Voice production in virtual reality: Effects of room size and fullness

Abstract

This study explores the influence of visual input on voice production in virtual reality with healthy participants. The effects of the size and fullness of various virtual rooms on acoustic voice parameters and self-reported vocal status ratings are examined. Speech samples from healthy participants were recorded in six virtual conditions. After each condition, the participants provided subjective vocal status ratings on visual analog scales. The voice recordings were processed to calculate objective voice acoustic parameters including sound pressure level, standard deviation of fundamental frequency, mean pitch strength, time dose, and cepstral peak prominence smoothed. The effects of the virtual reality conditions on these acoustic parameters and the vocal status ratings were analyzed. The largest virtual room resulted in significantly higher (worse) vocal status ratings. The size of the virtual rooms had statistically significant effects on mean pitch strength and cepstral peak prominence smoothed, among associations with other objective voice acoustic parameters. This study provides evidence that larger and more full virtual rooms contribute to higher (worse) vocal status ratings and changes in objective voice parameters in healthy speakers.