Acoustic analysis of the singing and speaking voice in singing students

The singing power ratio (SPR) is an objective means of quantifying the singer's formant. SPR has been shown to differentiate trained singers from nonsingers and sung from spoken tones. This study was designed to evaluate SPR and acoustic parameters in singing students to determine if the singer-intraining has an identifiable difference between sung and spoken voices. Digital audio recordings were made of both sung and spoken vowel sounds in 55 singing students for acoustic analysis. SPR values were not significantly different between the sung and spoken samples. Shimmer and noise-to-harmonic ratio were significantly higher in spoken samples. SPR analysis may provide an objective tool for monitoring the student's progress.     

The Performance of the Time-Frequency Analysis Software (TF32) in the Acoustic Analysis of the Synthesized Pathological Voice

The purpose of this study was to examine the algorithm-measuring capabilities used in the Time-Frequency Analysis Software Program for 32-bit Windows (TF32) for measuring fundamental frequency (F0), its dependent measures, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The stability, accuracy, and linearity of its algorithm to systematic changes in aspiration noise and/or spectral slope (to mimic the perceptual characteristics of breathiness, roughness, and hoarseness) were evaluated using its analysis output to five female and five male synthesized voices. TF32 was used to calculate F0, Jitter%, Shimmer%, and SNR for each of the synthesized signals. The findings indicate that although TF32 produced stable results for male synthesized samples, they were not accurate when measuring F0, Jitter%, and Shimmer% with the addition of noise and variations in open quotient independently and in combination. In contrast, TF32 was neither stable nor accurate in making the same measurements for female synthesized samples. However, TF32 was stable and accurate in measuring SNR for male and most of female voices. These results point to an inappropriate F0 extraction algorithm in TF32 and stress the need for further research to remediate the algorithm or to identify a superior one.     

Analysis and simulation of the effect of spectral width over intensity noise under the impact of higher-order dispersion parameters in the optical communication systems

In this paper, we analyzed the effect of spectral width of different light sources under the individual and combined impact of first- and second-order dispersion parameters both analytically and graphically. This work also covers the amount of intensity noise introduced in an optical system and the power penalty required to compensate this intensity noise at different optical distances. It has been also investigated that reducing the spectral width can minimize the intensity noise and the power penalty under the individual and the combine impact of higher- order dispersion parameters. An experimental set up is also analyzed to support our results.     

The use of ultrasound-stimulated acoustic emission in the monitoring of modulus changes with temperature

It has been previously shown that the amplitude of the ultrasound-stimulated acoustic emission (USAE) signal is sensitive to tissue temperature and, therefore, can help detect it. Its amplitude, however, is sensitive to both acoustical and mechanical parameters, that at most frequencies have opposite effects due to temperature. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of using a frequency shift of the resonant peaks of the USAE signal for monitoring the tissue stiffness variation with temperature. In a numerical simulation, the variation of the frequency shift at different temperatures is shown. Then, in a series of experiments involving a gel phantom and porcine muscle tissue, the frequency shift variation is shown to follow the known stiffness changes due to temperature. It is also shown that this shift indicates reversible changes as well as the onset of thermal coagulative necrosis. The necrosis is marked by a monotonically increasing positive frequency shift. It was thus shown that the USAE spectrum peaks undergo a negative shift (or, downshift) when the stiffness decreases and a positive shift (or, upshift) when the stiffness increases. The experimental frequency shifted around a peak at 22.1-22.5 kHz within a range of -250 to 80 Hz and -200 to 250 Hz for the gel and muscle tissue for the temperatures of 25-70 and 30-70 degrees C, respectively. Simulation and ex vivo experimental results indicate that the USAE frequency shift method can help decouple the mechanical from the acoustical parameter dependence as well as detect the onset of thermal coagulative necrosis.     

Measurements of O2-broadening and -shifting parameters of water vapor spectral lines in the second hexad region

Oxygen pressure induced broadening and shifting coefficients for water vapor absorption lines in the 8600–9010 cm⁻¹ region have been measured and calculated. The spectra were recorded with a Bruker IFS 125HR spectrometer at a spectral resolution of 0.01 cm⁻¹ for lines with angular moment of the upper states up to 10. Calculations of line broadening and shifting coefficients are performed using a semi-empirical approach. The method is based on the impact theory of broadening, and includes the correction factors whose parameters can be determined by fitting the broadening or shifting coefficients to the experimental data. The comparison of our calculations with the experimental values argues that the semi-empirical method is quite acceptable for the determination of the water vapor absorption line profile parameters.     

Sensitivity of atmospheric-surface parameters retrieval to the spectral stability of channels in thermal IR

Sensitivity of the solutions of forward and inverse problems of the atmospheric-surface parameters retrieval to spectral shifts of channels is considered. The solution of the forward problem is obtained by radiative transfer simulation. The retrieval (solution of the inverse problem) is obtained by linear (optimal interpolation) and non-linear (variational) techniques. It is shown that atmospheric temperature profiles exhibit high sensitivity to the spectral shift, while the humidity profiles are moderately sensitive while the sea surface temperatures retrievals are insensitive. Two approaches are proposed to reduce the effect of channel spectral shift, one is based on channel selection and the other approach is related to proper calibration of the cost function. We performed the numerical simulations using the parameters of AIRS spectrometer to illustrate the sensitivity of forward and inverse problems. The results of the simulation show that the inversion error can be significantly reduced by the proposed techniques.     

Predicted and experimental results of acoustic parameters in the new Symphony Hall in Pamplona, Spain

Two room acoustical simulation software have been used to predict the main acoustic parameters of a Symphony Hall in the planning stage, when only drawings were available. The modelled room is the Symphony Hall of the Conference Hall of Navarre, in Pamplona, Spain. Although the values of the calculation parameters (number of rays, reflection order, etc.) recommended by each software are slightly different, in this work the same values were used for both programs. Once the Hall was built, experimental results were obtained using the MLS-measurement technique. The values predicted and measured for several parameters defined in ISO 3382 at 9 receiver positions are compared. Even though the values predicted by both software are very similar for most of the acoustic parameters, there are notable differences at particular values, mainly when evaluating energy ratios. Different statistical corrections for late reflections between both programs seem to be the main reason for these differences. A more exhaustive knowledge of scattering coefficients is required to improve predictive accuracy. Important differences at 250 Hz frequency band were found between calculated and measured values probably due to the yet to be implemented seat dip effect in room simulation software. The comparison of calculated and measured impulse responses seems to be the first choice for the assessment of room simulation software. However, it should be kept in mind that its usability is also determined by many additional features. This work is not only a comparison of software dealing with the same object as well as equal input data but also shows the power of this kind of tool to predict the acoustic parameters of a room before its construction.     

Determination of the best carrier frequency based on the system and environmental parameters in underwater acoustic systems

One of the most challenging features of underwater acoustic (UWA) channel in comparison with its terrestrial radio frequency counterpart is highly frequency-dependent path loss. Thus, utilizing efficient carrier frequencies in UWA systems can considerably reduce the path loss. In this context, this paper presents an approximate formula for determining the best carrier frequency based on both the system and environmental parameters. To achieve this goal, this research first addresses a simple algorithm including general steps for tuning the parameters of Francois and Garrison (FG) formula in the frequency range of 10 to 100 kHz based on the appropriate experimental data which can be acquired from any interest region. Second, for a more accurate modeling of path loss, this paper considers the loss due to the reflections of sound from both the rough surface and bottom of the sea by employing the ray theory. Third, this study presents a general algorithm for modification of the power spectral density (PSD) of ambient noise based on Wenz formula in the frequency range of 10 to 100 kHz and the required experimental measurements which can be simply collected from any interest channel. Moreover, it is mathematically demonstrated that the ambient noise in the frequency range of 10 to 100 kHz, can be generally approximated with a strict sense stationary (SSS) colored normal stochastic process which is ergodic not only in mean and covariance but also in distribution. Finally, an approximate formula for the best carrier frequency is derived by maximizing the sound to noise intensity ratio (SNR). To verify the validity of simplifications and approximations utilized in this study and to assess the performance of our proposed algorithms and formulas, experimental results obtained in the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) are compared with the original, simplified, and modified models under different scenarios.     

超声波作用下声学参数对悬浮液中微粒凝聚的影响

对利用超声波去除或分离悬液中微小颗粒过程中频率和时均声能密度等声学参数对微粒凝聚的影响作了分析研究。利用前人的数学模型对不同声对比因数下悬浮液中微粒达到平衡状态时所需要的时间及凝聚位置进行了计算。在水模型实验,实验中所施加超声波的频率为24.1kHz,微粒的粒径为0-60um、密度940kg/m^3的高密度聚乙烯,实验液为脱气软化水,实验结果与部分理论分析结果是一致的。     

Thermo acoustic parameters in the nematic and isotropic phases of 5CB and tetraethyl methane in 5CB

The addition of non-rod like solute impurity to a liquid crystalline solvent leads to some exciting results such as depression of nematic–isotropic transition temperature and the formation of two-phase region. In view of this, specific volume and thermal expansion studies in the nematic and isotropic phases of p-n-pentyl-p¹-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) and dilute solution of the quasispherical solute tetraethyl methane were considered. From these results thermo acoustic parameters such as isochoric temperature coefficient of internal pressure (X), isochoric volume expansivity (X¹), the reduced compressibility (β), the reduced volume (V), isothermal microscopic Gruneisen parameter (Γ), Huggins parameter (F), fractional free volume (f) and Sharma parameter (S_o) are estimated both in nematic and isotropic regions. Using the data given by Oweimreen et al. [G.A. Oweimren, A.K. Shihab, K. Halhouli, S.F. Sikander, Mol. Cryst. Liq.Cryst. 138 (1986) 327] variations of these thermo acoustic parameters with temperature and two phase region are critically examined.     

混凝土材料声发射信号的频率特征及其与强度参量的相关性试验研究

混凝土材料声发射信号频率特征与强度指标的关系是混凝土材料声发射检测技术的重要基础。通过实验,对声发射信号频率特征与混凝土强度指标的相关关系进行了探讨。研究结果表明,在较低的应力水平上,不同强度等级混凝土声发射信号大都是低频信号。而在较高应力水平时,随着强度等级的增加,声发射信号的优势频率则逐渐升高。     

Effect of microcosmic optical parameters of dopants on the signal-to-noise ratio in doubly doped LiNbO3 crystals

We propose a united theory that describes the two-center recording system by taking scattering noise into account. The temporal evolution of the signal-to-noise ratio in doubly doped photorefractive crystals is described based on jointly solving material equations and coupled-wave equations with the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. Roles of microcosmic optical parameters of dopants on the signal-to-noise ratio are discussed in detail. The theoretical results can confirm and predict experimental results.     

The importance of the series resistance in calculating the characteristic parameters of the Schottky contacts

Cd/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with and without the native oxide layer have been fabricated to determine the importance of the fact that the series resistance value is considered in calculating the interface state density distribution (ISDD) from the forward bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the Cd/p-Si SBDs. The statistical analysis yielded mean values of 0.71 ± 0.02 eV and 1.24 ± 0.12 for the BH and ideality factor of the Cd/p-Si SBDs (15 dots) without the native oxide layer (MS), respectively, and mean values of 0.79 ± 0.02 eV and 1.36 ± 0.06 eV for the Cd/p-Si SBDs (28 dots) with the native oxide layer (metal-insulating layer-semiconductor (MIS)). The interface state density (Nss) distributions of the devices were calculated taking into account their series resistance values. At the same energy position near the top of the valence band, the interface state density values without taking into account the series resistance value of the devices are almost one order of magnitude larger than Nss obtained taking into account series resistance value.