• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.147-149
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• 2004

Although most of the people have studied English for a long time, their English conversation capability is low. When we provide them portable conversational-type English learners by the application of computer and information process technology, such portable learners can be used to enhance their English conversation capability by their conventional conversation exercises. The core technology to develop such learner is the development of a voice recognition and synthesis module under an embedded environment. This paper deals with voice recognition and synthesis, prototype of the learner module using a DSP(Digital Signal Processing) chip for voice processing, voice playback function, flash memory file system, PC download function using USB ports, English conversation text function by the use of SMC(Smart Media Card) flash memory, LCD display function, MP3 music listening function, etc. Application areas of the prototype equipped with such various functions are vast, i.e. portable language learners, amusement devices, kids toy, control by voice, security by the use of voice, etc.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2009

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of the management program known as vocal function exercise (VFE) on voice quality. Typical VFE was modified and applied to patients with vocal nodules by controlling intensity of voice and relieving the vocal fold to solve hyperfunctional problems in VFE. Eight female subjects aged between 28 and 54 who had been diagnosed with vocal nodules took part in the study. The patients performed VFEs once a week for eight weeks. Vocal function exercises consist of voice hygiene, respiratory training, phonation training, and glide training. The subjects' voices were analyzed pre and post therapy on the aspects of acoustics, maximum phonation time (MPT), GRBAS, and voice handicap index (VHI). As a result, it was found that fundamental frequency ($F_o$) was significant increased, shimmer decreased remarkably and that noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) lowered obviously in the acoustic parameter. In addition, MPT was increased significantly. The scale of GRBAS indicated significant improvement in grade, roughness, and strained voice. VHI indicated significant improvement in an emotional part. In conclusion, VFE was effective in improving voice quality for patients with vocal nodules.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 1996

The preservation of the voice-producing mechanism is an important feature in the management of laryngeal cancer by radiotherapy. But, radiation therapy has certain side effects such as mucositis, tissue edema, necrosis and fibrosis which could effect on normal voice production. Several subjective studies that used questionnaires and auditory perceptual judgements of voice have been interpreted to mean that radiation results in a normal or near-normal voice. Objective evidence of the status of vocal function after radiation treatment, however, is still lacking. We analyzed the changes that occur in voice parameters in a group of patients undergoing radiation therapy, in order to determine the effect of radiation on voice quality. In this study acoustic, aerodynamic measures of vocal function were used to determine the characteristics of voice production. We found that voice parameters in early glottic cancer changed meaningfully comparing to normal larynx with or without radiation and radiation therapy has an little effect on normal larynx.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.249-255
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• 2016

Since the elderly voices include a lot of noise caused by physiological changes in respiration, phonation, and resonance, the performance of the convergence health-care equipments such as speech recognition, synthesis, analysis program done by elderly voice is deteriorated. Therefore it is necessary to develop researches to operate health-care instruments with elderly voices. In this study, a voice activity detection using a symmetric higher-order differential energy function (SHODEO) was developed and was compared with auto-correlation function(ACF) and the average magnitude difference function(AMDF). It was confirmed to have a better performance than other methods in the voice interval detection. The voice activity detection will be applied to a voice interface for the elderly to improve the accessibility of the smart devices.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.169-189
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• 2003

Trained singers, one group of professional voice users, have much more interest on the voice than common people, and on its management, too. They train for singing beautiful songs, and, at the same time, try for efficient voice production. The present study was performed with three tenors and three baritones, undergraduate students majored in classical singing, to investigate the degree of improvement of their voice production efficiency through vocal function exercise, by measuring the three dependent variables, maximum phonation time, speed quotient of glottal contact, and the number of semi tones. For the baseline establishment, dependent variables were measured 3$\sim$6 times for two weeks. Then, the subjects exercised vocal function exercise for seven weeks, and after the termination of training, evaluation was performed four times for two weeks, to find the maintenance of the training effect. Vocal function exercise is composed of four successive steps: warm-up, stretching exercise, contracting exercise, power exercise. As results, all of six subjects showed improvement in the aspect of maximum phonation time, speed quotient if glottal contact, and the number of semitones.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : The complex physiologic structure of the larynx can vibrate in three or more different ways that yield acuostically and perceptually distinct vocal quality. The purpose of this study is to examine the normal range of voice parameters in Multi-Channel Phonatory Function Analyzer and investigate the difference of voice parameters according to the phonatory patterns. Materials and Methods : Forty normal adult speakers (20 men and 20 women) with age ranging from third to forth decades pronounce low, comfortable, and high tone /a/ ; comfortable tone /${\ae}$/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ : fry, falsetto. Voice was analyzed by Newly developed multi-channel phonatory function analyzer. Results : The normal range of voice parameters in this system was similar to the existing data. Fry shows high jitter and falsetto low SQ. Fry and falsetto show low OQ in men but no difference in women. Jitter, OQ and SQ were different between men and women in modal register, whereas there was no gender difference in fry and falsetto. In frequency magnitude spectrum and EGG, modal register, fry and falsetto have distinguishing pattern. Conclusions : Modal register, fry and falsetto are distinguishable in voice parameters and show different vibratory patterns.

• International Journal of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.176-181
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• 2004

This paper introduces a Web site login system that uses user's native voice to improve the bother of remembering the ID and password in order to login the Web site. The DTW method that applies fuzzy inference is used as the speaker recognition algorithm. We get the ACC(Average Cepstrum Coefficient) membership function by each degree, by using the LPC that models the vocal chords, to block the recorded voice that is problem for the speaker recognition. We infer the existence of the recorded voice by setting on the basis of the number of zeros that is the value of the ACC membership function, and on the basis of the average value of the ACC membership function. We experiment the six Web sites for the six subjects and get the result that protects the recorded voice about 98% that is recorded by the digital recorder.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 2003

This study examined the effect of vocal loudness on nasalance measures, under the conditions of three sentence patterns (i.e., Oral sentences, Mixed sentences, Nasal sentences). The vocal loudness level was classified into soft voice (55 dB), medium voice (65 dB) and loud voice (75 dB). The participants in the present study were 30 normal adults (male: female =1:1). Kay's Nasometer 6200 was used to measure nasalance and Sound level meter was used to adjust the loudness level. The results of the present study are as follows. Firstly, the change in vocal loudness is in the following. In the Oral sentence stimuli, the loud voice for both male and female showed the highest nasalance degree, and the medium voice the lowest level. In the Mixed and Nasal sentence stimuli, however, male participants showed the highest degree of nasalance in the soft voice, and the lowest degree in the loud voice, and female showed the highest degree of nasalance in the soft voice and the lowest in the medium voice. Secondly, when each subject's nasalance scores were ranked in a ordered manner, noticeable tendency. Lowest nasalance score occurred in the loud voice and the highest nasalance score was recorded in the soft voice during participants' reading of the Nasal sentences. However, it was hard to find such pattern in the Oral sentences. It is assumed that velopharyngeal function could be related to these findings. Furthermore, the findings associated with vocal loudness may have diagnostic as well as clinical implications.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2015

This study evaluated the effect of the therapeutic methods between vocal function exercise(VFE), which has been used for the patients with presbyphonia in the precedent studies and laryngeal calibration technique($SKLCT^{(R)}$), which is designed by the author. We identified 58 patients who was been diagnosed as presbylaryngis by laryngoscopic examinations. 21 patients were underwent voice therapy using $SKLCT^{(R)}$, 20 patients were taken VFE, and the control group of 17 patients were not taken any voice therapy. All subjects received the therapy, ranging from seven to nine sessions, and were evaluated the voice change on pretherapy and posttherapy. The grade of hoarseness, roughness, and breathiness voice were reduced on perceptual judgments after $SKLCT^{(R)}$, but only grade of hoarseness was reduced after the VFE. Jitter, Shimmer, NHR were reduced and MPT were increased after the $SKLCT^{(R)}$(p<.05), while Jitter and SFF were reduced after the VFE. Frequency and intensity range were increased significantly on the posttest performance after taking voice therapy by the $SKLCT^{(R)}$, on the other hand only intensity range was increased after VFE. Especially, we can find the significant change that glottic gap and supraglottic compressions was reduced in most of patients after the $SKLCT^{(R)}$, but there's no changes in the group of VFE and control group. In the study, we can suggest that the $SKLCT^{(R)}$ may be useful in improving the voice qualities and laryngeal function of presbyphonia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2007

Voice coil actuator is used linear motion system that requires precision positioning control. In order to control precision positioning of voice coil actuator, relation model between duty ratio and moving displacement of voice coil actuator is needed. This paper present a duty ratio - displacement model in PWM control of voice coil actuator. Transfer function of voice coil actuator is obtained by combining voice coil motor's equation of motion with the equation of circuit and characteristic of voice coil motor. Consider to initial condition of velocity and current, transfer function is transformed mathematical model. The induced model can predict output displacement, velocity and current according to duty ratio and amplitude. The model is verified by experimental tests such as velocity and displacement response of voice coil motor. Simulated results have tracking errors of less than 10 percent of experimental results.