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Automated Speech Rate Measurement in Dysarthria
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR
|April 11, 2015
Summary
A new algorithm reliably determines speech rate (SR) in dysarthric speech, showing high correlations with speech-language pathologist assessments. This automated method aids in prosody management for individuals with speech impairments.
Area of Science:
- Speech-language pathology
- Computational linguistics
- Biomedical engineering
Background:
- Dysarthric speech presents challenges in accurate speech rate (SR) measurement.
- Automated methods for SR analysis can improve efficiency and consistency in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel algorithm for automated speech rate (SR) determination in dysarthric speech.
- To assess the reliability of the algorithm by comparing its SR calculations to those of speech-language pathologists.
Main Methods:
- The algorithm was trained and tested on Dutch speech samples from speakers with and without dysarthria.
- Testing encompassed various speech tasks (sentence reading, passage reading, storytelling) and optimization methods (speaker group vs. individual).
- Correlations between automated and human SR determinations were analyzed across all conditions.
Main Results:
- The algorithm demonstrated high correlations with human SR assessments across all tested conditions.
- Reliable performance was observed irrespective of speech task type or optimization method.
Conclusions:
- The developed algorithm provides a sufficiently reliable measure of speech rate in dysarthric speech.
- Integration into clinical software for prosody assessment and management is underway.
- Future research should focus on adapting the algorithm for severe dysarthria, improving noise resilience, and evaluating performance with syllabic consonants.
