Real-Time Articulation-to-Speech Mapping for Enhancing Impaired Oral Communication

 描述(申请人提供)：本项目的目标是测试无声语音接口(SSI)作为不能使用声音的人(例如，喉部切除术后，因癌症治疗而切除喉部)的另一种口头交流模式的有效性。我们最近开发了一种基于商用电磁关节记录仪的实时、交互式SSI。SSI将舌头和嘴唇的运动转换为文本，然后实时播放相应的合成语音和自然发音。SSI有可能在喉切除术前通过识别患者的嗓音特征来恢复患者的嗓音。对健康参与者的初步测试证明了SSI的可行性。在这个项目中，我们通过研究15名参与者来进一步评估该系统 喉切除术后和15名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照组。如果成功，SSI有可能改变言语语言病理学家和其他相关卫生保健专业人员的临床实践。这项拟议的研究将通过对喉切除术后的个人以及潜在的广泛的其他言语和声音障碍的影响来改善人类健康。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to test the efficacy of a silent speech interface (SSI) as an alternative mode of oral communication for persons who are unable to use their voice (e.g., after laryngectomy, surgical removal of larynx due to the treatment of cancer). We have recently developed a real-time, interactive SSI based on a commercial electromagnetic articulograph. The SSI converts tongue and lip movement to text, and then plays back corresponding synthesized speech sounds with natural sounding voice in real-time. The SSI has potential to restore the patient's voice by identifying the patient's voice characteristics before laryngectomy. Preliminary tests on healthy participants demonstrated the feasibility of the SSI. In this project, we further evaluate the system by studying 15 participants after laryngectomy and 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. If successful, the SSI has the potential to transform clinical practice for speech-language pathologists other related health care professionals. The proposed research will enhance human health by making an impact on individuals after laryngectomy and potentially to a broad range of other speech and voice disorders.