• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.343-349
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• 2004

Electroglottograph(EGG) is a signal recorded from the vocal cord vibration by measuring electrical impedance across the vocal folds through the neck skin. The purpose of this study was to develop EGG system and to evaluate possibility for the application on speech analysis and laryngeal disease diagnosis. EGG system was composed of two pairs of ring electrodes, tuned amplifier, phase sensitive detector, low pass filter, and auto-gain controller. It was designed to extract electric impedance after detecting by amplitude modulation method with 2.7MHz carrier signal. Extracted signals were transmitted through line-in of PC sound card, sampled and quantized. Closed Quotient(CQ), Speed Quotient(SQ), Speed Index(SI), fundamental frequency of vocal cord vibration(F0), pitch variability of vocal fold vibration (Jitter), and peak-to-peak amplitude variability of vocal fold vibration(Shimmer) were analyzed as EGG parameters. Experimental results were as follows: the faster vocal fold vibration, the higher values in CQ parameter and the lower values in SQ and SI parameters. EGG and speech signals had the same fundamental frequency. CQ, SQ, and SI were significantly different between normal subjects and patients with laryngeal cancer. These results suggest that it is possible to implement portable EGG system to monitor the function of vocal cord and to test functional changes of the glottis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.98-111
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• 2004

Background and Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the difference of Fundamental Frequency(Hz), Closed Quotient(Qx ; %), Intensity(dB), Vocal tract length and width(cm), formant frequency(Hz), level of formant frequency(dB) depending on the larynx position. Materials and Methods : One professional male singer(career : 28 years) produced sustained vowel /a/,/e/,/i/,/o/,/u/ in two larynx position (higher, lower) with Dr. Speech and video fluoroscopy was used to quantify the vocal tract morphology. Results : In lower larynx position, CQ is increased 9.8% and Intensity is increased about 10% and level of Formant Frequency is increased. And also Vocal tract length is longer 2.4cm, Vocal tract width(Anterior width : 0.4cm, lateral width : 0.2cm) is wider than in higher larynx position. Conclusions : Singer's formant has a prominent spectrum envelope peak near 2400-2600Hz by clustering of F3, F4 and F5 near 3400Hz in lower larynx position.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.23-33
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• 2007

This study examined the aerodynamic functions (mean airflow rate MFR, subglottal pressure Psub) and closed quotients (CQs) in the fixed pitch (C3, E3, G3, C4) with the variable loudness (70 and 80 dB) as well as in the fixed loudness at 70 dB and 80 dB with the variable pitch (C3, E3, G3, C4) in five classic male singers (Baritone). Results showed that MFR significantly increased at C3, E3, and G3 and Psub significantly increased at C4 when the loudness increased from 70 to 80 dB. At 70 dB, MFR and Psub significantly increased and CQ significantly decreased when the pitch increased from C3 to C4. At 80 dB, MFR significantly decreased when the pitch increased from C3 to G3. However, Psub showed the significant decrease with the pitch increased at 80 dB. In conclusion, as the loudness increases, the aerodynamic loss is getting higher and vocal efficiency becomes lower at low pitch than at higher pitch. At a low loudness level, the main mechanism to control loudness is the amount of medial compression of the vocal folds rather than the aerodynamic function. In addition, the aerodynamic function and medial compression of the vocal folds have a significant role in increasing the loudness level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.151-154
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : The pitch range of the human voice is variable, extending from chest register to falsetto register. Although numerous studies have investigated after laryngeal mechanism description of falsetto tone, systematic and objective studies were lack. The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze and compare modal with falsetto voice. Materials and Methods : Seven adult baritones were selected from a larger population of volunteers at choir. Simultaneous measurements of acoustic, electroglottographic and aerodynamic study were made during /e/ sustained in two vocal registers, lowest modal and highest falsetto. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilkoxson signed rankes test. Results : In the acoustic analysis, shimmer was increased in flasetto voice(p<0.05). In the electroglottographic analysis, closed quotient(CQ), speed quotient(SQ) at the modal voice were higher than at the falsetto voice(p<0.05). In the aerodynamic analysis, and airflow rate(MFR) of falsetto voice was higher than modal voice(p<0.05). Conclusions : In the results of the study indicate that, falsetto register ineffective, inefficient, generally unpleasant because it was produced by incomplete clousure of true vocal cord. We anticipated that further study with large samples can provide an objective criteria for status and classification of singer's modal and falsetto voice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.115-126
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• 2006

Background and Objectives : Training of breath support and laryngeal muscles control are important components in the development of the singing voice. The purpose of this study is to compare characteristics of respiratory and phonatory control on pitch, loudness, register change with untrained males and trained male singers. Materials and Methods : The 11 untrained males and 11 trained male singers participated. Closed Quotient(CQ), fundamental frequency (fo) and relative volume contribution of the rib cage (in percentage rib cage, % RC) and relative volume contribution of abdomen (in percentage abdomen, % AB) were measured during various pitch, loudness, register tasks using /a/ vowel phonation : Legato, staccato with C3-D3-E3-F3-G3 notes and crescendo and decrescendo with C3 note as well as modal register with C3 and falsetto register with C4 note using an integrated analysis system of Respiration, EGG and Voice. Results : (1) When pitch increased with legato task, loudness also increased in untrained male group but maintained in trained male singers. CQ was also increased both untrained and trained male singers but it was not significantly different ($p>.05$). The abdomen contribution to lung volume were significantly predominant both in inhalation and exhalation in trained males singers ($p<.05$). (2) When pitch increased with staccato task, CQ was not significantly different in untrained but significantly different in trained male singers. The respiratory function of male singers were characterized by significantly predominant abdomen contribution to lung volume in exhalation except for inhalation ($p<.05$) (3) When loudness increased with crescendo, fo was significantly increased with increasing CQ in untrained males but fo was relatively consistent with increasing CQ in trained male singers. The respiratory function of male singers were characterized by significantly predominant abdomen contribution to lung volume in exhalation except for inhalation ($p<.05$). (4) Most male singers were able to change register from modal to falsetto register, but untrained males were not. Thus, CQ was significantly different between modal and falsetto register in trained male singers ($p<.05$). The respiratory function of male singers were characterized by significantly predominant abdomen contribution to lung volume in exhalation except for inhalation ($p<.05$). Conclusion : Male singers were superior to untrained males in coordination of respiratory and phonatory control on pitch, loudness, register change. Implication are offered regarding how the results might be applied to the voice therapy as well as singing training.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.53-60
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• 2023

This study compared the absolute error of estimated fundamental frequency (AEF0) using voice - (VRP) and speech range profile (SRP) tasks across various etiological groups with voice disorders. Additionally, we explored the association between AEF0 and related voice parameters within each specific etiological group. The participants included 120 individuals, comprising 30 each from the functional (FUNC), organic (ORGAN), and eurological (NEUR) voice disorder groups, and a normal control group (NC). Each participant performed voice and SRP tasks, and the fundamental frequency of connected speech was measured using electroglottography (EGG). When comparing the AEF0 measures across the etiological groups, there were no differences in Grade and Severity among the patients. However, variations were observed in AEF0_VRP and AEF0_SUM. Specifically, AEF0_VRP was higher in the ORGAN group than in the FUNC and NC groups, whereas AEF0_SUM was higher in the ORGAN group than in the NC group. Furthermore, within FUNC and NEUR, AEF0 showed a positive correlation with Grade, while in ORGAN, it exhibited a positive correlation with the mean closed quotient (CQ). Attention should be paid to the application of AEF0 measures and related voice variables based on the etiological group. This study provides foundational information for the clinical application of AEF0 measures.