On the matching of top-down knowledge with sensory input in the perception of ambiguous speech

Background

How does the brain repair obliterated speech and cope with acoustically ambivalent situations? A widely discussed possibility is to use top-down information for solving the ambiguity problem. In the case of speech, this may lead to a match of bottom-up sensory input with lexical expectations resulting in resonant states which are reflected in the induced gamma-band activity (GBA).

Methods

In the present EEG study, we compared the subject's pre-attentive GBA responses to obliterated speech segments presented after a series of correct words. The words were a minimal pair in German and differed with respect to the degree of specificity of segmental phonological information.

Results

The induced GBA was larger when the expected lexical information was phonologically fully specified compared to the underspecified condition. Thus, the degree of specificity of phonological information in the mental lexicon correlates with the intensity of the matching process of bottom-up sensory input with lexical information.

Conclusions

These results together with those of a behavioural control experiment support the notion of multi-level mechanisms involved in the repair of deficient speech. The delineated alignment of pre-existing knowledge with sensory input is in accordance with recent ideas about the role of internal forward models in speech perception.

     

Optical processing of one-dimensional signals

Long one-dimensional signals can be processed efficiently by optical methods if they are represented in a two-dimensional version. We show that by choosing an appropriate scanning pattern either new types of operations can be synthesized or classical operations like Fourier transformation or correlation can be implemented for this type of signals. Besides coherent illumination, incoherent light can also be used in order to reduce stability requirements, to increase the signal to noise ratio and to accommodate self-luminous inputs.     

Non-linearity of the interactions between bottom-up and top-down signals in multistable visual perception

Summary Both bottom-up sensory information and top-down influences contribute to the perception processes. We studied the perceptual alternations of a multistable ambiguous pattern. We observed that it is possible to interfere on the process of the perception alternance by means of subliminal visual stimuli, which either contrast or second the previous perception. We investigated also the effect of the top-down volitional factor on the perceptual alternation. By using a combination of such top-down factor and bottom-up stimulation, we ascertained that a non-linear type of interaction occurs between the two above factors. Paper presented at the International Workshop ?Fluctuations in Physics and Biology: Stochastic Resonance, Signal Processing and Related Phenomena?, Elba, 5–10 June 1994.     

Random switching time of semiconductor element with S-type characteristic

A semiconductor device with an S-type characteristic due to dependence of the depth of local levels on the free-carrier concentration is considered. A calculation is made of the mean random-switching time of such a device from the semiconducting to the metallic state due to the random character of the trapping and ejection of carriers from centers.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 143–145, February, 1976.We would like to thank V. L. Bonch-Bruevich for useful discussions.     

一种光学单站姿态处理二义性正确解确定方法

因单站成像的信息欠缺以及成像的对称性,光学单站姿态处理的二义性是普遍性难点问题,针对光学单站姿态处理二义性解问题,以目标主体直线矢量与姿态角对应关系为突破点,以主体直线矢量的物像映射关系为单站姿态处理基础,从处理结果界定局部二义性错误解,然后根据单站姿态求解关键步骤修正二义性解,修正前后处理结果与常规交会处理结果比较效果显著,在文中所述场景下,误差量级至少缩小20%,该方法为光学单站姿态处理获取正确解提供了可靠理论支持。     

Random and localized resistive switching observation in Pt/NiO/Pt

Resistive memory switching devices based on transition metal oxides are now emerging as a candidate for nonvolatile memories. To visualize nano‐sized (10 nm to 30 nm in diameter) conducting filamentary paths in the surface of NiO thin films during repetitive switching, current sensing–atomic force microscopy and ultra‐thin (<5 nm) Pt films as top electrodes were used. Some areas (or spots), which were assumed to be the beginning of the conducting filaments, appeared (formation) and disappeared (rupture) in a localized and random fashion during the switching and are thought to contribute to resistive memory switching. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The processing and perception of size information in speech sounds

There is information in speech sounds about the length of the vocal tract; specifically, as a child grows, the resonators in the vocal tract grow and the formant frequencies of the vowels decrease. It has been hypothesized that the auditory system applies a scale transform to all sounds to segregate size information from resonator shape information, and thereby enhance both size perception and speech recognition [Irino and Patterson, Speech Commun. 36, 181-203 (2002)]. This paper describes size discrimination experiments and vowel recognition experiments designed to provide evidence for an auditory scaling mechanism. Vowels were scaled to represent people with vocal tracts much longer and shorter than normal, and with pitches much higher and lower than normal. The results of the discrimination experiments show that listeners can make fine judgments about the relative size of speakers, and they can do so for vowels scaled well beyond the normal range. Similarly, the recognition experiments show good performance for vowels in the normal range, and for vowels scaled well beyond the normal range of experience. Together, the experiments support the hypothesis that the auditory system automatically normalizes for the size information in communication sounds.     

Auditory-visual speech perception and synchrony detection for speech and nonspeech signals

Previous research has identified a "synchrony window" of several hundred milliseconds over which auditory-visual (AV) asynchronies are not reliably perceived. Individual variability in the size of this AV synchrony window has been linked with variability in AV speech perception measures, but it was not clear whether AV speech perception measures are related to synchrony detection for speech only or for both speech and nonspeech signals. An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between measures of AV speech perception and AV synchrony detection for speech and nonspeech signals. Variability in AV synchrony detection for both speech and nonspeech signals was found to be related to variability in measures of auditory-only (A-only) and AV speech perception, suggesting that temporal processing for both speech and nonspeech signals must be taken into account in explaining variability in A-only and multisensory speech perception.     

Simultaneous polarization separation and switching for 100-Gbps DP-QPSK signals in backbone networks

We propose a novel scheme of simultaneous polarization separation and switching, based on the orthogonallypolarized four-wave mixing(FWM) effect, for ultra-high-speed polarization multiplexing(Pol-MUX) fiber networks such as 100-Gbps and 400-Gbps backbone networks. We use theoretical and experimental analysis of the vector theory of FWM to successfully achieve polarization separation and all-optical switching by utilizing a 100-Gbps dual polarizationquadrature phase shift keying(DP-QPSK) signal and two orthogonally-polarized pumps. Both of the polarization-separated QPSK signals have clear constellation diagrams, with root mean square(RMS) error vector magnitudes(EVMs) of 14.32%and 14.11% respectively. The wavelengths of idlers can be created at 30 different wavelengths, which are consistent with International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication(ITU-T) wavelengths, by flexibly changing the wavelength of the pump light. Moreover, the idlers that have distinct wavelengths have power distributed in a range from-10 dBm to-15 dBm, which can support error-free transmission. The power penaltyis 5 d B lower than that of back-to-back(BTB)signal for both the X-and Y-polarization components measured at a bit error ratio(BER) of 3.8×10~(-3). Our experimental results indicate that this scheme has promising applications in future backbone networks.     

Adaptive processing of signals in antenna arrays using the maximum likelihood method

Using the maximum likelihood method, we derive and analyze the procedures of adaptive processing of signals in antenna arrays when the noise covariance matrix is unknown for case A where the time dependence of a useful signal is known with an accuracy of up to several numerical parameters and case B of completely unknown time dependence of a useful signal. For case A, the problem is shown to have a unique solution which is somewhat different from the standard procedure of processing of signals in adaptive antenna arrays. In case B, the solution is not unique. Additional conditions for choosing the unique solution are formulated. A comparison with the classical method of adaptive processing of signals in antenna arrays is proposed. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 343–354, April 2009.     

A computational model of human auditory signal processing and perception

A model of computational auditory signal-processing and perception that accounts for various aspects of simultaneous and nonsimultaneous masking in human listeners is presented. The model is based on the modulation filterbank model described by Dau et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 102, 2892 (1997)] but includes major changes at the peripheral and more central stages of processing. The model contains outer- and middle-ear transformations, a nonlinear basilar-membrane processing stage, a hair-cell transduction stage, a squaring expansion, an adaptation stage, a 150-Hz lowpass modulation filter, a bandpass modulation filterbank, a constant-variance internal noise, and an optimal detector stage. The model was evaluated in experimental conditions that reflect, to a different degree, effects of compression as well as spectral and temporal resolution in auditory processing. The experiments include intensity discrimination with pure tones and broadband noise, tone-in-noise detection, spectral masking with narrow-band signals and maskers, forward masking with tone signals and tone or noise maskers, and amplitude-modulation detection with narrow- and wideband noise carriers. The model can account for most of the key properties of the data and is more powerful than the original model. The model might be useful as a front end in technical applications.     

Optical carrier Brillouin processing of microwave photonic signals

We introduce a novel concept in Brillouin signal processing based on modification of the optical carrier's magnitude and phase by stimulated Brillouin scattering-induced depletion. The technique offers wideband processing and low noise and requires only low optical power. Application to the enhancement of a 25-km high-frequency analog link is experimentally demonstrated and yields a 6.5-GHz bandwidth extension and a 13-dB reduction in the link insertion loss without intermodulation distortion.     

Two-dimensional optoelectronic devices for future optical switching and information processing

Recent progress is reviewed in surface-normal optoelectronic devices primarily for use in optical switching and information processing. A type of optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC), the surface-normal two-dimensional array, is fabricated using these devices. This improves on first-generation OEICs by featuring large-scale integration in a small area, which results in a higher production yield. It also has structures which can easily be integrated with electronic circuits and can meet multichannel requirements. This approach supports optoelectronic progress towards optical information processing.     

Theoretical limit of the minimal magnetization switching field and the optimal field pulse for Stoner particles

The theoretical limit of the minimal magnetization switching field and the optimal field pulse design for uniaxial Stoner particles are investigated. Two results are obtained. One is the existence of a theoretical limit of the smallest magnetic field out of all possible designs. It is shown that the limit is proportional to the damping constant in the weak damping regime and approaches the Stoner-Wohlfarth (SW) limit at large damping. For a realistic damping constant, this limit is more than 10 times smaller than that of so-called precessional magnetization reversal under a noncollinear static field. The other is on the optimal field pulse design: if the magnitude of a magnetic field does not change, but its direction can vary during a reversal process, there is an optimal design that gives the shortest switching time. The switching time depends on the field magnitude, damping constant, and magnetic anisotropy.     

Principles of obtaining and processing of acoustic signals in linear and nonlinear tomographs

Physical, mathematical, and engineering problems related to creating two fundamentally different types of tomographs (so-called linear and nonlinear tomographs) are considered. The tomographs under development are designed for diagnosing pathological tumors of soft biological tissues at early stages of their growth.