Analysis of speech sounds transduced by different types and positions of sensors

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results of our analysis of different classes of speech sounds, which we recorded from different types of sensors located at each of a number of positions in the vicinity of the talker. The sensor types we used include pressure microphone, first‐order pressure‐gradient microphone, second‐order pressure‐gradient microphone, and accelerometer (for measuring vibrations on the surfaces of head and neck). For measuring the pressure gradients, we constructed an array of three closely spaced electret microphones; in addition, we used a prototype first‐order gradient microphone and a prototype second‐order gradient microphone. A specially chosen set of speech utterances was recorded from three male and two female subjects. We considered both short‐term and long‐term amplitude and spectral characteristics of speech in our comparative investigation of the various sensor signals. Differences in the output of various sensors were especially noticeable for nasals and voiced obstruents for ...