Investigation of voice initiation and voice offset characteristics with high-speed digital imaging

This study involves preliminary investigation of the characteristics of the voice initiation period (VIP) and voice offset period (VOP) using high-speed digital imaging. The goals of the study were to develop a methodology to objectively analyze these periods of phonation and to explore the feasibility of studying the effects of aging on these phonation segments. Results of the analysis of the data from two female subjects, one younger and one older, with the developed methodology, demonstrated that the older subject's VIP was characterized by a slow and irregular increase in glottal area waveform (GAW) until reaching 90% of the maximum opening of the glottis at 244 frames or 122 ms. The younger subject demonstrated a sharp increase in GAW during VIP, taking only 155 frames or 77.5 ms to reach the 90% mark. Also, the older subject took a greater number of frames for the vocal fold vibration to come to a complete stop than the younger subject during the VOP; 275 frames and 150 frames respectively.