Innovative Speech Articulation Tools for Neuroscience Research

描述（由申请人提供）：语言清晰度的变化可能伴随着许多神经系统疾病和病症。从历史上看，通过声学分析测量这些变化需要费力的手工测量或计算机编程技能。在以前的工作中，我们已经开发了快速自动计算机程序的基础上的声学地标的一些具体的研究。这些程序大大简化了获取和分析语音产生数据的过程。在多个合作中，我们发现我们的方法在广泛分离的神经学领域产生了重要而有用的结果。然而，这些程序的制定是根据项目的特殊需要进行的，而不是系统地满足外部用户的需要。作为对PA 08-114的回应，我们将把我们的程序库扩展成一个方便的软件工具，供具有和不具有语音研究背景的科学家更广泛地使用。我们的软件模块将允许使用一个菜单的具体措施，并将构成一个“插件”，以现有的分析软件工具，如Wavesurfer和R分析系统。它将报告这些措施的汇总统计数据，以及我们发现是人群或条件之间存在语音差异的可靠指标的其他综合措施。此外，该工具将被设置为以标准表格格式报告来自单个音频文件或音频文件组的数据，以便于输入统计或其他分析软件。出于开发和测试的目的，我们将在数据库上测试我们的软件程序，以及以前没有使用过的混乱。使用这个数据库，从心理学，言语语言病理学和认知科学招募的科学家将在数据库上测试我们的软件并提供反馈。我们还将调查其他领域的潜在用户，以满足他们对语音分析工具的需求。正如PA 08-114所设想的那样，这样的工具将“启动”在广泛的神经学重要研究领域中使用言语产生分析。公共卫生相关性：我们将把我们的语音分析程序库扩展成一个方便的软件工具，供具有和不具有语音研究背景的科学家更广泛地使用。我们的软件模块将允许使用具体措施菜单，并将构成现有分析软件工具的“插件”，如Wavesurfer和R统计分析系统。它将报告这些措施的汇总统计数据，以及我们发现是人群或条件之间存在语音差异的可靠指标的其他综合措施。此外，该工具将被设置为以标准表格格式报告来自单个音频文件或音频文件组的数据，以便于输入统计或其他分析软件。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Changes in speech articulation can accompany many neurological disorders and conditions. Historically, measuring these changes by acoustic analysis requires either laborious hand measurement or computer programming skill. In previous work, we have developed fast automatic computer procedures based on acoustic landmarks for a number of specific studies. These procedures considerably streamline the process of acquiring and analyzing speech production data. In multiple collaborations we have found that our method yields significant and useful results in widely separated areas of neurological interest. However, development of these procedures has proceeded in response to the particular needs of the projects and not in a way that systematically addresses the needs of outside users. In response to PA 08-114, we will expand our library of procedures into a convenient software tool for wider use by scientists with and without a background in speech research. Our software module will allow for the use of a menu of specific measures and will constitute a "plug-in" to existing analysis software tools such as Wavesurfer and the R statistical-analysis system. It will report summary statistics for the measures plus additional composite measures that we have found to be reliable indicators of the existence of speech differences between populations or conditions. Further, the tool will be set up to report data from a single audio file, or groups of audio files in a standard table format, for easy input to statistical or other analysis software. For development and testing purposes, we will test our software procedures on a database, and a disorder, for which it has not been used previously. Using this database, scientists recruited from psychology, speech-language pathology and cognitive science will test our software on the database and provide feedback. We will also survey potential users in other domains so that we can address their needs for speech analysis tools. Such a tool would "jump-start" the use of speech production analysis across a wide range of neurologically important areas of research, as envisioned by PA 08-114. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We will expand our library of speech analysis procedures into a convenient software tool for wider use by scientists with and without a background in speech research. Our software module will allow for the use of a menu of specific measures and will constitute a "plug-in" to existing analysis software tools such as Wavesurfer and the R statistical- analysis system. It will report summary statistics for the measures plus additional composite measures that we have found to be reliable indicators of the existence of speech differences between populations or conditions. Further, the tool will be set up to report data from a single audio file, or groups of audio files in a standard table format, for easy input to statistical or other analysis software.