DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

한국어 스펙트럼과 캡스트럼 측정시 안면마스크의 영향: 남녀 성우 2인 사례 연구

Impact of face masks on spectral and cepstral measures of speech: A case study of two Korean voice actors

  • Wonyoung Yang (Division of Architecure, Gwangju University) ;
  • Miji Kwon (Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Gwangju University)
  • 투고 : 2024.04.25
  • 심사 : 2024.06.18
  • 발행 : 2024.07.31

초록

본 연구의 목적은 안면 마스크가 한국어에 미치는 영향을 음향적, 공기역학적, 포먼트 매개변수 측면에서 검증하고자 하였다. 국내에서 판매되는 모든 종류의 마스크를 필터 성능과 접이식 방식을 기준으로 선택하였다. 본 연구에는 표준 한국어를 구사하는 경력 20년 이상의 한국인 전문 성우 2명(남녀)이 음성 데이터의 화자로 참여하였다. 연구 결과, 안면 마스크는 고주파수 범위를 약화시켜 Vowel Space Area(VSA) 및 Vowel Articulation Index(VAI) 점수를 감소시키고 모든 음성 샘플에서 Low-to-High spectral ratio(L/H ratio)을 증가시킨 것으로 나타났다. 이로 인해 음성 명료도가 낮아질 수 있음을 파악하였다. 그러나 음성 특성에 따라 증가 및 감소 정도가 결정되며 여성 화자의 경우 안면 마스크 두께가 증가함에 따라 Speech Level(SL)과 Cepstral Peak Prominence(CPP)가 증가하였다. 그러나 남성 화자의 경우 안면 마스크 두께가 증가함에 따라 이 두 매개변수가 감소하였다. 결론적으로, 본 연구에서는 마스크의 유무나 필터 성능이 음성 특성에 따른 음성 음향 매개변수에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 안면 마스크는 음성 강도가 충분히 강하지 않거나 환경의 반향이 덜할 때 음성 노력에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 마스크 착용시 음향 변형을 극복하기 위해 안면 마스크로 유도된 음성 노력에 대한 추가적인 연구가 수행되어야 함을 시사한다.

This study intended to verify the effects of face masks on the Korean language in terms of acoustic, aerodynamic, and formant parameters. We chose all types of face masks available in Korea based on filter performance and folding type. Two professional voice actors (a male and a female) with more than 20 years of experience who are native Koreans and speak standard Korean participated in this study as speakers of voice data. Face masks attenuated the high-frequency range, resulting in decreased Vowel Space Area (VSA) and Vowel Articulation Index (VAI)scores and an increased Low-to-High spectral ratio (L/H ratio) in all voice samples. This can result in lower speech intelligibility. However, the degree of increment and decrement was based on the voice characteristics. For female speakers, the Speech Level (SL) and Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) increased with increasing face mask thickness. In this study, the presence or filter performance of a face mask was found to affect speech acoustic parameters according to the speech characteristics. Face masks provoked vocal effort when the vocal intensity was not sufficiently strong, or the environment had less reverberance. Further research needs to be conducted on the vocal efforts induced by face masks to overcome acoustic modifications when wearing masks.

키워드

과제정보

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of two voice actors who participated in our experiments. This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation(NRF)[grant no. 2018R1D1A1B07048157] funded by the Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea. This study was also supported by research funds provided by Gwangju University in 2024.

참고문헌

  1. M. Kwon and W. Yang, "Mask-wearing behaviors after two years of wearing masks due to COVID-19 in Korea: a cross-sectional study," Int J. Environ Res Public Health, Sw. 19, 14940 (2022).
  2. T. Hampton, R. Crunkhorn, N. Lowe, J. Bhat, E. Hogg, W. Afifi, M. Krishnan, I. Street, S. De, R. Sharma, R. Clarke, S. Ratnayake, S. Dasgupta, and S. Sharma. "Speech discrimination challenges of healthcare professionals whilst wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic," J. Authorea. (2020).
  3. R. M. Corey, U. Jones, and A. C. Singer, "Acoustic effects of medical, cloth, and transparent face masks on speech signals," J. Acoust Soc, Am. 148, 2371-2375 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0002279
  4. J. Jeong, M. Kim, and Y. Kim, "Changes on speech transmission characteristics by types of mask" (in Korean), J. Audiol Speech Res. Kr. 16, 295-304 (2020). https://doi.org/10.21848/asr.200053
  5. T. Rahne, L. Frohlich, S. Plontke, and L. Wagner, "Influence of surgical and N95 face masks on speech perception and listening effort in noise," J. PloS one, 16, e0253874 (2021).
  6. J. C. Toscano and C. M. Toscano, "Effects of face masks on speech recognition in multi-talker babble noise," J. PloS one, 16, e0246842 (2021).
  7. M. Magee, C. Lewis, G. Noffs, H. Reece, Jess. C. S. Chan, C. J. Zaga, C. Paynter, O. Birchall, S. R. Azocar, A. Ediriweera, K. Kenyon, M. W. Caverle, B. G. Schultz, and A. P. Vogel, "Effects of face masks on acoustic analysis and speech perception: Implications for peri-pandemic protocols," J. Acoust Soc. Am. 148, 3562-3568 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0002873
  8. T. Zhang, M. He, B. Li, C. Zhang, and J. Hu, "Acoustic characteristics of cantonese speech through protective facial coverings," J. Voice, 22, 00269-7 (2022).
  9. M. L. Fiorella, G. Cavallaro, V. D. Nicola, and N. Quaranta, "Voice differences when wearing and not wearing a surgical mask," J. Voice, 37, 467.e1-467.e7 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.01.026
  10. A.Joshi,T. Procter, andP. A. Kulesz, "COVID-19: acoustic measures of voice in individuals wearing different facemasks," J. Voice, 37, 971.e1-971.e8 (2021).
  11. V. S. McKenna, T. H. Patel, C. L. Kendall, R. J. Howell, and R. L. Gustin, "Voice acoustics and vocal effort in mask-wearing healthcare professionals: A comparison pre-and post-workday," J. Voice, 37, 802.e15-802.e23 (2021).
  12. E. K. Gojayev, Z. C. Buyukatalay, T. Akyuz, M. Rehan, and G. Dursun, "The effect of masks and respirators on acoustic voice analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic," J. Voice, 38, 798.e1-798.e6 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.11.014
  13. Y. Lin, L. Cheng, Q. Wang, and W. Xu, "Effects of medical masks on voice assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic," J. Voice, 37, 802.e25-802.e29 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.04.028
  14. D. D. Nguyen, P. McCabe, D. Thomas, A. Purcell, M. Doble, D. Novakovic, A. Chacon, and C. Madill, "Acoustic voice characteristics with and without wearing a facemask," Scientific Rep., 2021.
  15. V. S. McKenna, C. L. Kendall, T. H. Patel, R. J. Howell, and R. L. Gustin, "Impact of face masks on speech acoustics and vocal effort in healthcare professionals," J. Laryngoscope, 132, 391-397 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.29763
  16. F. Cala, C. Manfredi, L. Battilocchi, L. Frassineti, and G. Cantarella, "Speaking with mask in the COVID-19 era: Multiclass machine learning classification of acoustic and perceptual parameters," J. Acoust Soc. Am. 153, 1204-1218 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0017244
  17. P. Geng, Q. Lu, H. Guo, and J. Zeng, "The effects of face mask on speech production and itsimplication for forensic speaker identification-A cross-linguistic study," J. PloS one, 18, e0283724 (2023).
  18. USFDA. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/face-masks-barrier-face-coverings-surgical-masks-and-respirators-covid-19, (Last viewed November 8, 2023).
  19. L. Ma and M.-S. Kim, "A study of the purchasing tendency of healthcare masks based on the user-centered design concept-centered on the form and color of the mask" (in Korean), J. Korea Convergence Society, Kr. 11, 143-154 (2022).
  20. M.-C. Kim, S. M. Bae, J. Y. Kim, S. Y. Park, J. S. Lim, M. K. Sung, and S. H. Kim, "Effectiveness of surgical, KF94, and N95 respirator masks in blocking SARS-CoV-2: a controlled comparison in 7 patients," J. Infect Dis. Lond. 52, 908-912 (2022).
  21. S. J. Doo, S. W. Oh, P. Brandstatt, and H. V. Fuchs, "Anechoic chamber design using broadband compact absorber" (in Korean), Proc. Trans. Korean Soc. Noise Vib. Eng. 393-396 (2003).
  22. W. Han and J. Bahng, "A review of development and standardization on Korean speech audiometry," J. Audiology, 9, 113-126 (2013).
  23. ISO, https://www.iso.org/standard/74049.html, (Last viewed 01, 2022).
  24. S. N. Awan, N. Roy, M. E. Jette, G. S. Meltzner, and R. E. Hillman, "Quantifying dysphonia severity using a spectral/cepstral-based acoustic index: Comparisons with auditory-perceptual judgements from the CAPE-V," J. Clin Linguist Phon, 24, 742-758 (2010). https://doi.org/10.3109/02699206.2010.492446
  25. S. Y. Lowell, R. H. Colton, R. T. Kelley, and S. A. Mizia, "Predictive value and discriminant capacity of cepstral-and spectral-based measures during continuous speech," J. Voice, 27, 393-400 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2013.02.005
  26. V. S. McKenna and C. E. Stepp, "The relationship between acoustical and perceptual measures of vocal effort," J. Acoust Soc, Am. 144, 1643-1658 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5055234
  27. E. S. H. Murray, A. Chao, and L. Colletti, "A practical guide to calculating cepstral peak prominence in Praat," J. Voice. published online (2022).
  28. S. N. Awan, A. Giovinco, and J. Owens, "Effects of vocal intensity and vowel type on cepstral analysis of voice," J. Voice, 26, 670.e15-670.e20 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2011.12.001
  29. M. Brockmann-Bauser, J. E. Bohlender, and D. D. Mehta, "Acoustic perturbation measures improve with increasing vocal intensity in individuals with and without voice disorders," J. Voice, 32, 162-168. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2017.04.008
  30. P. Bottalico, "Speech adjustments for room acoustics and their effects on vocal effort," J. Voice, 31, 392.e1-e12 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.07.024
  31. P. Bottalico, A. Astolfi, and E. J. Hunter, "Teachers' voicing and silence periods during continuous speech in classrooms with different reverberation times," J. Acoust Soc. Am. 141, EL26-EL31 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4973312