Changes In Fundamental Frequency Research Articles

Microtremor HVSR study for assessing site effects in the Bovec basin (NW Slovenia) related to 1998 Mw5.6 and 2004 Mw5.2 earthquakes

The Bovec basin, which is filled with glacial and fluvial sediments, has recently been struck by two strong earthquakes (1998 and 2004) which caused extensive damage (VII–VIII EMS-98). Strong site effects resulted in large variations in damage to buildings in the area, which could not be explained by the surface variations in Quaternary sediments. The microtremor horizontal-to-vertical-spectral ratio (HVRS) method was therefore applied to a 200 m dense grid of free-field measurements to assess the fundamental frequency of the sediments. Large variations in the sediment frequency (3–22 Hz) were obtained, with most of the observed values in the range 6–12 Hz. The observed frequencies cannot be related to the total thickness of Quaternary sediments (sand, gravel), but can be explained by the presence of conglomerate or lithified moraine at shallow depths. The results were compared also with the velocity structure derived from seismic refraction data. Microtremor measurements performed in several two and some three- and four-storey houses (masonry with RC floors), which prevail in the Bovec basin, have shown that the main building frequencies in the area are in the range 7–11 Hz. This indicates that damage to houses in both earthquakes in some parts of the basin was enhanced by site amplification and soil-structure resonance. Areas of possible soil-structure resonance were identified in the settlements Bovec–Brdo, Bovec–Mala vas, Čezsoča and Kal-Koritnica. Considerable changes in fundamental frequencies within short distances were established in the town of Bovec. Their values are as high as 22 Hz in the central part of the town, but diminish to 6–11 Hz in the adjacent Brdo and Mala vas districts. This is in agreement with the distribution of damage in both earthquakes, which was considerably higher in Brdo and Mala vas, although the houses in the central part of the town are older. Microtremor investigations have proved an effective tool for assessment of site effects in cases of complex geological structure commonly encountered in young Alpine basins filled with glaciofluvial sediments which are partly cemented. Lithified layers can considerably change the fundamental frequency and, consequently, the site effects. By taking additional measurements in buildings possible soil-structure resonance can be identified.

Design of a 4.2–5.4 GHz differential LC VCO using 0.35 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology for IEEE 802.11a applications

In this paper, a 4.2–5.4 GHz, −Gm LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for IEEE 802.11a standard is presented. The circuit is designed with AMS 0.35 μm SiGe BiCMOS process that includes high-speed SiGe Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs). According to post-layout simulation results, phase noise is −110.7 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from 5.4 GHz carrier frequency and −113.4 dBc/Hz from 4.2 GHz carrier frequency. A linear, 1200 MHz tuning range is obtained from the simulations, utilizing accumulation-mode varactors. Phase noise was also found to be relatively low because of taking advantage of differential tuning concept. Output power of the fundamental frequency changes between 4.8 dBm and 5.5 dBm depending on the tuning voltage. Based on the simulation results, the circuit draws 2 mA without buffers and 14.5 mA from 2.5 V supply including buffer circuits leading to a total power dissipation of 36.25 mW. The circuit layout occupies an area of 0.6 mm2 on Si substrate, including DC and RF pads. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2007.

Structures with Semiactive Variable Stiffness Single/Multiple Tuned Mass Dampers

This paper proposes application of single and multiple semiactive variable stiffness tuned mass dampers (STMD/SMTMD) for response control of multistory structures under several types of excitation. A new semiactive control algorithm is developed based on real-time frequency tracking of excitation signal by short time Fourier transform. A parametric study is performed in the frequency domain to investigate the dynamic characteristics and effectiveness of STMDs. Time history responses of single-degree-of-freedom and five-degree-of-freedom structures equipped with STMDs at the roof level, subjected to harmonic, stationary, and nonstationary excitations are presented. STMD/SMTMD are most effective when they have low damping ratios and the excitation frequency can be tracked. They are superior than their passive counterparts in reducing the response of the main structure both under force and base excitations. In case the fundamental frequency changes due to damage or deterioration of the main structure then th...

Prosody of syntactically complex sentences in the oral reading of young children.

Prosodic, or expressive, reading is considered to be one of the essential features of the achievement of reading fluency. The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the degree to which the prosody of syntactically complex sentences varied as a function of reading speed and accuracy and (b) the role that reading prosody might play in mediating individual differences in comprehension. Spectrographic analysis of 80 third graders' and 29 adults' reading of a syntactically complex text was carried out. Oral reading skill was measured through standardized assessments. Pitch changes (changes in fundamental frequency) and pause duration were measured for sentence-final words of basic declarative sentences, basic declarative quotatives, wh questions, and yes-no questions; words preceding commas in complex adjectival phrases; and words preceding phrase-final commas. Children who had quick and accurate oral reading had shorter and more adultlike pause structures, larger pitch declinations at the end of basic declarative sentences, and larger pitch rises at the end of yes-no questions. Furthermore, children who showed larger basic declarative sentence declinations and larger pitch rises following yes-no questions tended to demonstrate greater reading comprehension skills.

A computer-assisted instruction system for self-teaching of discriminating Chinese tones based on their acoustical properties

A computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system for self-teaching to discriminate Chinese tones was developed, and provided through the internet to Japanese college students of Chinese language class. The data of acoustical analysis and perceptual judgment on the Chinese tones played an important role in designing the system. The result of observation on characteristic errors in discriminating Chinese tones by the Japanese students was also utilized. This system offered three kinds of use for self-teaching: testing, training, and reviewing. The original word lists consisted of 15 bisyllabic words with every combination of the four tones of Standard Chinese, involving different rates of unvoiced consonants, which disturbed the tone discrimination. In the partial word lists, only words having tone 2 and/or tone 3, which were difficult for the beginners, were excerpted from the original lists. Their speech samples with both female and male voices were accommodated. Temporal changes in fundamental frequency were extracted from the speech samples and displayed as visual cues in the training. It was also possible in the training to present only the words answered incorrectly in the preceding testing. By selecting suitable uses and word lists with the progress of self-teaching, the required time for achieving the goal was reduced.

Fundamental Frequency Change During Offset and Onset of Voicing in Individuals with Parkinson Disease

After years of treatment with the medication levodopa, most individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) experience fluctuations in response to their medications. Although relatively consistent perceptual voice improvements have been documented to correspond with these fluctuations, consistent quantitative data to support this finding are lacking. This mismatch may have occurred because most of this phonation research has centered on long-term phonatory measures (ie, across speaking samples and prolonged vowel tasks). The current study examined short-term phonatory behavior in individuals with PD, specifically examining fundamental frequency (F0) at the offset and onset of phonation, before and after a voiceless consonant. The F0 analysis at phonatory offset supported the conclusion that individuals with PD have difficulty with the rapid offset of voicing, and that they are stopping vocal fold vibration primarily through vocal fold abduction (without adding tension). The F0 analysis at phonatory onset revealed that all groups use some laryngeal tension at the initiation of voicing. The tension was lowest for the PD participants who were in their OFF medication state, and it was highest for the age-matched control participants and the PD participants in their ON medication states.

Model for the adsorption-induced change in resonance frequency of a cantilever

A model, where the interaction between adsorbates and the cantilever and that between the adsorbates themselves have been explicitly taken into account through Lennard-Jones potential, is developed to explain the adsorption-induced fundamental resonance frequency change of a cantilever. With the model, one can obtain results comparable to some experimental observations and predict results with implications for certain applications of resonant behavior of small-dimensioned cantilevers.

Acoustic characterization of the question–statement contrast in 4, 7 and 11 year-old children

Prosodic features of the speech signal include fundamental frequency (F0), intensity and duration. In order to study the development of prosody independent from segmental aspects of speech, we considered the question–statement contrast. In English, adults mark the contrast using changes in fundamental frequency, duration and intensity, with F0 being the most prominent cue. Declarative questions are marked by rising intonation whereas statements are marked by falling intonation. While previous studies have noted that young children can signal this contrast in imitative paradigms, little is known about the acoustic cues children use at different stages in development. The present study sought to provide an acoustic characterization of prosodic cues used by 12 children from three age groups, 4-year-olds, 7-year-olds and 11-year-olds, for elicited productions of declarative statements and questions. Results indicated that 4-year-olds were unable to reliably signal questions using rising fundamental frequency contour. Instead, they used increased final syllable duration to mark questions. Children in the 7-year-old group used all three cues, fundamental frequency, intensity and syllable duration, to contrast questions from statements. The oldest group relied primarily on changes in fundamental frequency and less so on intensity and duration cues. An age-related pattern is evident in that children employ different combinations of acoustic cues to mark the question–statement contrast across development. The impact of motor and cognitive-linguistic complexity on the development of prosodic control is discussed.

Spectra and structure of binary azeotropes: II. Acetone– n-pentane

Acetone and n-pentane from an azeotrope with the mole ratio of 1:3, respectively. As the result of this azeotrope formation, some characteristic vibrational modes in FT-IR and chemical shifts in 1H NMR changes. The amount of these band and signal changes is an indication of the extend of interaction between two components and their orientation in unit structure of the cluster. FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra of pure substances and their azeotrope were recorded, spectral changes analyzed. Unit structure of azeotrope was deduced based on mole ratio, boiling point changes of pure components, and spectral changes in fundamental frequency and chemical shifts.

Spectra and structure of binary azeotropes: III. Acetone– n-hexane

Acetone and n-hexane form an azeotrope with the mole ratio 2:1. As a result of this phenomenon, some characteristic vibrational modes in FT-IR and some chemical shifts in 1H NMR spectra changes. The amount of these changes is an indication of the extension of interaction between two components and their orientation in unit structure of the cluster. FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra of pure substances and their azeotrope were recorded and spectral changes analyzed. Based on mole ratio of constituents, boiling point depressions, spectral changes in fundamental frequencies, and chemical shifts, unit structure of the azeotrope were deduced.

Visualization and Quantification of the Medial Surface Dynamics of an Excised Human Vocal Fold During Phonation

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate physical mechanisms of vocal fold vibration during normal phonation through quantification of the medial surface dynamics of the fold. An excised hemilarynx setup was used. The dynamics of 30 microsutures mounted on the medial surface of a human vocal fold were analyzed across 18 phonatory conditions. The vibrations were recorded with a digital high-speed camera at a frequency of 4,000 Hz. The positions of the sutures were extracted and converted to three-dimensional coordinates using a linear approximation technique. The data were reduced to principal eigenfuctions, which captured over 90% of the variance of the data, and suggested mechanisms of sustained vocal fold oscillation. The vibrations were imaged as the following phonatory conditions were manipulated: glottal airflow, an adductory force applied to the muscular process, and an elongation force applied to the thyroid cartilage. Over the range of variables studied, only the variation in glottal airflow yielded significant changes in subglottal pressure and fundamental frequency. All recordings showed high correlation for the distribution of the dynamics across the medial surface of the vocal fold. The distribution of the different displacement directions and velocities showed the highest variations around the superior region of the medial surface. Although the computed vibration patterns of the two largest empirical eigenfunctions were consistent with previous experimental observations, the relative prominence of the two eigenfunctions changed as a function of glottal airflow, impacting theories of vocal efficiency and vocal economy.

Effects of Envelope-Vocoder Processing on F0 Discrimination and Concurrent-Vowel Identification

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of envelope-vocoder sound processing on listeners' ability to discriminate changes in fundamental frequency (F0) in anechoic and reverberant conditions and on their ability to identify concurrent vowels based on differences in F0. In the first experiment, F0 difference limens (F0DLs) were measured as a function of number of envelope-vocoder frequency channels (1, 4, 8, 24, and 40 channels, and unprocessed) in four normal-hearing listeners, with degree of simulated reverberation (no, mild, and severe reverberation) as a parameter. In the second experiment, vowel identification was measured as a function of the F0 difference between two simultaneous vowels in six normal-hearing listeners, with the number of vocoder channels (8 and 24 channels, and unprocessed) as a parameter. Reverberation was detrimental to F0 discrimination in conditions with fewer numbers of vocoder channels. Despite the reasonable F0DLs (<1 semitone) with 24- and 8-channel vocoder processing, listeners were unable to benefit from F0 differences between the competing vowels in the concurrent-vowel paradigm. The overall detrimental effects of vocoder processing are probably are due to the poor spectral representation of the lower-order harmonics. The F0 information carried in the temporal envelope is weak, susceptible to reverberation, and may not suffice for source segregation. To the extent that vocoder processing simulates cochlear implant processing, users of current implant processing schemes are unlikely to benefit from F0 differences between competing talkers when listening to speech in complex environments. The results provide further incentive for finding a way to make the information from low-order, resolved harmonics available to cochlear implant users.

Geschwindigkeitsmessung der Stimmlippenbewegung

Introduction: Clinical examinations with short-interval, color-filtered double-flash stroboscopy enable us to estimate the movements of the vocal fold edges during phonation. So-called ‘displacement bands’ show the degree of the vibratory amplitude in these images. Using the two-point light projection method the displacement bands can be measured with very high accuracy. A combination of these two methods was used for velocity measurements of the vocal fold movements within the phonatory cycle. The aim of the study was to explore the influence of change in sound pressure level (SPL) and fundamental frequency (F₀) on the velocity of the horizontal amplitude of the vocal folds during phonation. Material and Methods: 40 healthy volunteers (31 women, 9 men, average age 24.8 years) were examined. During the special videostroboscopy with short-interval, color-filtered double flashes laser spots were projected onto the vocal folds by an endoscopic two-point light projection device. The subjects had to change their SPL and F₀ following a test protocol. During phonation they had to produce tones in low, middle and high chest voice as well as in falsetto register. Each subject was asked to do this in a soft, a modal, a loud and a very loud manner. Images of the phonatory cycle showing the vocal folds immmediately before collision were measured separately at three different positions. About 15,000 single measurements were evaluated. Results: The measured velocity of the horizontal amplitude during the closing phase of the vocal folds in chest voice was 30–160 cm/s. An increase in SPL resulted in an increasing velocity of the displacement bands. A change in F₀ did not lead to statistically relevant changes in the measured velocity. Conclusion: A combination of short-interval, color-filtered double-flash stroboscopy and a two-point light projection method enables measurements of the velocity of vocal fold movements. The SPL is the important factor for the velocity change within the phonatory cycle. F₀ seems not to covary with the velocity of the horizontal amplitude during the closing phase of the phonatory cycle.

Laryngeal muscle responses to mechanical displacement of the thyroid cartilage in humans

Speakers may use laryngeal sensory feedback to adjust vocal fold tension and length before initiating voice. The mechanism for accurately initiating voice at an intended pitch is unknown, given the absence of laryngeal muscle spindles in animals and conflicting findings regarding their existence in humans. Previous reports of rapid changes in voice fundamental frequency following thyroid cartilage displacement suggest that changes in vocal fold length modulate laryngeal muscle contraction in humans. We tested the hypothesis that voice changes resulting from mechanical perturbation are due to rapid responses in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Hooked wire electrodes were used to record from the thyroarytenoid, cricothyroid, and sternothyroid muscles along with surface electrodes on the skin overlying the thyroid cartilage in 10 normal adults. Servomotor displacements produced consistent changes in the subjects' vocal fundamental frequency at 70-80 ms, demonstrating changes in vocal fold length and tension. No simultaneous electromyographic responses occurred in the thyroarytenoid or cricothyroid muscles in any subjects. Instead, short-latency responses at 25-40 ms following stimulus onset occurred in the sternothyroid muscles, simultaneous with responses in the surface recordings. The sternothyroid responses may modulate long-latency changes in voice fundamental frequency (approximately 150 ms). The absence of intrinsic laryngeal muscle responses is consistent with a lack of spindles in these muscles. Our results suggest that other sensory receptors, such as mucosal mechanoreceptors, provide feedback for voice control.

Effects of simultaneously presented pitch- and loudness-shifted voice auditory feedback on voice fundamental frequency

Recent studies have demonstrated that subjects respond to pitch- or loudness-shifted voice feedback with compensatory changes in voice fundamental frequency (F0) or intensity. In the present study, subjects sustaining /u/ vowel sounds were presented with either pitch-shifted auditory feedback (50 or 100 cents) or simultaneous pitch-shifted and loudness-shifted voice feedback (3 or 6 dB SPL) of 200 ms duration. During simultaneous stimulus presentations, the stimulus directions were opposite in direction (e.g., increasing pitch and decreasing loudness feedback). Subjects (N=24, normal, age 18–24) responded to pitch-shifted feedback with compensatory adjustments in F0. Subjects responded to simultaneous stimuli with independent compensatory adjustments in voice F0 and intensity. Latencies of F0 responses to simultaneous stimuli (m=211 ms) were longer than to pitch-shifted stimuli alone (m=145 ms, F=26, df 2306; p&amp;lt;.0001). Results suggest auditory feedback mechanisms for stabilizing the direction of voice F0 against perturbed pitch feedback are independent of mechanisms for stabilizing loudness feedback, but the simultaneous presence of pitch and loudness perturbations slows down the corrective mechanism for pitch-shifted feedback.

Sociological effects on vocal aging: Age related F0 effects in two languages

Listeners can estimate the age of a speaker fairly accurately from their speech (Ptacek and Sander, 1966). It is generally considered that this perception is based on physiologically determined aspects of the speech. However, the degree to which it is due to conventional sociolinguistic aspects of speech is unknown. The current study examines the degree to which fundamental frequency (F0) changes due to advanced aging across two language groups of speakers. It also examines the degree to which the speakers associate these changes with aging in a voice disguising task. Thirty native speakers each of English and Japanese, taken from three age groups, read a target phrase embedded in a carrier sentence in their native language. Each speaker also read the sentence pretending to be 20-years younger or 20-years older than their own age. Preliminary analysis of eighteen Japanese speakers indicates that the mean and maximum F0 values increase when the speakers pretended to be younger than when they pretended to be older. Some previous studies on age perception, however, suggested that F0 has minor effects on listeners’ age estimation. The acoustic results will also be discussed in conjunction with the results of the listeners’ age estimation of the speakers.

Effects of Family Therapy on Children's Voices

The families of nine children with deviant voice qualities were selected for family treatment according to the SYGESTI model. Recordings of the children's speech were made before and after therapy. Perceptual evaluation of their voice quality showed significant improvement in various perceptual parameters after the therapy. Acoustical analysis confirmed changes of voice quality and mean fundamental frequency in speech. The therapy also was found to improve relations between family members, conflict management and other aspects of communication. The results suggest that these children's deviant voices were related to family conditions.

Nonlinear Dynamic Characteristics of Piezoelectric Bending Actuators Under Strong Applied Electric Field

Dynamic characteristics of piezoelectric bending actuators under low and high electric fields are studied using the asymptotic theory of nonstationary vibrations. The proposed nonlinear model predicts the changes in fundamental resonant frequencies of the piezoelectric cantilever. The predicted resonance amplitude of the tip deflections of the piezoelectric actuators, which increases with the increase in the magnitude of the electric field, well agrees with the experimental results. Additionally, the decrease in the mechanical quality factor with the increase in the electric field, the tip deflection of piezoelectric actuators near resonance frequency,and the amplitude of the tip deflection at the fundamental vibration tone under an applied electric field varying with time have also been obtained using the present model.

A control strategy for active filters using quasi‐instantaneous positive sequence extraction filters

AbstractA novel control strategy for active filters, employing quasi‐instantaneous positive sequence extraction of utility voltage, can be useful in harmonic polluted and/or imbalanced utility voltage. In this paper, the authors examined its transient response, its performance under the change of fundamental frequency of utility voltage and its performance under utility voltage with harmonics and unbalance. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 148(1): 54–65, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10307

Finding Climax and Cadence in the Uninflected Voice

ABSTRACT: The paper provides a theoretical basis for understanding the positive effects music therapy programs have on enhancing the vocal expression and intonation of people with acquired brain injury. To date, this theme has not been described in the music therapy literature. In this paper, neurological, physiological, and emotional perspectives have been explored through research findings and theoretical standpoints. A comparison of the neurological underpinnings of melody in both song and speech are provided as a framework for understanding how song singing may contribute to rehabilitating vocal intonation. Music therapy's role in reducing physical tension and improving posture, and how this affects vocal freedom, has also been outlined. In addition, the influence of emotional disturbances on vocal freedom has been described with reference to how music therapy may indirectly affect vocal expression through the enhancement of mood. Finally, the authors present a short case vignette to provide a context for understanding the perspectives presented in the text. Introduction The voice is a multifaceted phenomenon. On one hand, it is a neurological activity responsible for controlling sound production and changes in pitch (Aronson, 1990). On the other hand, it can be viewed as the complex set of physiological operations involving the activation and relaxation of various muscles in the larynx, otherwise known as the voicebox (Newham, 1998). The voice could also be considered as revealing emotional states, the voice revealing the mood, emotional response and feelings of the speaker (Bolinger, 1986, 1989). These facets in themselves suggest that the voice is influenced by several differing factors and consequently may be negatively influenced by impairments in one or more of these. While impairments in voice production occur in people with developmental and physical disabilities, and people with psychiatric disorders, particularly affective disorders, the focus of this text will be on people with acquired brain injury. Intonation is a vital part of speech. It is one of three components of prosody-stress patterning, intonation and rhythm-and it forms the melodic aspects of verbal communication (Bolinger, 1989). Intonation performs both affective and linguistic functions (Perkins, Baran, & Candour, 1996). Linguistically, it contributes to lexical aspects, for example object and object (Bolinger, 1989), and syntax-for example, distinguishing questions from statements (Collier, 1993). With respect to affect, it is primarily an expression of how people feel about what they say (Bolinger, 1989), uncovering the overall mood of speakers even when they communicate sentences with no emotional content. When referring to the literature on intonation, the most cited component of intonation is the acoustic feature of the fundamental frequency (F^sub o^). F^sub o^ is the lowest frequency component of a complex tone, the frequency that excludes the harmonics and overtones. Relevant for music therapists and speech pathologists, it is the frequency which aligns with the pitch of the voice heard in speaking and singing (Hargrove & McGarr, 1994; Joanette, Goulet, & Hannequin, 1990). Much of the research in music therapy and speech pathology concerning the diagnosis and outcomes of therapy for impairments in intonation describe outcomes in terms of F^sub o^. Clinicians and researchers can follow the intonation contour of the voice by examining the changing fundamental frequency. While each person has their own individual pattern of intonation, studies have established that for affective intonation, several stereotypical patterns exist across cultures (Apple, Streeter, & Krauss, 1979; Davitz & Davitz, 1959; Fairbanks & Provonost, 1939; Mozziconacci & Hermes, 1997; Murray & Arnott, 1993; Scherer, 1991). These are summarised in Table 1. What is interesting in Table 1 is that these characteristic patterns are similar to those found for melodies expressing emotions in music (Hevner, 1935, 1936). …