Publication
Title
Automated speech rate measurement in dysarthria
Author
Abstract
Purpose In this study, a new algorithm for automated determination of speech rate (SR) in dysarthric speech is evaluated. We investigated how reliably the algorithm calculates the SR of dysarthric speech samples when compared with calculation performed by speech-language pathologists. Method The new algorithm was trained and tested using Dutch speech samples of 36 speakers with no history of speech impairment and 40 speakers with mild to moderate dysarthria. We tested the algorithm under various conditions: according to speech task type (sentence reading, passage reading, and storytelling) and algorithm optimization method (speaker group optimization and individual speaker optimization). Correlations between automated and human SR determination were calculated for each condition. Results High correlations between automated and human SR determination were found in the various testing conditions. Conclusions The new algorithm measures SR in a sufficiently reliable manner. It is currently being integrated in a clinical software tool for assessing and managing prosody in dysarthric speech. Further research is needed to fine-tune the algorithm to severely dysarthric speech, to make the algorithm less sensitive to background noise, and to evaluate how the algorithm deals with syllabic consonants.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of speech, language and hearing research / American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. - Rockville, Md, 1997, currens
Publication
Rockville, Md : American Speech-Language-Hearing Association , 2015
ISSN
1092-4388 [print]
1558-9102 [online]
DOI
10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-14-0242
Volume/pages
58 (2015) , p. 698-712
ISI
000384528400012
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 29.03.2017
Last edited 04.03.2024
To cite this reference