Closed-loop network of skin-interfaced wireless devices for quantifying vocal fatigue and providing user feedback

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Speech Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Vocal fatigue, a performance decline from voice overuse, affects professionals like singers and teachers.
• Current vocal dosimetry methods use bulky, wired devices unsuitable for daily activities and lack real-time feedback.
• Vocal fold injury risk increases with compensatory technique lapses due to unmanaged vocal overuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, non-invasive system for quantifying vocal dose.
• To provide real-time, personalized feedback on vocal usage to users.
• To mitigate vocal fatigue and reduce the risk of vocal fold injury in high-risk professions.

Main Methods:

• A soft, wireless, skin-conformal sensor was developed for the upper chest to capture vocalization-related vibrations.
• The system is immune to ambient noise and pairs with a separate device for haptic feedback.
• Machine learning algorithms were employed for precise vocal dosimetry from sensor data.

Main Results:

• The developed technology accurately quantifies vocal dose in a non-invasive manner.
• Real-time haptic feedback based on vocal usage thresholds was successfully implemented.
• The system demonstrated potential for personalized guidance on healthy vocal behaviors.

Conclusions:

• The soft, wireless vocal dosimetry system offers a practical solution for monitoring voice usage.
• Real-time feedback and precise quantitation can empower users to manage vocal load effectively.
• This technology has significant potential to prevent vocal fatigue and protect vocal health.