Listen with your skin: Aerotak speech perception enhancement system

Type of content
Conference Contributions - Published
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Publisher
ISCA
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Date
2014
Authors
Derrick, Donald
De Rybel T
O'Beirne, Greg A.
Hay J
Abstract

Here we introduce Aerotak: A system for audio analysis and perception enhancement that allows speech perceivers to listen with their skin. The current system extracts unvoiced portions of an audio signal representative of turbulent air-flow in speech. It stores the audio signal in the left channel of a stereo audio output, and the air flow signal is stored in the right channel. The stored audio is used to drive a conversion unit that splits the left audio channel into a headphone out (to both ears) and right channel air pump drive signal to a piezoelectric pump that is mounted to the headphones. We have shown, using two-way forced-choice experiments, that the system enhances perception of voiceless stops and voiceless fricatives in noise such that 1 out of every 4 such words that would otherwise be missed will be heard correctly. We are currently conducting experiments on word identification while listening to a short-story, and are completing a stand-alone version of the Aerotak that works with real-time audio and from an embedded system. The short-story research and real-time system will be complete for InterSpeech 2014.

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Citation
Derrick D, De Rybel T, O'Beirne GA, Hay J (2014). Listen with your skin: Aerotak speech perception enhancement system. Singapore: 15th Annual Conference of the International Speech Communication Association (InterSpeech 2014). 14/09/2014-18/09/2014. Proceedings. 1484-1485.
Keywords
speech perception, aero-tactile integration, embodiment theory, audio perception enhancement
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Fields of Research::47 - Language, communication and culture::4704 - Linguistics::470410 - Phonetics and speech science
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