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

 描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目标是测试无声语音接口（SSI）作为无法使用语音的人（例如，喉切除术后，由于治疗癌症而手术切除喉）。我们最近开发了一个实时的，交互式SSI的基础上，商业电磁articulograph。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声音与自然发声的声音。SSI有可能通过在喉切除术前识别患者的声音特征来恢复患者的声音。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个参与者来进一步评估该系统 和15名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照。如果成功的话，SSI有可能改变语言病理学家和其他相关医疗保健专业人员的临床实践。拟议的研究将通过对喉切除术后的个体产生影响来增强人类健康，并可能对其他广泛的言语和声音障碍产生影响。

 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.