GB2132089A - A device for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing - Google Patents

Abstract

A device is provided for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing for improving speech fluency, including a transducer (1), e.g. a microphone, for picking up the user vocal production, a low-pass filter (2) for receiving an output signal from the transducer (1) and operative to cut out frequencies corresponding to general stammering noise other than voicing, a detector (3) for receiving an output signal from the low-pass filter (2) and operative to detect continuous voicing and discontinuous voicing, indicator means (4) operable by the detector (3) to indicate continuous voicing or discontinuous voicing and variable time constant means (5) connected to the detector (3) and indicator means (4) and operable to vary the period of non-voicing necessary for the indicator means (4) to indicate discontinuous voicing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for indicating continuous or dis-continuous voicing This invention relates to a device for indicating continuous or dis-continuous voicing for improving speech fluency particularly but not exclusively for use in assisting people who suffer from the speech problem of stammering to overcome their problem.

People who stammer often are able to sing without any occurrence of stammering. Because of this speech therapists often attempt to overcome the problem of stammering by training a stammerer to speak with continuous voicing. In some instances a stammerers' voice patterns have been portrayed visually on an oscilloscope screen and surprisingly this has proved of benefitto a stammerer watching the oscilloscope screen. The reason for this is not known but it is thought that by concentrating on the visual voice pattern on the oscilloscope screen a stammerer is able sub-consciously to overcome the speech blockage problem.

As access to an oscilloscope is not possible for all people who suffer from the speech problem of stammering there is a need for a device for improving speech fluency in stammerers which can be made portable and relatively cheaply and thus more readily available to the majority of people who suffer from stammering.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing for improving speech fluency, including a transducer for picking up the user vocal production, a low-pass filter for receiving an output signal from the transducer and operative to cut out frequencies corresponding to general stammering noise other than voicing, a detector for receiving an output signal from the low-pass filter and operative to detect continuous voicing and discontinuous voicing, indicator means operable by the detector to indicate continuous voicing or discontinuous voicing and variable time constant means connected to the detector and indicator means and operable to vary the period of non-voicing necessary for the indicator means to indicate discontinuous voicing.

Conveniently the transducer is a microphone.

Advantageously the low-pass filter is electronic or mechanical. Preferably the low-pass filter is electronic using OP amplifiers or switched capacitors.

Conveniently the detector and variable time constant means utilize conventional diode-capacitorresistor circuitry. Advantageously the variable time constant means is pre-set or externally adjustable manually.

The indicator means may be visual including one or more indicator lamps, tactile employing a vibration transducer to be coupled to a users' skin, or mechanical, or electracoustic.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying single figure drawing which shows in schemmaticform a circuit diagram of one embodiment of a device according to the present invention for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing.

A device for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing according to the present invention basically includes a transducer 1, a low-pass filter 2, a detector 3, indicator means 4 and variable time constant means 5. The transducer 1 preferably is a microphone advantageously built in to a housing for the device or alternatively attachable to the clothing of a user such as by being clipped to a lapel or to a tie. Alternatively the transducer 1 can be a throat microphone, a vibration pick-up or an electrical potential contact pick-up, attachable for example, to the collar of a shirt of the user or locatable on a band of fabric attachable around the neck of a user in a manner so as to be located adjacent the vocal cords of the user for picking up vibration therefrom when the vocal cords are in use.The transducer 1 thus picks up a user's vocal production and feeds an output signal to the low-pass filter 2 preferably via a pre-amp 6 of any convenient form. The low-pass filter 2 as illustrated employs conventional circuitry with OP amps in series. Alternatively the low-pass filter can take any other desired form and can be, for example, a switched capacitor filter or even a mechanical filter. Whatever the form of the low-pass filter 2 it is operative to receive an output signal from the transducer 1 or the pre amp 6 and cut out frequencies corresponding to general stammering noise other than voicing. For example a preferred filter 2 would have a cut off frequency of 1 KHZ.

The low-pass filter 2 is operative to feed an output signal to the detector 3, conveniently via a set-level 7 as illustrated. The detector 3 is operative to detect continuous voicing and discontinuous voicing and feed an output signal to the variable time constant means 5. Conveniently, as illustrated, the detector 3 and variable time constant means 5 employ conventional diode-capacitor-resistance circuitry. The detector 3 feeds a signal via the variable time constant means 5 to the indicator means 4 so that the latter indicates visually, mechanically or by sense of touch, continuous voicing or discontinuous voicing of the user. As illustrated the indicator means may be visual employing, for example, two light emitting diodes (LED) of different colours such as red to show non-voicing and thus discontinuous voicing and a green to show continuous voicing.Thus when the subject is voicing continuously the green LED will be on and when the discontinous voicing or nonvoicing occurs for long enough to be detected by the detector 3 as set by the variable time constant means 5, the green LED will go off and the red LED will switch on indicating visually to the userthat he no longer is continuously voicing. The variable time constant of the variable time constant means 5 can be preset with an internal adjustment such as by a screwdriver or can be adjustable externally if desired, to vary the period of non-voicing necessary for the indicator means 4 to be triggered to indicate discontinuous voicing.

An alternative visual display could be provided by projecting the visual indicator means LED's on to the lens of a pair of spectacles. Instead of a visual indictor means a tactile indicator means can be provided which may be an oscillator driving a vibration-transducer attachable to the skin of the user and operable so that a signal, of a frequency selected to correspond to optimum skin sensitivity, can be applied to the skin of the user and its duration control led by the detector 3 and variable time constant means 5.

Thus in operation the device of the invention is operative as an aid to speech fluency. The transducer 1 is attached to or placed in close proximity to a user and the variable time constant means set to a time delay appropriate to the user's present voicing performance. The indication means shows the user that he is producing continuous voicing and acts as an aid to concentration and thus helps to remove the mental block on speech. A stammering noise has no effect on the device provided that the user is continuously voicing. By suitable selection of the variable time constant the period of non voicing necessary to indicate visually, discontinuous voicing may be selected to aid the user in the best possible way.For example for a user with serious speech problems the time constant may initially be chosen to be relatively long so that even quite long periods of nonvoicing do not switch the indication means from a continuous voicing to a discontinuous voicing mode. This can be of considerable physcological benefit to the user and to his performance. When the users' performance has improved then the variable time constant can be reduced commensurate with the degree of improvement in speech and in continuous voicing. Thus the device provides a visual "feedback" to the user to assist in the maintenance of continuous voicing. As the time constant is adjustable a speech therapist can pre-set the device according to the users' degree of speech disability and can control the rate of production of speech sounds accordingly.

The device may be powered in any convenient manner from a source of electric power preferably provided by a dry battery or rechargeable cells locatable in the casing of housing of the device.

CLAIMS (Filed on 16/12/83) 1. A device for indicating continuous or discontinous voicing for improving speech fluency, including a transducer for picking up the user vocal production, a low-pass filter for receiving an output signal from the transducer and operative to cut out frequencies corresponding to general stammering noise other than voicing, a detector for receiving an output signal from the lowpass filter and operative to detect continuous voicing and discontinuous voicing, indicator means operable by the detector to indicate continuous voicing or discontinuous voicing and variable time constant means connected to the detector and indicator means and operable to vary the period of non-voicing necessary for the indicator means to indicate discontinuous voicing.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is a microphone.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the low-pass filter is electronic or mechanical.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the low-pass filter is electronic using OP amplifiers or switched capacitors.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the detector and variable time constant means utilize diode-capacitor-resistor circuitry.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the variable time constant means is pre-set or externally adjustable manually.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the indicator means is visual including one or more indicator lamps, or tactile employing a vibration transducerto be coupled to a users' skin, or mechanical, or electracoustic.

8. A device for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. provided which may be an oscillator driving a vibration-transducer attachable to the skin of the user and operable so that a signal, of a frequency selected to correspond to optimum skin sensitivity, can be applied to the skin of the user and its duration control led by the detector 3 and variable time constant means 5. Thus in operation the device of the invention is operative as an aid to speech fluency. The transducer 1 is attached to or placed in close proximity to a user and the variable time constant means set to a time delay appropriate to the user's present voicing performance. The indication means shows the user that he is producing continuous voicing and acts as an aid to concentration and thus helps to remove the mental block on speech. A stammering noise has no effect on the device provided that the user is continuously voicing. By suitable selection of the variable time constant the period of non voicing necessary to indicate visually, discontinuous voicing may be selected to aid the user in the best possible way.For example for a user with serious speech problems the time constant may initially be chosen to be relatively long so that even quite long periods of nonvoicing do not switch the indication means from a continuous voicing to a discontinuous voicing mode. This can be of considerable physcological benefit to the user and to his performance. When the users' performance has improved then the variable time constant can be reduced commensurate with the degree of improvement in speech and in continuous voicing. Thus the device provides a visual "feedback" to the user to assist in the maintenance of continuous voicing. As the time constant is adjustable a speech therapist can pre-set the device according to the users' degree of speech disability and can control the rate of production of speech sounds accordingly. The device may be powered in any convenient manner from a source of electric power preferably provided by a dry battery or rechargeable cells locatable in the casing of housing of the device. CLAIMS (Filed on 16/12/83)

1. A device for indicating continuous or discontinous voicing for improving speech fluency, including a transducer for picking up the user vocal production, a low-pass filter for receiving an output signal from the transducer and operative to cut out frequencies corresponding to general stammering noise other than voicing, a detector for receiving an output signal from the lowpass filter and operative to detect continuous voicing and discontinuous voicing, indicator means operable by the detector to indicate continuous voicing or discontinuous voicing and variable time constant means connected to the detector and indicator means and operable to vary the period of non-voicing necessary for the indicator means to indicate discontinuous voicing.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is a microphone.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the low-pass filter is electronic or mechanical.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the low-pass filter is electronic using OP amplifiers or switched capacitors.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the detector and variable time constant means utilize diode-capacitor-resistor circuitry.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the variable time constant means is pre-set or externally adjustable manually.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the indicator means is visual including one or more indicator lamps, or tactile employing a vibration transducerto be coupled to a users' skin, or mechanical, or electracoustic.

8. A device for indicating continuous or discontinuous voicing, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.