Speech adaptation to kinematic recording sensors

Abstract

Measuring articulator movements can yield valuable insights into speech motor control, but attaching sensors to the articulators can affect speech. In order to measure the process of adaptation to the presence of kinematic sensors, 20 native English speakers read a sentence before the attachment of sensors to the tongue, lips, and jaw. They read it immediately afterwards, and then 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes later. Participants read aloud continuously between recordings to encourage adaptation. Audio recordings were rated by 20 native English listeners using a visual analog scale with the endpoints labeled as precise and imprecise. Acoustic analysis involved segmenting the fricatives /s/ and /ʃ/ from the longer recording and computing spectral center of gravity and spectral standard deviation as well as fricative duration. Results of both perceptual and acoustic analysis revealed a change in speech precision over time, with all post attachment recordings receiving reduced precision ratings. Spectral mean decreased and standard deviation increased following sensor attachment; durations decreased over time. Precision ratings beyond the ten minute recording remained steady. The results show that speakers reached a height of adaptation after 10 minutes but did not at any point return to pre attachment precision levels.