Circuit-Level Design of Human Voice Source

Abstract

Communication is heavily dependent on ideas expressed through speech. The ideas and tonal qualities during vocal expression give voice an idea about person characteristics and personality. The problem of representing speech events with robust and compact signals that describe the salient features of speech is an important area of speech communication. The Glottal Source is an important component of voice as it can be considered as the excitation signal to the voice apparatus. Nowadays, new techniques of speech processing such as speech recognition and speech synthesis use the glottal closure and opening instants. The pitch synchronous analysis that is used in several area of speech processing often requires robust detection of the instants of glottal closure and opening. Current models of the glottal waves derive their shape from approximate information rather than from exactly measured data. General method concentrate on assessment of the glottis opening using optical, acoustical methods, or on visualization of the larynx position using ultrasound, computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging techniques. In this work, an experimental integrated circuit of human glottis using MOS is presented by exploiting fluid volume velocity to current, fluid pressure to voltage, and linear and nonlinear mechanical impedances to linear and nonlinear electrical impedances. The glottis modeled as current source includes linear, non-linear impedances to represent laminar and turbulent flow respectively, in vocal tract. The MOS modeling and simulation of glottis were carried out on TSMC 0.18 micrometer technology.