aerodinâmica, impedância acústica e eficiência aerodinâmica aumentaram após 60 e após 90 minutos de fala. A auto avaliação perceptivo-auditiva e tátil-cinestésica da voz, observou que após 90 minutos de fala contínua todos os sintomas pioram, exceto a rouquidão e a voz grave. CONCLUSÃO: Houveram alterações das medidas acústicas após tarefa de fala contínua. O grau geral da disfonia e a instabilidade vocal aumentaram após 90 minutos de fala contínua. As medidas aerodinâmicas se comportaram de forma divergente entre os protocolos utilizados e os tempos de avaliação. A intensidade vocal habitual aumentou após 90 minutos de fala contínua e os sintomas perceptuais auditivos e tátil-cinestésicos aumentaram após a tarefa de fala contínua / PURPOSE: To compare the woman\'s voice before and after 60 and 90 minutes of continuous speech test, and after 15 break minutes. METHODS: Thirty-one women aged between 18 and 25 years, were submitted to phonation endurance task, using the reading of a standard text for 90 minutes repeating until the time was over. Before the continuous speech task after 60 minutes, after 90 minutes, and after 15 minutes of absolute voice rest, it was applied a questionnaire to knowledge of well-being vocal and was recorded the prolonged vowel \"a\", to take in a posterior time the acoustic measurements and perceptual analysis using the GIRBAS scale. Then, it was done the mensuration of measures phonation air system, using the protocols: lung vital capacity (LVC), maximum phonation time (MPT) and vocal efficiency (VE). The vocal intensity was recorded with a decibelimeter and self-assessment of auditory, tactile and kinesthetic perception of voice using a visual analog scale of 100mm. RESULTS: After 60 minutes of speech, increased the fundamental frequency (f0) of 215.4 for 220,2Hz (p <0.01), the ATRI (p = 0.04) and NHR (p = 0.03) with 90 minutes f0 ranged from 215.4 to 223,6Hz (p <0.01), also increasing FHI (p = 0.04), and Flo (p = 0.02) and decreasing APQ (p = 0.01) and VTi (p = 0.04). Comparing the measures observed in pre-test and after the break, increased f0 (p <0.01), FHI (p = 0.02) and Flo (p = 0.03). Between time of 60 minutes and after the break, was observed an increase in PPQ (p = 0.04) of ATRI (p = 0.06) and NHR (p = 0.02). For 90 minutes rest, PPQ (p = 0.03) and Fatr (p = 0.04) increased. Twentyseven subjects had overall grade of dysphonia 1 for both 60 minutes and for 90 minutes and began to show four grade 2 in 90 minutes (p = 0.04). The parameter of instability changed of step 1, with 60 minutes to 2 degree, with 90 minutes of continuous speech (p = <0.01). The usual intensity increased (p <0.01) 61.4 to 63,4dB after 90 minutes. After the break, there was a decrease in the intensity (p = 0.01), compared to the pre-test. In the measurements observed by phonation air system the flow of expiratory air decreased after 90 minutes of speech (p = 0.04) and raised after the rest (p = 0.04). After 90 minutes of speech f0 (Hz) to 221.54 211.85 increased (p <0.01). The aerodynamic resistance, acoustic impedance and aerodynamic efficiency increased after 60 and after 90 minutes of speech. Self perceptual assessment and tactile-kinesthetic voice, noted that after 90 minutes of continuous talk all the symptoms get worse, except for hoarseness and a deep voice. CONCLUSION: There were changes of acoustic measurements after continuous speech task. The overall degree of dysphonia and vocal instability increased after 90 minutes of continuous speech. The aerodynamic measures worked in different ways about the protocols used and the time evaluation. The usual voice intensity increased after 90 minutes of continuous speech and perceptual symptoms auditory and tactilekinesthetic increased after continuous speech task

Orientadores: Lúcia Figueiredo Mourão, Helenice Yemi Nakamura / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T08:32:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nalesso_KarineSandalo_M.pdf: 1565659 bytes, checksum: f4ab75ad116aa663c627129c14198ae9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Disfonias funcionais são alterações de voz decorrentes do comportamento vocal e o uso impróprio da voz torna-se o principal desencadeador das disfonias. O tubo de ressonância flexível, considerado integrante dos Exercícios de Trato Vocal Semiocluído, é um dos possíveis tratamentos para alterações vocais, dentre elas as disfonias funcionais, por permite uma fonação de menor impacto, com economia vocal. O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar o efeito do uso contínuo e exclusivo do tubo de ressonância flexível nos parâmetros acústicos da região glótica e nas medidas do trato vocal supraglótico em sujeitos com disfonia funcional, pré e pós-intervenção. Participaram adultos entre 20 e 50 anos, 10 mulheres e 2 homens, em oito sessões de terapia com frequência semanal. Os seguintes parâmetros acústicos foram analisados: média da frequência fundamental, jitter, shimmer, proporção harmônico-ruído, H1-H2 e ênfase espectral. Para análise dos frames de imagem do trato vocal, obtidos por videofluoroscopia, oito medidas foram analisadas: a medida de abertura de lábio absoluta, abertura de mandíbula, ápice do dorso de língua ao palato duro, raíz da língua á faringe, comprimento horizontal e vertical do trato vocal, nível glótico, medida entre epiglote e a terceira vértebra, pré e pós-terapia. A tarefa utilizada para as gravações da análise acústica e na videofluoroscopia foi a vogal /a/. Para análise acústica, cada parâmetro foi medido em três pontos distintos da vogal e para a análise dos dados de imagem cada parâmetro foi extraído cinco vezes de cada frame para garantir a confiabilidade dos dados obtidos. A análise comparativa dos parâmetros acústicos mostrou aumento na F0 para o grupo masculino (p<0,01) e diminuição de jitter após terapia exclusiva com tubo (p=0.04). Os demais parâmetros mostraram pequenas mudanças e estão próximos aos valores padrão para sujeitos sem alteração vocal. As medidas do trato vocal mostraram aumento após a terapia, porém, sem significância estatística. As vozes dos sujeitos estudados apresentam pouca alteração nos parâmetros mesmo durante a pré-avaliação. O método estatístico LDA apontou para um alto índice de previsão dos resultados nos dois momentos estudados, considerando o conjunto de dados analisados. O efeito do uso exclusivo e contínuo do tubo flexível de látex em sujeitos com disfonia funcional parece se relacionar, neste experimento, com a melhora da estabilidade da frequência dos ciclos glóticos e com o aumento do número de ciclos glóticos por segundo. Os resultados demonstram que o efeito é mais expressivo nos homens do que nas mulheres disfônicas, porém estudos com maior número de homens são recomendados. Observou-se que os efeitos acústicos e de imagem do uso prolongado e exclusivo do tubo de ressonância flexível podem ser diferentes dos resultados em estudos imediatos. Em relação aos parâmetros acústicos analisados o jitter e a F0 mostraram melhoras dos valores obtidos no momento pós-terapia. Quanto ao trato vocal o uso do Lax Vox, sugere expansão principalmente da cavidade oral. Assim, pode-se sugerir que a intervenção terapêutica exclusiva do tubo de látex melhora globalmente a atividade glótica e a supraglótica de pacientes com disfonia funcional / Abstract: Functional dysphonia is a voice disorder generated by an inappropriate vocal use. One of the semioccluded vocal tract exercises, the flexible resonance tube, is one of the exercises that can be used in the management of functional dysphonia. Using the flexible resonance tube in water generates a low impact between the vocal folds during phonation and it is known to induce the concept of vocal economy. The goal of this study was to analyze acoustical parameters and vocal tract images pre and post prolonged and exclusive use of flexible resonance tube therapy in adults with functional dysphonia. Method: Participated 8 women and 2 men with functional dysphonia who received eight voice therapy sessions using exclusively flexible resonance tube. The following acoustic parameters were analyzed: fundamental frequency mean, jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio, H1-H2 and spectral emphasis. The vocal tract images were analyzed with eight distance measurements: the absolute lip opening measures, opening jaw, tongue back from the apex to the hard palate, the tongue will pharynx root, horizontal and vertical length of the vocal tract, glottal level measured between the epiglottis and the third vertebra, were taken from the images recorded before and after voice therapy. The task used for the analysis was a sustained /a/ vowel and measurements were taken from three distinct points of the vowel. Voice recordings were taken for pre (at the first session) and post-test (at the end of the eighth session) purpose. Paired t-test (p <0.05) was used to compare the means of the parameters pre and post-treatment. A comparative analysis of the acoustic parameters showed increase in F0 for the male group (p <0.001). Jitter decreased after the vocal therapy process (p = 0.04). The other parameters presented results close to the typical range for subjects without voice disorders. The statistics method Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) showed a high level of prediction in characterizing the two studied moments. The effect of exclusive and prolonged use of the flexible resonance tube in subjects with functional dysphonia seems to be related, with improved stability of the frequency of glottal cycles and increased number of glottic cycle per second (higher F0). The results demonstrated a more significant effect on the men than women, but further studies with a larger number of men in the subject group are recommended. The effect of prolonged and exclusive use of flexible tube in patients with functional dysphonia seems to be related to the stabilization of glottal cycles of vocal fold vibration and the LDA results revealed that the use of Lax Vox can provide a global improvement, considering the acoustic and image parameters / Mestrado / Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação / Mestra em Saúde, Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação

abstract: The utilization of multimedia videos has increasingly become more popular, especially in the field of education. In order to facilitate learning it is important to create a natural interaction between the learner and the on-screen material. This study focused on improving the facilitation of the information within a multimedia learning video by focusing on the gender and quality of computer-synthesized voices. Using a randomized pretest - posttest design the study looked at how the gender of the narrator affected a person's ability to learn and implement a new task. Narration was performed by a male and female, classic and modern synthesized voices to determine if there were gender effects across both generations of voices. The participants’ learned knowledge was assessed through a multiple-choice assessment and a word to image matching transfer assessment. Results showed no significant results. Future studies should consider a more reliable knowledge assessment and utilize and larger sample size. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Human Systems Engineering 2019

The use of smartphones in cars is a common practice that can result in distracted drivers and accidents. Research has shown that using voice to interact with the devices is the least dangerous solution for users, but its implementation is limited and sub-optimal. Other techniques like proactivity have shown positive results but its presence in products is reduced. This study aims to define, through the synthesis and combination of previous research, a set of guidelines for the implementation of voice interfaces in smartphone apps that can safely offer relevant content to car drivers. Based on a review of the literature on testing for driving solutions, a series of online user evaluations were conducted across potential car drivers. The evaluations consisted of different behavioural scripts for the voice interface, which implemented diverse techniques to interact with drivers, and on the users’ thoughts and impressions. Analysis on the gathered data demonstrates that interacting with drivers through a voice interface and focusing on conciseness, politeness, proactiveness, offering relevant content and transparency of intent are fundamental to keep interactions engaging and relevant, as well as giving a sensation of assurance to the users. Further research is needed to validate the adequacy and safety of these guidelines in a real car environment. / Användning av smartphones i bilar är ett vanligt problem som kan resultera i distraherade förare och olyckor. Forskning har visat att användning av röst för att samverka med enheterna är den minst farliga lösningen för användare, men dess implementering är begränsad och suboptimal. Andra tekniker som proaktivitet har visat positiva resultat men dess närvaro i produkter minskar. Denna studie syftar till att definiera, genom syntes och kombination av tidigare forskning, en uppsättning riktlinjer för att implementera röstinterfacer i smartphone-appar som säkert kan erbjuda relevant innehåll till bilförare. Baserat på en genomgång av litteraturen om testning av körlösningar genomfördes en serie online-utvärderingar av potentiella förare. Utvärderingarna bestod av olika beteendeskript för röstinterfacen, som implementerade olika tekniker för att interagera med drivrutiner och om användarnas tankar och intryck. Analys av de insamlade uppgifterna visade att interaktion med förare genom en röstinterface och fokus på korthet, artighet, proaktivitet, erbjudande av relevant innehåll och avsiktsöppenhet var grundläggande för att hålla interaktioner relevanta och engagerande, samt att ge användarna en känsla av säkerhet. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att validera lämplighet och säkerhet för dessa riktlinjer i en verklig bilmiljö.

Relative fundamental frequency (RFF) is an acoustic measure that quantifies short-term changes in fundamental frequency during voicing transitions surrounding a voiceless consonant. RFF is hypothesized to be decreased by increased laryngeal tension during voice production and has been considered a potential objective measure of vocal hyperfunction. Previous studies have supported claims that decreased RFF values may indicate the severity of vocal hyperfunction and have attempted to improve the methods to obtain RFF. In order to make progress towards developing RFF into a clinical measure, this dissertation aimed to investigate further the validity and reliability of RFF. Specifically, we examined the underlying physiological mechanisms, the auditory-perceptual relationship with strained voice quality, and test-retest reliability. The first study evaluated one of the previously hypothesized physiological mechanisms for RFF, vocal fold abduction. Vocal fold kinematics and RFF were obtained from both younger and older typical speakers producing RFF stimuli with voiceless fricatives and stops during high-speed videoendoscopy. We did not find any statistical differences between younger and older speakers, but we found that vocal folds were less adducted and RFF was lower at voicing onset after the voiceless stop compared to the fricative. This finding is in accordance with the hypothesized positive association between vocal fold contact area during voicing transitions and RFF. The second study examined the relationship between RFF and strain, a major auditory-perceptual feature of vocal hyperfunction. RFF values were synthetically modified by exchanging the RFF contours between voice samples that were produced with a comfortable voice and with maximum vocal effort, while other acoustic features remained constant. We observed that comfortable voice samples with the RFF values of maximum vocal effort samples had increased strain ratings, whereas maximum vocal effort samples with the RFF values of comfortable voice samples had decreased strain ratings. These findings support the contribution of RFF to perceived strain. The third study compared the test-retest reliability of RFF with that of conventional voice measures. We recorded individuals with healthy voices during five consecutive days and obtained acoustic, aerodynamic, and auditory-perceptual measures from the recordings. RFF was comparably reliable as acoustic and aerodynamic measures and more reliable than auditory-perceptual measures. This dissertation supports the translational potential of RFF by providing empirical evidence of the physiological mechanisms of RFF, the relationship between RFF and perceived strain, and test-retest reliability of RFF. Clinical applications of RFF are expected to improve objective diagnosis and assessment of vocal hyperfunction, and thus to lead to better voice care for individuals with vocal hyperfunction. / 2021-09-25T00:00:00Z

Quantitative measures of laryngeal muscle tension are needed to improve assessment and track clinical progress. Although relative fundamental frequency (RFF) shows promise as an acoustic estimate of laryngeal muscle tension, it is not yet transferable to the clinic. The purpose of this work was to refine algorithmic estimation of RFF, as well as to enhance the knowledge surrounding the physiological underpinnings of RFF. The first study used a large database of voice samples collected from 227 speakers with voice disorders and 256 typical speakers to evaluate the effects of fundamental frequency estimation techniques and voice sample characteristics on algorithmic RFF estimation. By refining fundamental frequency estimation using the Auditory Sawtooth Waveform Inspired Pitch Estimator—Prime (Auditory-SWIPE′) algorithm and accounting for sample characteristics via the acoustic measure, pitch strength, algorithmic errors related to the accuracy and precision of RFF were reduced by 88.4% and 17.3%, respectively. The second study sought to characterize the physiological factors influencing acoustic outputs of RFF estimation. A group of 53 speakers with voice disorders and 69 typical speakers each produced the utterance, /ifi/, while simultaneous recordings were collected using a microphone and flexible nasendoscope. Acoustic features calculated via the microphone signal were examined in reference to the physiological initiation and termination of vocal fold vibration. The features that corresponded with these transitions were then implemented into the RFF algorithm, leading to significant improvements in the precision of the RFF algorithm to reflect the underlying physiological mechanisms for voicing offsets (p < .001, V = .60) and onsets (p < .001, V = .54) when compared to manual RFF estimation. The third study further elucidated the physiological underpinnings of RFF by examining the contribution of vocal fold abduction to RFF during intervocalic voicing offsets. Vocal fold abductory patterns were compared to RFF values in a subset of speakers from the second study, comprising young adults, older adults, and older adults with Parkinson’s disease. Abductory patterns were not significantly different among the three groups; however, vocal fold abduction was observed to play a significant role in measures of RFF at voicing offset. By improving algorithmic estimation and elucidating aspects of the underlying physiology affecting RFF, this work adds to the utility of RFF for use in conjunction with current clinical techniques to assess laryngeal muscle tension. / 2021-09-29T00:00:00Z

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This thesis is a description, analysis and functional interpretation of voice and argument structure in Yaqui, a Uto-Aztecan language spoken in Southern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Yaqui is a SOV language with a complex verbal morphology, and voice alternations are morphologically marked. I begin with the analysis of argument structure in basic clause types, and describe lexical and clitic arguments. The voice alternates I identify are Passive, Impersonal, Anti-passive, Impersonal Anti-Passive and Unaccusative. I also provide an analysis of Dative and Applicative constructions, and a type of Possessive sentence where the head of the Possessed NP is incorporated into the verb. Each of these construction types has a specific function in discourse. The speaker selects the construction type that places an argument with a particular theta role in focus position, determines what other arguments are present, and determines which arguments are referential. This functional perspective gives us an integrated view of voice and argument type in Yaqui.