Effects of room acoustics on talkers: A use case for speech-acoustic signal processing in architectural acoustics

Abstract

In the past, several room-acoustic parameters, recommendations, and standards have been developed with emphasis on accommodating the listener. Recent research has shown that talkers also respond to room acoustics via vocal adaptations. In fact, room acoustics may influence the development of voice disorders in occupational speech users. To evaluate the relationships between room acoustics and vocal parameters of healthy talkers, the authors of this presentation analyzed speech-acoustic signals under a variety of acoustical conditions. Vocal parameters were derived from recordings, and statistically significant effects of room acoustics were verified using mixed-model analysis of variance tests. Changes in reverberation time (T20), early decay time (EDT), clarity index (C50), speech transmission index (STI), and room gain (GRG) all showed highly correlated effects on certain vocal parameters, including speaking level standard deviation, speaking rate, and acoustic vocal quality index. The results show that as T20, EDT, and GRG increased, and as C50 and STI decreased, vocal parameters tended toward dysphonic phonation. These findings increase our understanding of the impact of room acoustics on vocal production, informing room design to help mitigate unhealthy vocal exertion and, by extension, voice problems. The study provides examples of how signal processing of speech signals benefits architectural-acoustics knowledge.