Muitas pesquisas tem sido feitas em processamento digital de sinais (PDS) na tentativa de se avaliar o sinal de fala para diagnosticar doenças da laringe. Medidas acústicas têm sido propostas de forma a avaliar indiretamente o trato glotal por meio do sinal de voz coletado através de microfone convencional. Para isso, o modelo paramétrico Liljencrants-Fant (LF) foi desenvolvido para representar o sinal glotal em condições normais e patológicas. Tais parâmetros apresentam vantagens sobre medidas acústicas por possuírem características fisiológicas reais das pregas vocais. Assim, podendo ser empregados para identificação de doenças da laringe. Além da estimação dos parâmetros LF, no domínio do tempo (parâmetros T), a forma de onda da derivativa glotal também pôde ser quantificada através dos parâmetros identificados na literatura por parâmetros R (Rd, Ra, Rk e Rg), parâmetros quocientes Q (SQ, OQ, CQ, AQ e NAQ), parâmetros B1 e B2 que são as extensões de bandas do pulso derivativo LF, e o parâmetro ece, que relaciona os parâmetros &#946 e Ta. Os parâmetros B1 e B2 e ece apesar de serem propostos na literatura, não são encontrados resultados diferentes a essas duas medidas. Os resultados mostraram que os parâmetros B não foram confiáveis na discriminação entre as vozes, por outro lado, o parâmetro ece mostrou-se ser opção na discriminação entre as vozes normais, nódulo e Reinke. O objetivo deste trabalho é direcionar a atenção sobre o sinal glotal, estimando-o automaticamente mediante técnicas de PDS aplicadas ao sinal de fala, visando extrair parâmetros que identifiquem as condições normais e patológicas da laringe. Por fim foram propostos os parâmetros TRp e TRs, visando dissociar os efeitos de primeira ordem dos de ordem superior na fase de retorno do pulso glotal com a finalidade de estimar a real não-linearidade do sub-sistema glotal, retratando as condições normais e patológicas da laringe. Por fim foram propostos os parâmetros TRp e TRs, visando dissociar os efeitos de primeira ordem dos de ordem superior na fase de retorno do pulso glotal com a finalidade de estimar a real não-linearidade do sub-sistema glotal, retratando as condições fisiológicas do movimento das pregas vocais. Com um nível de confiança de 95%, o parâmetro de primeira ordem (TRp) é efetivo na discriminação do Edema de Reinke, porém mostrou-se ineficaz na detecção do nódulo. Em relação ao parâmetro de ordem superior, conclui-se que o TRs é um excelente detetor de vozes patológicas (nódulo e Edema de Reinke), porém não é capaz de discriminar as patologias. / Many researches has been conducted in digital signal processing (DSP) atempting to evaluate the physiological conditions of larynx. Acoustical parameters have been proposed to evaluate the glotal tract from voice signal. One technique proposed is the Liljencrants-Fant model (LF) developed to represent normal and pathologic conditions of the larynx. Those parameters compare favourably as far as real physiologic characteristic of vocal folds is concerned. So, a primary use of the model is the larynx pathologic identification. Beyond LF parameters estimation, (T parameters in the time domain), the waveform of glotal pulse derivative also can be quantified through, R parameters (Rd, Ra, Rk and Rg), quocient parameters (SQ, OQ, CQ, AQ and NAQ), B parameters (B1 and B2) that are band extension of the LF glotal pulse derivative and the ece parameter that in fact, is a relationship between &#946 and Ta. Although proposed in the literature, no results are found, related to B and ece parameters. Our founds show that B parameters do not present good results in voice discrimination, however, ece parameter seems to be good option to discriminate normal voice, nodulo and Reinke edema. The main purpose of this work is to estimate the glotal signal from the voice signal using DSP techniques in order to obtain parameters that identifies the physiological larynx condition. In order to estimate the shape of return phase of glotal pulse, twoparameters have been proposed in this work. The first one evaluates the pulse (TRp, in other words, the first order component of the return phase. The second is responsible to evaluate superior orders components of the return phase (TRs), i.e, the non-linear component of the glotal pulse. With 95% of confidence level, TRp is effective in Reinke edema discrimination however it is inefficient for nodule e dection. By the other hand, the TRs parameter works well to detect pathologic voice however is unable to discriminated them.

Muitas pesquisas tem sido feitas em processamento digital de sinais (PDS) na tentativa de se avaliar o sinal de fala para diagnosticar doenças da laringe. Medidas acústicas têm sido propostas de forma a avaliar indiretamente o trato glotal por meio do sinal de voz coletado através de microfone convencional. Para isso, o modelo paramétrico Liljencrants-Fant (LF) foi desenvolvido para representar o sinal glotal em condições normais e patológicas. Tais parâmetros apresentam vantagens sobre medidas acústicas por possuírem características fisiológicas reais das pregas vocais. Assim, podendo ser empregados para identificação de doenças da laringe. Além da estimação dos parâmetros LF, no domínio do tempo (parâmetros T), a forma de onda da derivativa glotal também pôde ser quantificada através dos parâmetros identificados na literatura por parâmetros R (Rd, Ra, Rk e Rg), parâmetros quocientes Q (SQ, OQ, CQ, AQ e NAQ), parâmetros B1 e B2 que são as extensões de bandas do pulso derivativo LF, e o parâmetro ece, que relaciona os parâmetros &#946 e Ta. Os parâmetros B1 e B2 e ece apesar de serem propostos na literatura, não são encontrados resultados diferentes a essas duas medidas. Os resultados mostraram que os parâmetros B não foram confiáveis na discriminação entre as vozes, por outro lado, o parâmetro ece mostrou-se ser opção na discriminação entre as vozes normais, nódulo e Reinke. O objetivo deste trabalho é direcionar a atenção sobre o sinal glotal, estimando-o automaticamente mediante técnicas de PDS aplicadas ao sinal de fala, visando extrair parâmetros que identifiquem as condições normais e patológicas da laringe. Por fim foram propostos os parâmetros TRp e TRs, visando dissociar os efeitos de primeira ordem dos de ordem superior na fase de retorno do pulso glotal com a finalidade de estimar a real não-linearidade do sub-sistema glotal, retratando as condições normais e patológicas da laringe. Por fim foram propostos os parâmetros TRp e TRs, visando dissociar os efeitos de primeira ordem dos de ordem superior na fase de retorno do pulso glotal com a finalidade de estimar a real não-linearidade do sub-sistema glotal, retratando as condições fisiológicas do movimento das pregas vocais. Com um nível de confiança de 95%, o parâmetro de primeira ordem (TRp) é efetivo na discriminação do Edema de Reinke, porém mostrou-se ineficaz na detecção do nódulo. Em relação ao parâmetro de ordem superior, conclui-se que o TRs é um excelente detetor de vozes patológicas (nódulo e Edema de Reinke), porém não é capaz de discriminar as patologias. / Many researches has been conducted in digital signal processing (DSP) atempting to evaluate the physiological conditions of larynx. Acoustical parameters have been proposed to evaluate the glotal tract from voice signal. One technique proposed is the Liljencrants-Fant model (LF) developed to represent normal and pathologic conditions of the larynx. Those parameters compare favourably as far as real physiologic characteristic of vocal folds is concerned. So, a primary use of the model is the larynx pathologic identification. Beyond LF parameters estimation, (T parameters in the time domain), the waveform of glotal pulse derivative also can be quantified through, R parameters (Rd, Ra, Rk and Rg), quocient parameters (SQ, OQ, CQ, AQ and NAQ), B parameters (B1 and B2) that are band extension of the LF glotal pulse derivative and the ece parameter that in fact, is a relationship between &#946 and Ta. Although proposed in the literature, no results are found, related to B and ece parameters. Our founds show that B parameters do not present good results in voice discrimination, however, ece parameter seems to be good option to discriminate normal voice, nodulo and Reinke edema. The main purpose of this work is to estimate the glotal signal from the voice signal using DSP techniques in order to obtain parameters that identifies the physiological larynx condition. In order to estimate the shape of return phase of glotal pulse, twoparameters have been proposed in this work. The first one evaluates the pulse (TRp, in other words, the first order component of the return phase. The second is responsible to evaluate superior orders components of the return phase (TRs), i.e, the non-linear component of the glotal pulse. With 95% of confidence level, TRp is effective in Reinke edema discrimination however it is inefficient for nodule e dection. By the other hand, the TRs parameter works well to detect pathologic voice however is unable to discriminated them.

In the domain of automatic speaker verification,  one of the challenges is to keep the malevolent people out of the system.  One way to do this is to create algorithms that are supposed to detect spoofed speech. There are several types of spoofed speech and several ways to detect them, one of which is to look at the glottal flow waveform  (GFW) of a speech signal. This waveform is often estimated using glottal inverse filtering  (GIF),  since, in order to create the ground truth  GFW, special invasive equipment is required.  To the author’s knowledge, no research has been done where the correlation of GFW accuracy and spoofed speech detection (SSD) performance is investigated. This thesis tries to find out if the aforementioned correlation exists or not.  First, the performance of different GIF methods is evaluated, then simple SSD machine learning (ML) models are trained and evaluated based on their macro average precision. The ML models use different datasets composed of parametrized GFWs estimated with the GIF methods from the previous step. Results from the previous tasks are then combined in order to spot any correlations.  The evaluations of the different methods showed that they created GFWs of varying accuracy.  The different machine learning models also showed varying performance depending on what type of dataset that was being used. However, when combining the results, no obvious correlations between GFW accuracy and SSD performance were detected.  This suggests that the overall accuracy of a GFW is not a substantial factor in the performance of machine learning-based SSD algorithms.

Estudos utilizando imagens laríngeas de sujeitos normais captadas por videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade revelam o uso de diversas ferramentas e métricas em diferentes populações. No entanto, é evidente a escassez de normatizações operacionais e de parâmetros vocais de referência. Os objetivos desse estudo foram obter parâmetros da dinâmica vocal utilizando ferramentas computacionais de uso corrente pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Engenharia Médica (GPEM - CNPq) e caracterizar o padrão vibratório das pregas vocais de sujeitos normais por meio das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade do utilizando Videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade. Metodologia: A partir de imagens laríngeas captadas pela videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foram extraídos os parâmetros quantitativos: i) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais das ondas da área glótica, ii) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais da quimografia de alta velocidade, iii) coeficientes (de abertura, de fechamento e de velocidade). Além disso, foram analisados os parâmetros qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e da quimografia de alta velocidade de acordo com a aplicação de protocolos elaborados para classificação de padrões visuais. Resultados: Das ondas da área glótica foram obtidos os valores médios, em milissegundos, de fase fechada: feminino=0.83 e masculino= 2.47; de abertura: feminino= 2.43 e masculino= 2.95; de fechamento: feminino=2.08 e masculino= 2.53; aberta: feminino= 6.15 e masculino= 6.18, período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino=6.98 e masculino= 8.65; coeficientes: de fechamento: feminino=0.14 e masculino=0.29, de abertura: feminino=0.85 e masculino=0.70, de velocidade: feminino=1.16 e masculino=1.19, além de 73% dos traçados apresentarem sinal periódico. Quanto à quimografia de alta velocidade os parâmetros quantitativos obtidos foram: fase fechada: feminino=1.75 e masculino=3.32, de abertura: feminino= 1.47 e masculino= 2.32; de fechamento: feminino= 1.51 e masculino= 2.22; aberta: feminino= 2.91 e masculino= 4.56, e período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino= 4.67 e masculino= 7.89. Os coeficientes obtidos foram: de fechamento: feminino= 0.37 e masculino= 0.42.; de abertura: feminino= 0.62 e masculino= 0.57; e de velocidade: feminino= 1.02 e masculino= 1.12. 59% de simetria em amplitude e 54% de assimetria de fase foram encontrados no traçado da quimografia de ata velocidade de sujeitos normais. Conclusão: A partir do uso de ferramentas computacionais específicas para analisar imagens laríngeas da videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foi possível obter parâmetros quantitativos e qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade de sujeitos normais e obter dados de referência quanto à normalidade para futuros estudos. / Several studies using laryngeal images from high-speed videolaryngoscopy of normal subjects reveals the diversity of tools and metrics used for different population. However, shortage of operational standardization and references of vocal fold parameters are evident. The main objectives of this study were to obtain parameters of vocal dynamics using computational tools of Medical Engineering Research Group (GPEM - CNPq) and to characterize the vocal fold\'s vibration pattern of normal subjects using glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography. Methods: From laryngeal images of high-speed videolaryngoscopy we extracted the following quantitative parameters: i) phase time of glottal area waveforms, ii) phase time of vibratory cicle\'s total period, iii) quocients of high-speed kymography. Furthermore, qualitative parameters of glottal area waveform were analyzed according to visual pattern protocol. Results: Media values of glottal area waveforms, in milliseconds, of closed phase: female=0.83 and male= 2.47; opening phase: female= 2.43 and male= 2.95; closing phase: female= 2.08 and male= 2.53; opened phase: female=6.15 and male= 6.18, vibratory cicle of total period: female= 6.98 and male= 8.65, closing quotient: female= 0.14 and male= 0.29; opening quotient: female= 0.85 and male= 0.70; speed quotient: female= 1.16 and male= 1.19, besides 73% showed periodic signal. As the high- speed kymography the quantitative parameters obtained were: closed phase: female= 1.75 and male= 3.32; opening phase: female= 1.47 and male= 2.32; closing phase: female= 1.51 and male= 2.22; opened phase: female= 2.91 and male= 4.56, and vibratory cicie of total period: female= 4.67 and male= 7.89. The quotients obtained were: closing quotient: female= 0.37and male= 0.42; opening quotient: female= 0.62 and male= 0.57; speed quotient: female= 1.02 and male= 1.12. 59% amplitude symmetry and 54% phase asymmetry were obtained in the high- speed kymography of normal subjects. Conclusion: using specific computational tools to analyse high-speed laryngeal images we obtained quantitative and qualitative parameters of glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography that can be used as a standard reference data for normal subjects.

abstract: Speech is generated by articulators acting on a phonatory source. Identification of this phonatory source and articulatory geometry are individually challenging and ill-posed problems, called speech separation and articulatory inversion, respectively. There exists a trade-off between decomposition and recovered articulatory geometry due to multiple possible mappings between an articulatory configuration and the speech produced. However, if measurements are obtained only from a microphone sensor, they lack any invasive insight and add additional challenge to an already difficult problem. A joint non-invasive estimation strategy that couples articulatory and phonatory knowledge would lead to better articulatory speech synthesis. In this thesis, a joint estimation strategy for speech separation and articulatory geometry recovery is studied. Unlike previous periodic/aperiodic decomposition methods that use stationary speech models within a frame, the proposed model presents a non-stationary speech decomposition method. A parametric glottal source model and an articulatory vocal tract response are represented in a dynamic state space formulation. The unknown parameters of the speech generation components are estimated using sequential Monte Carlo methods under some specific assumptions. The proposed approach is compared with other glottal inverse filtering methods, including iterative adaptive inverse filtering, state-space inverse filtering, and the quasi-closed phase method. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2018

Speech communication encompasses diverse types of information, including phonetics, affective state, voice quality, and speaker identity. From a speech production standpoint, the acoustic speech signal can be mainly divided into glottal source and vocal tract components, which play distinct roles in rendering the various types of information it contains. Most deployed speech analysis systems, however, do not explicitly represent these two components as distinct entities, as their joint estimation from the acoustic speech signal becomes an ill-defined blind deconvolution problem. Nevertheless, because of the desire to understand glottal behavior and how it relates to perceived voice quality, there has been continued interest in explicitly estimating the glottal component of the speech signal. To this end, several inverse filtering (IF) algorithms have been proposed, but they are unreliable in practice because of the blind formulation of the separation problem. In an effort to develop a method that can bypass the challenging IF process, this thesis proposes a new glottal source information extraction method that relies on supervised machine learning to transform smoothed spectral representations of speech, which are already used in some of the most widely deployed and successful speech analysis applications, into a set of glottal source features. A transformation method based on Gaussian mixture regression (GMR) is presented and compared to current IF methods in terms of feature similarity, reliability, and speaker discrimination capability on a large speech corpus, and potential representations of the spectral envelope of speech are investigated for their ability represent glottal source variation in a predictable manner. The proposed system was found to produce glottal source features that reasonably matched their IF counterparts in many cases, while being less susceptible to spurious errors. The development of the proposed method entailed a study into the aspects of glottal source information that are already contained within the spectral features commonly used in speech analysis, yielding an objective assessment regarding the expected advantages of explicitly using glottal information extracted from the speech signal via currently available IF methods, versus the alternative of relying on the glottal source information that is implicitly contained in spectral envelope representations.

La délivrance de médicaments lors de la mise en œuvre de thérapies inhalées est dépendante de nombreux facteurs. Parmi ceux-ci la morphologie des voies aériennes supérieures(VAS) et en particulier celle de la région glottique est déterminante dans les mécanismes de dépôt de particules par impaction inertielle. Dans le cadre de ce travail, il est examiné d’une part la dynamique glottique durant différentes modalités de respiration et d’autre part déterminé numériquement l’effet de ces mouvements et des conditions de respiration associées sur le dépôt des aérosols dans les VAS.Une étude clinique a été menée dans un premier temps sur un panel de 20 sujets sains (10 hommes et 10 femmes) au sein du service ORL de l’hôpital de la Timone à Marseille pour déterminer le mouvement glottique durant différentes tâches de ventilation allant d’une respiration normale avec moins de 20 cycles/min à une ventilation accélérée jusqu’à 90 cycles/min. L’acquisition des mouvements glottiques a été réalisée par imagerie numérique durant un examen de laryngoscopie avec mesure simultanée des débits associés aux différentes tâches de respiration.Les mesures expérimentales montrent que la géométrie glottique varie pendant la respiration en fonction de la tâche de respiration, du volume courant et de la fréquence respiratoire. Une étude statistique a permis d’isoler deux comportements types l’un où l’aire glottique demeure sensiblement constante durant la respiration et l’autre ou une variation de cette même aire est observée. Sur ce dernier groupe d’individus la variation d’aire maximale observée sur les hommes est de 26%, l’ouverture maximale étant atteinte durant la phase d’inspiration et l’aire minimale durant l’expiration.Ces résultats, ainsi que des données anatomiques, ont permis de construire un modèle géométrique idéalisé des VAS. Ce modèle reproduit fidèlement les principales singularités des voies extrathoraciques en apportant un grand soin à la description de la région glottique. Le transport et le dépôt d’aérosols dans ce modèle a été étudié en ayant recours à des simulations numériques3D de l’écoulement cyclique. Une étude paramétrique a permis d’évaluer l’influence sur le dépôt de l’écoulement cyclique, de la nature du gaz porteur (Air vs mélange d’hélium-oxygène), de la prise en compte de la dynamique glottique et de la taille des particules.Les résultats mettent principalement en évidence une nette diminution de la part extrathoracique du travail respiratoire lors de l’emploi du mélange He-O2 et un écoulement de type jet en aval de la glotte durant l’inspiration associé à une recirculation sous le plancher glottique. Le mécanisme de dépôt principal étant l’impaction inertielle (pour les tailles des particules 1 - 10μm)le zone principale de dépôt est situé dans l’oropahrynx, quelles que soient les conditions pendant inspiration. La fraction de dépôt augmente rapidement avec le diamètre des particules atteignant près de 80% pour les particules de 10μm et diminuer deux fois pour He-O2 en comparaison avec air.Finalement, la dynamique du dépôt ne varie pas de façon significative entre le modèle où la glotte est considérée comme statique et celle où elle est mobile. Donc, dans les conditions de respiration normal le mouvement de la glotte peut être négligé. / During inhaled therapies several factors limits the amount of drug delivered to the lungs. E.g. the upper airways morphology and in particular the glottis, defined by the vocal-fold aperture, causes upper airways to narrow in a minimal cross section, which is determinant on aerosol depo­ sition by inertial impaction. This thesis aims to (i) investigate evolution of the glottal area during breathing, and (ii) predict the effects of a dynamic glottis and realistic airflow conditions on the aerosol deposition in upper airways using three-dimensional simulations.First, a clinical study was conducted on 20 healthy volunteers (10 males and 10 females) to explore the glottal motion during several specifie slow (below 20 cycles/min) and rapid breathing tasks (up to 90 cycles/min). The breathing was investigated simultaneously for the glottal area variations using laryngoscopie video recordings and for airflow rate using oral flowmeter.The experimental measurements showed that the glottal geometry observed during a breathing cycle can be extremely variable depending on the respiratory phase, tidal volume, and breathing frequency. Testing the dynamic behaviour of the glottis during breathing, two groups of subjects were identified: one with relatively constant glottal area and other with significant variations. In average, the variations for the latter group of subjects was observed for males at 26% comparing maximale and minimal glottal opening during inspiration and expiration respectively.The results of the clinical study together with anatomical morphological data served to create a madel with idealised geometry of upper airways. This madel represents the major geometrical characteristics of upper airways with special interest in the glottal region. Transport and deposition of aerosols was studied using 3D numerical cyclic simulations and parametrical analysis allowed to evaluate the influence of the cyclic flow, glottal dynamics, type of carrier gas (air or helium-oxygen mixture) and particle size on the deposition of aerosols in the upper airways.The numerical simulations demonstrated significant decrease of respiration work with He-02 and jet-like flow with recirculation zone in the oro-pharynx and downstream the glottal plane. The principal deposition mechanism is inertial impaction (for the particle diameters 1 - lOiJ.m) with most significant deposition region in the oro-pharynx. Important parameters for deposition are the particle size and the nature of carrier gas. For He-02 the deposition reaches two times smaller values than for air and the fraction of deposited particles increases significantly with diameter, reaching 80% of deposited efficiency for 10 iJ.m particles. Finally, the CFD results demonstrated negligible differences in aerosol transport and deposition between different glottal characteristics. Therefore, in normal breathing conditions the glottal motion can be neglected

An examination of the historical treatises of Manuel Garcia II and Giambattista Mancini, scientific studies pertaining to glottal closure, and Vocal Function Exercises used in clinical speech pathology led to an exploratory study that attempted to increase the glottal closure in an untrained university male chorus using only choral voice building exercises. The exploratory study used a single group, pre-test post-test design, and data was recorded using audio recordings of the entire chorus as well as electroglottograph measurements of individual subjects. The data show an increase in glottal closure as measured by closed quotient values, and an increase in energy in the upper partials of the recorded acoustic signal from the chorus.

Estudos utilizando imagens laríngeas de sujeitos normais captadas por videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade revelam o uso de diversas ferramentas e métricas em diferentes populações. No entanto, é evidente a escassez de normatizações operacionais e de parâmetros vocais de referência. Os objetivos desse estudo foram obter parâmetros da dinâmica vocal utilizando ferramentas computacionais de uso corrente pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Engenharia Médica (GPEM - CNPq) e caracterizar o padrão vibratório das pregas vocais de sujeitos normais por meio das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade do utilizando Videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade. Metodologia: A partir de imagens laríngeas captadas pela videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foram extraídos os parâmetros quantitativos: i) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais das ondas da área glótica, ii) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais da quimografia de alta velocidade, iii) coeficientes (de abertura, de fechamento e de velocidade). Além disso, foram analisados os parâmetros qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e da quimografia de alta velocidade de acordo com a aplicação de protocolos elaborados para classificação de padrões visuais. Resultados: Das ondas da área glótica foram obtidos os valores médios, em milissegundos, de fase fechada: feminino=0.83 e masculino= 2.47; de abertura: feminino= 2.43 e masculino= 2.95; de fechamento: feminino=2.08 e masculino= 2.53; aberta: feminino= 6.15 e masculino= 6.18, período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino=6.98 e masculino= 8.65; coeficientes: de fechamento: feminino=0.14 e masculino=0.29, de abertura: feminino=0.85 e masculino=0.70, de velocidade: feminino=1.16 e masculino=1.19, além de 73% dos traçados apresentarem sinal periódico. Quanto à quimografia de alta velocidade os parâmetros quantitativos obtidos foram: fase fechada: feminino=1.75 e masculino=3.32, de abertura: feminino= 1.47 e masculino= 2.32; de fechamento: feminino= 1.51 e masculino= 2.22; aberta: feminino= 2.91 e masculino= 4.56, e período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino= 4.67 e masculino= 7.89. Os coeficientes obtidos foram: de fechamento: feminino= 0.37 e masculino= 0.42.; de abertura: feminino= 0.62 e masculino= 0.57; e de velocidade: feminino= 1.02 e masculino= 1.12. 59% de simetria em amplitude e 54% de assimetria de fase foram encontrados no traçado da quimografia de ata velocidade de sujeitos normais. Conclusão: A partir do uso de ferramentas computacionais específicas para analisar imagens laríngeas da videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foi possível obter parâmetros quantitativos e qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade de sujeitos normais e obter dados de referência quanto à normalidade para futuros estudos. / Several studies using laryngeal images from high-speed videolaryngoscopy of normal subjects reveals the diversity of tools and metrics used for different population. However, shortage of operational standardization and references of vocal fold parameters are evident. The main objectives of this study were to obtain parameters of vocal dynamics using computational tools of Medical Engineering Research Group (GPEM - CNPq) and to characterize the vocal fold\'s vibration pattern of normal subjects using glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography. Methods: From laryngeal images of high-speed videolaryngoscopy we extracted the following quantitative parameters: i) phase time of glottal area waveforms, ii) phase time of vibratory cicle\'s total period, iii) quocients of high-speed kymography. Furthermore, qualitative parameters of glottal area waveform were analyzed according to visual pattern protocol. Results: Media values of glottal area waveforms, in milliseconds, of closed phase: female=0.83 and male= 2.47; opening phase: female= 2.43 and male= 2.95; closing phase: female= 2.08 and male= 2.53; opened phase: female=6.15 and male= 6.18, vibratory cicle of total period: female= 6.98 and male= 8.65, closing quotient: female= 0.14 and male= 0.29; opening quotient: female= 0.85 and male= 0.70; speed quotient: female= 1.16 and male= 1.19, besides 73% showed periodic signal. As the high- speed kymography the quantitative parameters obtained were: closed phase: female= 1.75 and male= 3.32; opening phase: female= 1.47 and male= 2.32; closing phase: female= 1.51 and male= 2.22; opened phase: female= 2.91 and male= 4.56, and vibratory cicie of total period: female= 4.67 and male= 7.89. The quotients obtained were: closing quotient: female= 0.37and male= 0.42; opening quotient: female= 0.62 and male= 0.57; speed quotient: female= 1.02 and male= 1.12. 59% amplitude symmetry and 54% phase asymmetry were obtained in the high- speed kymography of normal subjects. Conclusion: using specific computational tools to analyse high-speed laryngeal images we obtained quantitative and qualitative parameters of glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography that can be used as a standard reference data for normal subjects.

There is little empirical evidence to indicate the efficacy of early intervention approaches used with young children with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP). The positive effects of a focused stimulation approach have been documented with children having speech and language deficits, although an articulation model has predominated in intervention of young children with CLP. This study examined the effects of a focused stimulation language intervention and a modification of focused stimulation that emphasized stop consonants through overaspiration of stops (Golding-Kushner, 2001). Four mother-child dyads participated in the study. Each mother received training regarding the implementation of the two treatments. The two interventions were counterbalanced among the four dyads and spanned a total of eight weeks in length. Results indicated that both of the treatments increased the vocabulary usage and reduced the number of compensatory articulation errors in the speech of the children.