An adaptive method for tracking voicing irregularities

A method has been developed for tracking irregularities in the acoustic waveform of a sustained phonation using the adaptive Wiener filter. Irregularities are determined by the technique of correlation cancellation. The algorithm is evaluated using sustained vowels produced by a formant synthesizer and by subjects with and without phonatary disorders. Results indicate that the method is capable of differentiating between normal and abnormal voices. Most significantly, however, it can also track sporadic or nonstationary irregularities in the shape of an individual acoustic wavelet. This method is expected to be a useful tool for the acoustics analysis of voice production.