HELIUM SPEECH INVESTIGATIONS.

Abstract

The essential steps for correction of helium speech distortions are: providing bandwidth to 10 KHz, providing adequate compensation for loss of vocal output in the 2-8 KHz range, and reducing spectral envelope frequencies (e.g., the formant bands) to normal values while preserving the glottal rate of the talker. A helium speech translator based on these principles has been developed and tested. Both taped stimuli and real-time operation during dives were used for evaluation purposes. Highly successful performance was demonstrated with divers at pressure depths as great as 1000 feet. Objective word intelligibility test results were 88% at 500 feet and 78 at 800 feet, as compared with previously reported intelligibility of 5% for uncorrected helium speech at a depth of 600 feet. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 10, 1969
Accession Number
AD0702119

Entities

People

  • Robert A. Flower

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Bandwidth
  • Compensation
  • Distortion
  • Frequency
  • Intelligibility
  • Speech
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Translators

Readers

  • Speech Processing/Speech Recognition.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Underwater engineering and Marine Technology.