noelhanna/real-time-resonance-estimation: International Congress of Phonetic Sciences Version

Open-source software for estimating vocal tract resonances using broadband excitation at the lips.

This software is described in:

Jeanneteau, M., Hanna, N., Almeida, A., Smith, J., and Wolfe, J. (2019) Open-source software for estimating vocal tract resonances using broadband excitation at the lips, International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Melbourne, Australia

Broadband excitation of the vocal tract at the lips (Epps, Smith & Wolfe, 1997. Meas. Sci. Technol. 8, 1112–1121) has been used by the present authors and in other laboratories to estimate the resonances of the vocal tract in ‘ecological’ conditions of speaking and singing.  A sound source and microphone are both held at the lower lip of the subject, then the ratio of microphone pressure with lips open to that with lips closed is measured in response to a broadband excitation signal. The peaks of this ratio provide an estimate of the resonances Ri of the vocal tract, without disturbing the subject’s vocal gesture. Here we present an updated open-source implementation of this technique written in Matlab that allows real-time measurements with inexpensive equipment. This simplifies use of the technique and allows some new applications including measurements during respiration, whisper and breathy speech.

For further details, and to download the necessary .fig file and/or compiled software, go to:

http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/broadband.html

The software is a major GUI redevelopment of the real-time acoustic vocal tract excitation (RAVE) technique originally developed and published in:

Epps, J., Smith, J.R. and Wolfe, J. (1997) A novel instrument to measure acoustic resonances of the vocal tract during speech Measurement Science and Technology 8, 1112-1121.

Publications are available at http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/publications.html