Measurement of vocal doses in speech: experimental procedure and signal processing

An experimental method for quantifying the amount of voicing over time is described in a tutorial manner. A new procedure for obtaining calibrated sound pressure levels (SPL) of speech from a head-mounted microphone is offered. An algorithm for voicing detection (kv) and fundamental frequency (F0) extraction from an electroglottographic signal is described. The extracted values of SPL, F0, and kv are used to derive five vocal doses: the time dose (total voicing time), the cycle dose (total number of vocal fold oscillatory cycles), the distance dose (total distance travelled by the vocal folds in an oscillatory path), the energy dissipation dose (total amount of heat energy dissipated in the vocal folds) and the radiated energy dose (total acoustic energy radiated from the mouth). The doses measure the vocal load and can be used for studying the effects of vocal fold tissue exposure to vibration.