Age-related changes

Age-related changes in acoustic characteristics of adult speech

Provider: GAČR (Czech Science Foundation)
Number: GAČR 16-19975S

Duration: 2016-2018

Principal Investigator: Roman Čmejla (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University)
Co-Investigator from the Faculty of Arts: Jan Volín
Other participants from the Faculty of Arts: T. Bořil

Abstract:

An understanding of the effects of aging process on speech characteristics is crucial for those who study and serve the older population. The main aim of this project is to provide a large normative study investigating complex speech behaviour that will define more relevant criteria regarding changes of voice and speech due to aging. In addition, the articulation of vowels and structure of the Czech prosody will be studied in detail. The database will be composed of a large sample of 180 Czech native speakers (age 20-80 years) of both genders divided to 6 age-categories. Each participant will be instructed to perform a series of speaking tasks such as sustained phonation, fast syllable repetition, reading text or monolog. The systematic, objective analysis of voice and speech characteristics will be performed. The results of our project can provide more insights into understanding the general anatomical, physiological, and linguistics models of vocal aging as well as physiological mechanism responsible for progression of many speech diseases on both scientific and clinical levels.

Úvod > Research > Past projects > Age-related changes