Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

VOICE LEVELS IN SIMULATED ROOM ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENTS. SEX AND AGE DIFFERENCES

Wistbacka, Greta Öhlund ; Heuchel, Franz M. ; Ahlander, Viveka Lyberg LU ; Sahlén, Birgitta LU ; Rydell, Roland LU ; Mårtensson, Johan LU and Brunskog, Jonas (2023) 10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, EAA 2023 In Proceedings of Forum Acusticum
Abstract

Vocal problems are common among workers in voice demanding occupations. For sustaining vocal health, it is important to find efficient ways to reduce strain on the voice at work. One way to do so is optimizing the room acoustics for communication. However, we do not know enough about what kind of room acoustic conditions that support voice and speech most efficiently, and if talkers of different ages and sex have different room acoustic needs. The purpose of this project was to investigate how different acoustic environments affect voice and speech in men and women aged 20-72 (N = 80). An experimental set-up was developed for acoustic and visual simulation of different room conditions, using real-time auralization of a speaker's own... (More)

Vocal problems are common among workers in voice demanding occupations. For sustaining vocal health, it is important to find efficient ways to reduce strain on the voice at work. One way to do so is optimizing the room acoustics for communication. However, we do not know enough about what kind of room acoustic conditions that support voice and speech most efficiently, and if talkers of different ages and sex have different room acoustic needs. The purpose of this project was to investigate how different acoustic environments affect voice and speech in men and women aged 20-72 (N = 80). An experimental set-up was developed for acoustic and visual simulation of different room conditions, using real-time auralization of a speaker's own voice in a 64-loudspeaker array in an anechoic room combined with virtual reality. Room conditions varied in room size, reverberation time and the speaker-oriented room acoustic parameters voice support and room gain. Preliminary results show that men adapt their voice levels more to changes in acoustic conditions compared to women. No effect of age was identified. These results show that male and female talkers respond differently to room acoustic conditions, which suggest that they might not benefit equally from room acoustic improvements.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Room acoustics, Vocal comfort, Voice support, Voice use
host publication
Forum Acusticum 2023 - 10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, EAA 2023
series title
Proceedings of Forum Acusticum
publisher
European Acoustics Association, EAA
conference name
10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, EAA 2023
conference location
Torino, Italy
conference dates
2023-09-11 - 2023-09-15
external identifiers
  • scopus:85191259155
ISSN
2221-3767
ISBN
9788888942674
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
91b501a1-428e-4585-966e-d5546cf13579
date added to LUP
2024-05-14 12:51:35
date last changed
2024-05-14 14:35:52
@inproceedings{91b501a1-428e-4585-966e-d5546cf13579,
  abstract     = {{<p>Vocal problems are common among workers in voice demanding occupations. For sustaining vocal health, it is important to find efficient ways to reduce strain on the voice at work. One way to do so is optimizing the room acoustics for communication. However, we do not know enough about what kind of room acoustic conditions that support voice and speech most efficiently, and if talkers of different ages and sex have different room acoustic needs. The purpose of this project was to investigate how different acoustic environments affect voice and speech in men and women aged 20-72 (N = 80). An experimental set-up was developed for acoustic and visual simulation of different room conditions, using real-time auralization of a speaker's own voice in a 64-loudspeaker array in an anechoic room combined with virtual reality. Room conditions varied in room size, reverberation time and the speaker-oriented room acoustic parameters voice support and room gain. Preliminary results show that men adapt their voice levels more to changes in acoustic conditions compared to women. No effect of age was identified. These results show that male and female talkers respond differently to room acoustic conditions, which suggest that they might not benefit equally from room acoustic improvements.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wistbacka, Greta Öhlund and Heuchel, Franz M. and Ahlander, Viveka Lyberg and Sahlén, Birgitta and Rydell, Roland and Mårtensson, Johan and Brunskog, Jonas}},
  booktitle    = {{Forum Acusticum 2023 - 10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, EAA 2023}},
  isbn         = {{9788888942674}},
  issn         = {{2221-3767}},
  keywords     = {{Room acoustics; Vocal comfort; Voice support; Voice use}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{European Acoustics Association, EAA}},
  series       = {{Proceedings of Forum Acusticum}},
  title        = {{VOICE LEVELS IN SIMULATED ROOM ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENTS. SEX AND AGE DIFFERENCES}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}