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Master of Applied Science / The aim of this investigation was to investigate the effects of computer-based visual feedback in the teaching of singing. Pitch accuracy, a readily-measured parameter of the singing voice, was used in this study to gauge changes in singing for groups with and without visual feedback. The study investigated whether the style of feedback affects the amount of learning achieved, and whether the provision of concurrent visual feedback hampers the simultaneous performance of the singing task. The investigation used a baseline–intervention–post-test between-groups design. Participants of all skill levels were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two experimental groups – with all participants given one hour of singing training. At intervention, the two experimental groups were offered one of two different displays of real-time visual feedback on their vocal pitch accuracy, while control participants had a non-interactive display. All sessions were recorded, and the vocal exercise patterns performed at baseline, intervention and post-test phases were acoustically analysed for pitch accuracy. Questionnaires assessed both general health and the amount of singing and music training of all participants; people in the two experimental groups were also given a further questionnaire about the visual feedback. The results indicate that visual feedback improves pitch accuracy in singing. Cognitive load related to the decoding of visual information was a factor at intervention. At post-test, the two groups who had used real-time visual feedback demonstrated marked improvement on their initial pitch accuracy. There was no significant difference between the results of participants from the two experimental groups, although the participants with some background in singing training showed greater improvement using a simpler visual feedback design. The findings suggest that a hybrid approach integrating standard singing teaching practices with real-time visual feedback of aspects of the singing voice may improve learning.

Master of Applied Science / The aim of this investigation was to investigate the effects of computer-based visual feedback in the teaching of singing. Pitch accuracy, a readily-measured parameter of the singing voice, was used in this study to gauge changes in singing for groups with and without visual feedback. The study investigated whether the style of feedback affects the amount of learning achieved, and whether the provision of concurrent visual feedback hampers the simultaneous performance of the singing task. The investigation used a baseline–intervention–post-test between-groups design. Participants of all skill levels were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two experimental groups – with all participants given one hour of singing training. At intervention, the two experimental groups were offered one of two different displays of real-time visual feedback on their vocal pitch accuracy, while control participants had a non-interactive display. All sessions were recorded, and the vocal exercise patterns performed at baseline, intervention and post-test phases were acoustically analysed for pitch accuracy. Questionnaires assessed both general health and the amount of singing and music training of all participants; people in the two experimental groups were also given a further questionnaire about the visual feedback. The results indicate that visual feedback improves pitch accuracy in singing. Cognitive load related to the decoding of visual information was a factor at intervention. At post-test, the two groups who had used real-time visual feedback demonstrated marked improvement on their initial pitch accuracy. There was no significant difference between the results of participants from the two experimental groups, although the participants with some background in singing training showed greater improvement using a simpler visual feedback design. The findings suggest that a hybrid approach integrating standard singing teaching practices with real-time visual feedback of aspects of the singing voice may improve learning.

Orientador: Regina Helena Garcia Martins / Resumo: Objetivo: Verificar as diferenças entre as características vocais clínicas, perceptivo-auditiva, acústica computadorizada e videolaringoscópica de mulheres obesas, antes e após a cirurgia bariátrica. Casuística e métodos: Foram compostos dois grupos: grupo de obesas (GE), com 27 mulheres candidatas à cirurgia bariátrica, de acordo com os critérios: IMC superior a 40 kg/m2 ou IMC superior a 35 kg/m2 associado a comorbidades; e grupo controle (GC), com 27 mulheres, pareadas em faixa etária, com peso ideal para a estatura, estabelecido pelo IMC. Foram realizadas avaliações vocais: clínicas (levantamento de sintomas clínicos e vocais e hábitos vocais), autoavaliação vocal (questionários de índice de desvantagem vocal – IDV e qualidade de vida e voz – QVV), perceptivo-auditiva (escala GRBASI), acústica (software MDVP) e videolaringoscopia. Todos os participantes realizaram as mesmas avaliações, sendo que no GE o protocolo foi repetido em três momentos distintos: M1 (pré-operatório), M2 (pós-operatório – 6 meses) e M3 (pós-operatório − 12 meses). Resultados: No GE, o sintoma clínico mais evidente foi o refluxo gastroesofágico (RGE) e os sintomas vocais foram: rouquidão (25,9%), pigarro (18,5%) e cansaço ao falar (18,5%). Autoavaliação vocal: os dados dos questionários não se diferenciaram entre os grupos e também não apresentaram efeito de momento, no GE. Avaliação vocal acústica: os parâmetros vocais que mais se diferiram na voz do GE foram: f0, NHR e SPI. Esses parâmetros diminuí... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Objective: To verify the differences among the clinical vocal characteristics, perceptual-auditory, computerized acoustic and videolaryngoscopy of obese women before and after bariatric surgery. Methods Two groups were included: Obese group (SG), with 27 women candidates for bariatric surgery according to criteria: BMI> 40 kg / m2 or BMI> 35 kg / m2 associated with comorbidities and Control group (CG), with 27 women, matched in age, with ideal weight for height, established by BMI. Vocal assessments (clinical and vocal symptoms survey and vocal habits), vocal selfassessment (questionnaires of the vocal handicap index - quality of life and voice - QLV), perceptual-auditory (GRBASI scale), acoustic (MDVP software) and videolaryngoscopy were performed. All participants performed the same evaluations, and in the SG the protocol was repeated in three different moments: M1 (preoperative), M2 (postoperative - six months) and M3 (postoperative 12 months). Results: The most obvious clinical symptom in the SG was gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and vocal symptoms were: hoarseness (25.9%), phlegm (18.5%) and fatigue (18.5%). Vocal selfassessment: questionnaire data were not differentiated between groups and did not present moment effects in different moments (in the SG). Acoustic vocal evaluation: the vocal parameters that differ most in the voices of the SG were: f0, NHR and SPI. These parameters decreased significantly in M2 and M3. Perceptual-auditory evaluation: There was improvement... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:22:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa Medina.pdf: 2412967 bytes, checksum: fd442f9d22e56808ca1548cfb5d76964 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-22 / some authors suggest that patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) show vocal production disturbances, but there are few reports concerned on voice quality description. Objective: to evaluate the voice quality of subjects with AIDS from a phonetic perspective. Methodology: this study took place at the Institute of Infectology Emílio Ribas and has been properly approved by its ethical committee. 29 subjects were divided into two groups (group 1: research, group 2: reference). Group 1 was composed by 20 subjects with AIDS, 10 male and 10 female, all of them with metabolic alterations (Dyslipidemia) and under antiretroviral therapy. Group 2 was composed of 9 subjects, 5 female and 4 male, all of them with metabolic alterations (Dyslipidemia), without AIDS. The audio samples were recorded and submitted to auditory (Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme for Brazilian Portuguese) and acoustic analysis (ExpressionEvaluator Script running in PRAAT v.10 software). The auditory and acoustic data underwent multivariate statistic analysis (software XLStat). Results: Group 1 (AIDS) revealed predominance of the vocal tract (retracted tongue body, lowered tongue body and pharyngeal constriction), muscular tension (vocal tract hyperfunction) and phonatory settings (creaky voice, harsh voice associated to whisper), differing by gender. From the acoustic point of view, the discriminator power of the acoustic measures was decreased when compared to perceptual descriptions. From the perceptual point of view the period of antiretroviral treatment revealed a relation with voice quality settings. Conclusion: the phonetic approach of voice quality in a group of subjects with AIDS revealed voice quality settings related to pharyngeal constriction and retracted tongue body. From an acoustic perspective, the acoustic measures revealed relevance for the description of the male population with AIDS. The integrated analysis of perceptual and acoustic data revealed correlation between vocal tract, tension and phonatory settings and LTAS long term spectrogram, spectral slope and fundamental frequency (f0) measures. The descriptions of voice quality settings, from the perceptual perspective, were relevant to characterize the voice quality of the studied group, as well as for revealing the association with the duration of antiretroviral therapy / apesar de alguns estudos sugerirem que pacientes com a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (SIDA) apresentam alterações nas estruturas envolvidas na produção vocal, não há relatos de descrições de qualidade vocal neste grupo. Objetivo: avaliar, do ponto de vista fonético, a qualidade vocal de indivíduos portadores da Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (AIDS), por meio da descrição de correlatos acústicos e perceptivos. Metodologia: o estudo foi realizado no instituto de infectologia Emílio Ribas, com aprovação do comitê de ética. O grupo estudado constou de 29 indivíduos, sendo divididos em dois grupos (grupo pesquisa e grupo referência). O grupo de pesquisa foi constituído por 20 indivíduos portadores de SIDA, 10 homens e 10 mulheres com presença de alterações metabólicas (dislipidemia) e uso de medicamento antirretroviral. O grupo controle foi composto por nove indivíduos, cinco mulheres e quatro homens que apresentaram alteração metabólica: dislipidemia sem a presença de SIDA. As amostras de áudio foram coletadas e submetidas a análise perceptivo-auditiva (roteiro VPAS - PB) e acústica (script ExpressionEvaluator aplicável ao software Praat v.10). Os dados perceptivo-auditivos e acústicos foram analisados por meio de análise estatística de natureza multivariada (software XLStat). Resultados: o grupo estudado (SIDA) revelou o predomínio de ajustes do trato vocal (corpo de língua recuado, corpo de língua abaixado e constrição faríngea), ajustes de tensão muscular (hiperfunção de trato vocal) e ajustes fonatórios (voz crepitante, escape de ar associado a voz áspera), diferenciados por gêneros. Do ponto de vista acústico, o valor segregatório das medidas acústicas foi inferior às descrições perceptivas. O tempo de medicação revelou relação com as manifestações de qualidade vocal do ponto de vista perceptivo. Conclusão: do ponto de vista fonético, foram destacados na população com SIDA os ajustes de qualidade vocal de constrição faríngea e de corpo de língua recuado. Do ponto de vista acústico, as informações de medidas acústicas revelaram relevância para descrição da população SIDA do gênero masculino. A análise integrada de dados perceptivos e acústicos revelou a maior correlação de ajustes de trato vocal, de tensão e fonatórios a medidas acústicas de LTAS- espectro de longo termo, declínio espectral e frequência fundamental- f0. As descrições de ajustes de qualidade vocal por meio perceptivo foram relevantes para caracterizar a qualidade vocal do grupo estudado, bem como revelaram associação com o tempo de medicação

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2017-09-19T15:36:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_SergioEspinola_CEEI_UFCG.pdf: 59559230 bytes, checksum: 045a4738e365ab656e17da8b2185cb9b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-19T15:36:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_SergioEspinola_CEEI_UFCG.pdf: 59559230 bytes, checksum: 045a4738e365ab656e17da8b2185cb9b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-12 / Estima-se que um terço da força de trabalho humana dependa da voz para realização de seus ofícios. Procedimentos médicos avaliam a qualidade vocal do indivíduo sendo os mais usados aqueles baseados na escuta da voz (subjetivo) ou na inspeção das dobras (ou pregas) vocais por exames sofisticados (objetivos, porém invasivos e caros). A análise acústica da voz busca extrair medidas robustas para descrever vários fenômenos associados à produção da fala ou características intrínsecas do ser humano como frequência fundamental, timbre, etc. O presente estudo consiste na caracterização de um modelo de processamento digital de Voz para apoio ao diagnóstico no contexto da construção de sistemas de identificação automatizados de patologias da fala. Para análise da técnica proposta foi utilizada uma base de dados (base KAY) que foi estruturada por especialistas num arranjo de seis grupos de Patologias. A esse, acrescentado também um de vozes “Normal”. Assim, 182 vozes foram escolhidas, as quais dispunham de um catálogo indexado de cerca de 33 descritores, para cada voz, calculados da elocução da vogal \a\ sustentada. Ao selecionar combinações desses descritores – como perturbações em frequência (jitter), em amplitude (shimmer) etc, este estudo encontrou evidências estatísticas e mostrou ser possível: a) Separar vozes normais das patológicas – esperado, b) Separar patologias específicas (Paralisia, Edema de Reinke, Nódulos) com acurácia de 100% (para a grande maioria dessas combinações) e cerca de 92% (para Nódulos contra Reinke); c) Discriminá-las por meio de classificadores (redes neurais artificiais e máquina de vetores de suporte) e reduzir a dimensionalidade e complexidade (quantidade de dados) via técnica de análise de componentes principais (ACP) sobre esses descritores para a separação intra patologias; e d) Testes estatísticos com os grupos locais confirmaram também limiares de indícios de Anormalidade presentes na literatura. A utilização de menor quantidade de descritores – obtida pós ACP (compressão) – mostrou-se também eficiente (mesmas taxas de acurácia). / It is estimated one-third of the work force relies on the use the voice in their jobs. The clinical diagnostic may be performed on voice listening by a specialist (subjective perspective) or through invasive and often not cheaper exams to check vocal structures. The area of Voice Acoustic analyses aims to extract robust measurements to describe several phenomena associated with voice production, or human being particular characteristics like fundamental frequency, timbre, etc. This study consisted of a model characterizing the digital voice processing for support in building automatic systems for the identification of disorders of speech (to aid diagnosis of pathologies). To support this investigation and proposed model, a commercial voice database (KAY base) was used with the endorsement from medical specialists. Derived acoustic analyses of those speech samples data records were presented to professionals for classification and six “severities groups” case-studied were built. After these analyses, one Normal group was added and, at the end, 182 voices have been selected. Their refined audio database contain, among other things, an indexed list of vocal descriptors calculated on the presence of the utterance of the vowel \a\ sustained speech. Statistical evidences were found: a) Difference between pathological groups vocal descriptors to normal (expected); b) It was achieved 100% from true positive, most cases, among Paralysis, Reinke's Edema and Nodules separations; c) from few cases, there were detected minor distinctions: Paralysis, Reinke's Edema, Nodules and Edema (pair comparison) with disordered groups; c) Among Machine Learning Algorithms (artificial neural networks "RN" and support vector machine "SVM"), the technique of Principal Components Analyses (PCA) and main statistics performed, it was found facts to help to structure some automated recognition systems. These Supervised learning methods showed that it could be possible to generate classification predictions (disordered presence) for the response to new data; and d) Inner tests also confirmed literature established reference thresholds. Hence considering suitable combinations of descriptors with two machine learning classifiers, as showed, is sufficient suitable and worthy.