Whisper intelligibility enhancement based on noise robust feature and SVM

A machine learning based speech enhancement method is proposed to improve the intelligibility of whispered speech. A binary mask estimated by a two-class support vector machine （SVM） classifier is used to synthesize the enhanced whisper. A novel noise robust feature called Gammatone feature cosine coefficients （GFCCs） extracted by an auditory periphery model is derived and used for the binary mask estimation. The intelligibility performance of the proposed method is evaluated and compared with the traditional speech enhancement methods. Objective and subjective evaluation results indicate that the proposed method can effectively improve the intelligibility of whispered speech which is contaminated by noise. Compared with the power subtract algorithm and the log-MMSE algorithm, both of which do not improve the intelligibility in lower signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） environments, the proposed method has good performance in improving the intelligibility of noisy whisper. Additionally, the intelligibility of the enhanced whispered speech using the proposed method also outperforms that of the corresponding unprocessed noisy whispered speech.

Speech intelligibility and auditory perception of pre-school children with Hearing Aid,cochlear implant and Typical Hearing

Purpose:There is a growing interest in speech intelligibility and audito ry perception of deaf children.The aim of the present study was to compare speech intelligibility and auditory perception of pre-school children with Hearing Aid(HA),Cochlear Implant(Cl),and Typical Hearing(TH).Methods:The research design was descriptive-analytic and comparative.The participants comprised 75 male pre-school children aged 4-6 years in the 2017-2018 from Tehran,Iran.The participants were divided into three groups,and each group consisted of 25 children.The first and second groups were respectively selected from pre-school children with HA and CI using the convenience sampling method,while the third group was selected from pre-school children with TH by random sampling method.All children completed Speech Intelligibility Rating and Catego ries of Auditory Performance Questionnaires.Results:The findings indicated that the mean scores of speech intelligibility and auditory perception of the group with TH were significantly higher than those of the other groups(P<0.0001).The mean scores of speech intelligibility in the group with CI did not significantly differ from those of the group with HA(P<0.38).Also,the mean scores of auditory perception in the group with CI were significantly higher than those of the group with HA(P<0.002).Conclusion:The results showed that auditory perception in children with CI was significantly higher than children with HA.This finding highlights the importance of cochlear implantation at a younger age and its significant impact on auditory perception in deaf children.

Intelligibility of Reverberant Speech with Amplification: Limitation of Speech Intelligibility Metrics, and a Preliminary Examination of an Alternative Approach

This study examines the effect of speech level on intelligibility in different reverberation conditions, and explores the potential of loudness-based reverberation parameters proposed by Lee et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 131(2), 1194-1205 (2012)] to explain the effect of speech level on intelligibility in various reverberation conditions. Listening experiments were performed with three speech levels (LAeq of 55 dB, 65 dB and 75 dB) and three reverberation conditions (T20 of 1.0 s, 1.9 s and 4.0 s), and subjects listened to speech stimuli through headphones. Collected subjective data were compared with two conventional speech intelligibility parameters (Speech Intelligibility Index and Speech Transmission Index) and two loudness-based reverberation parameters (EDTN and TN). Results reveal that the effect of speech level on intelligibility changes with a room’s reverberation conditions, and that increased level results in reduced intelligibility in highly reverberant conditions. EDTN and TN explain this finding better than do STI and SII, because they consider many psychoacoustic phenomena important for the modeling of the effect of speech level varying with reverberation.

Speech Intelligibility Enhancement Algorithm Based on Multi-Resolution Power-Normalized Cepstral Coefficients(MRPNCC)for Digital Hearing Aids

Speech intelligibility enhancement in noisy environments is still one of the major challenges for hearing impaired in everyday life.Recently,Machine-learning based approaches to speech enhancement have shown great promise for improving speech intelligibility.Two key issues of these approaches are acoustic features extracted from noisy signals and classifiers used for supervised learning.In this paper,features are focused.Multi-resolution power-normalized cepstral coefficients(MRPNCC)are proposed as a new feature to enhance the speech intelligibility for hearing impaired.The new feature is constructed by combining four cepstrum at different time–frequency(T–F)resolutions in order to capture both the local and contextual information.MRPNCC vectors and binary masking labels calculated by signals passed through gammatone filterbank are used to train support vector machine(SVM)classifier,which aim to identify the binary masking values of the T–F units in the enhancement stage.The enhanced speech is synthesized by using the estimated masking values and wiener filtered T–F unit.Objective experimental results demonstrate that the proposed feature is superior to other comparing features in terms of HIT-FA,STOI,HASPI and PESQ,and that the proposed algorithm not only improves speech intelligibility but also improves speech quality slightly.Subjective tests validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for hearing impaired.

Linguistic Dimensions of Accentedness,Comprehensibility and Intelligibility:Exploring Listener Effects in American,Moroccan,Turkmen and Chinese Varieties of English

The present study examines accentedness, comprehensibility, and intelligibility of American English, Moroccan English, Turkmen English, and Chinese English, from the perspectives of three groups of listeners: native speakers of English and Chinese speakers of English with or without international experiences. Of the 145 listeners, 38 had face-to-face interviews. These listener groups were asked to listen to the recordings of the four English varieties and fill in a cloze test.Results indicated that the three listener groups differed significantly in rating comprehensibility of American English, Moroccan English and Chinese English but they did not give Turkmen English statistically different ratings;there were no significant differences in accentedness ratings except for Chinese English;and there were significant differences in the intelligibility scores of the four English varieties. In addition, with respect to seven linguistic variables-speed, clarity, intonation,smoothness and fluency, vocal intensity, pause, vocabulary and grammar, there were significant differences in three listener groups’ rating of six variables in American English except the one of“speed”. By contrast, Chinese English received significantly different ratings only in “proper speed”. No differences were found in the ratings for Moroccan English and Turkmen English.Finally, unlike Chinese listeners without international experiences, native listeners and Chinese listeners with international experiences shared some similarities in correlations between the ratings of accentedness and comprehensibility and those of linguistic variables on Moroccan English,Turkmen English, and Chinese English. However, the results for American English from Chinese listeners without international experiences and native listeners seemed to be more alike. Linguistic variables correlating with accentedness and comprehensibility of American English showed a mixed profile. Qualitative data provided more variant elaborations on the pronunciations and language uses of the speakers.

Evaluation of Speech Intelligibility of a Cleft Palate Patient with Speech Prosthesis before and after Palatographical Analysis and Prosthesis Modification

The aim of the study was to evaluate the alterations in speech intelligibility in a cleft palate patient, before and after extending and modifying the palatal contour of the existing prosthesis using a correctable wax recording. An eight-year-old girl studying in second grade with a velopharyngeal defect using an obturator reported to the outpatient clinic complaining of lack in clarity of speech. The existing prosthesis was lacking a speech bulb hence it was decided to add the speech bulb to the existing prosthesis and evaluate the speech. Even after the use of speech bulb it was observed that she was unable to pronounce the vowels and words like shoe, vision, cheer, etc. clearly. Hence, a palatography was done using a correctable wax technique and the existing prosthesis was altered accordingly. Great improvement in speech, mastication, and velopharyngeal function was achieved after the palatography alteration of the existing prosthesis.

Explaining How： The Intelligibility of Mechanical Explanations in Boyle

In this paper I examine the following claims by William Eaton in his monograph Boyle on Fire： （i） that Boyle＇s religious convictions led him to believe that the world was not completely explicable, and this shows that there is a shortcoming in the power of mechanical explanations; （ii） that mechanical explanations offer only sufficient, not necessary explanations, and this too was taken by Boyle to be a limit in the explanatory power of mechanical explanations; （iii） that the mature Boyle thought that there could be more intelligible explanatory models than mechanism; and （iv） that what Boyle says at any point in his career is incompatible with the statement of Maria Boas-Hall, i.e., that the mechanical hypothesis can explicate all natural phenomena. Since all four of these claims are part of Eaton＇s developmental argument, my rejection of them will not only show how the particular developmental story Eaton diagnoses is inaccurate, but will also explain what limits there actually are in Boyle＇s account of the intelligibility of mechanical explanations. My account will also show why important philosophers like Locke and Leibniz should be interested in Boyle＇s philosophical work.

Improving Intelligibility and Pronunciation Through Phonics Instruction for 5th Grade EFL Learners of Chilean Public Schools

Based on the curriculum proposed by the Chilean Ministry of Education,schools are offered textbooks and complementary guides for teachers as a tool for the learning process of the students.Bearing in mind that the Ministry suggests a list of learning targets that must be accomplished at the end of the academic year,the author of said textbooks offers activities that are meant to fulfil these objectives.However,and considering that one of the goals of the Ministry is that 5th grade students,at the end of their learning process,communicate an intelligible message with a proper pronunciation,a lack of activities and methodologies focused on the improvement of these aspects can be noticed.Therefore,this proposal will present teachers with phonics as a methodology that may help students improve intelligibility and the recognition and production of segmental aspects of pronunciation.

The Intelligibility of Thai Speakers’ Pronunciation from Chinese Listeners’ Perspective

The intelligibility of Thai speakers’English pronunciation from Chinese listeners’perspectives have not been analyzed deeply in current researches.As is known to all,the interconnection between China and Thailand is greatly developed with the sup⁃port of‘One Belt and One Road initiative’.However,it is inevitable for non-native English speakers to encounter some pronuncia⁃tion problems,which would affect them to communicate with each other.As for Chinese English learners,Thai accent to some ex⁃tent would be a great challenge during the conversation with Thai speakers.In order to promote a better communication,it is neces⁃sary to analyze the origin of Thai speakers’English pronunciation problems.Therefore,this research based on the previous studies to categorize the common pronunciation problems among Thai speakers.However,there are numerous English learners in Thailand that have various language proficiency.In this respect,two Thai speakers with different IELTS scores have been selected for com⁃parison,and six postgraduate students in the Education University of Hong Kong are invited to serve as a listener.As a result,this research will base on the listeners’feedback to highlight some suggestions to enhance the intelligibility of Thai speakers’pronun⁃ciation.

Obstacles for Chinese EFL Learners to Improve Speech Intelligibility

As the primary means of communication,speech is an essential aspect for humans to interact and build connections in the social world.Speech intelligibility is critical in social communication;unintelligibility may lead to confusion,misunderstanding,and frustration.Many Chinese learners of English find it challenging to apply English into social interaction and reach mutual intelligibility with international communicators.This article analyzes the obstacles impeding Chinese EFL learners’speech intelligibility development,from the aspects of phonology(segmental and suprasegmental features)and pragmatics.Some strategies are proposed to help Chinese learners ameliorate phonology and pragmatics problems and improve speech intelligibility in English communication.

Intelligibility or Native-like Proficiency--What Should Be the Priorities of English Pronunciation Teaching？

Pronunciation plays an important role in English language teaching. This essay reviews literature on English pronunciation teaching and English as a Lingua Franca. Through examining the priorities in English pronunciation teaching, teachers' and students' attitudes towards intelligibility and native-like proficiency, as well as the value of adhering to a language standard, the author provides rational reasons for choosing intelligibility rather than native-like proficiency as the priority of English pronunciation teaching.

Moving English Pronunciation Teaching Approach Beyond Native-like Proficiency or Standard Models:International Mutual Intelligibility and Lingua Franca Core(LFC)

As English serves as an international language(or Lingua Franca),increasing attention is paid to English pedagogy of English as International Language(EIL).This essay maintains that international mutual intelligibility is a more practical and achievable goal in English pronunciation pedagogy,compared with native-like proficiency and various of standard English.Meanwhile,Jenkins(2000)’s Lingua Franca Core(LFC),a Phonological Core for EIL,is briefly introduced.

Clinical Study on Improving Articulation Clarity in Spastic Cerebral Palsy with 120 Cases of Oral-Facial Acupressure Combined with Oral Placement Therapy

Objective:To observe the efficacy of oral-facial acupressure combined with oral placement therapy(OPT)in improving articulation clarity in 120 children with spastic cerebral palsy,and to explore effective therapeutic solutions for speech disorders associated with spastic cerebral palsy.Methods:A total of 120 children with spastic cerebral palsy and speech disorders,meeting the inclusion criteria,were randomly assigned into two groups:60 cases in the treatment group and 60 cases in the control group.The treatment group received orofacial acupressure combined with OPT,while the control group received only OPT.The Oral Motor Function Assessment Scale(OMFAS),developed by the China Rehabilitation Research Centre(CRRC),was used to evaluate the treatment outcomes before and after the intervention.Results:After the treatment,both the treatment and control groups showed improved mobility of the mandible,lips,and tongue.However,the treatment group exhibited significantly better improvement than the control group,with the difference between the two groups being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Oral-facial acupressure combined with OPT can effectively improve articulation clarity in children with spastic cerebral palsy.This combined therapy is recommended for clinical promotion and application.

When Does Sora Show:The Beginning of TAO to Imaginative Intelligence and Scenarios Engineering

DURING our discussion at workshops for writing“What Does ChatGPT Say:The DAO from Algorithmic Intelligence to Linguistic Intelligence”[1],we had expected the next milestone for Artificial Intelligence(AI)would be in the direction of Imaginative Intelligence(II),i.e.,something similar to automatic wordsto-videos generation or intelligent digital movies/theater technology that could be used for conducting new“Artificiofactual Experiments”[2]to replace conventional“Counterfactual Experiments”in scientific research and technical development for both natural and social studies[2]-[6].Now we have OpenAI’s Sora,so soon,but this is not the final,actually far away,and it is just the beginning.

Colorectal cancer screening:A review of current knowledge and progress in research

Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide,being the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.Despite the progress in screening,early diagnosis,and treatment,approximately 20%-25%of CRC patients still present with metastatic disease at the time of their initial diagnosis.Furthermore,the burden of disease is still expected to increase,especially in individuals younger than 50 years old,among whom early-onset CRC incidence has been increasing.Screening and early detection are pivotal to improve CRC-related outcomes.It is well established that CRC screening not only reduces incidence,but also decreases deaths from CRC.Diverse screening strategies have proven effective in decreasing both CRC incidence and mortality,though variations in efficacy have been reported across the literature.However,uncertainties persist regarding the optimal screening method,age intervals and periodicity.Moreover,adherence to CRC screening remains globally low.In recent years,emerging technologies,notably artificial intelligence,and non-invasive biomarkers,have been developed to overcome these barriers.However,controversy exists over the actual impact of some of the new discoveries on CRC-related outcomes and how to effectively integrate them into daily practice.In this review,we aim to cover the current evidence surrounding CRC screening.We will further critically assess novel approaches under investigation,in an effort to differentiate promising inno-vations from mere novelties.

通智测试——基于动态具身物理社会交互环境的通用人工智能测试

The release of the generative pre-trained transformer(GPT)series has brought artificial general intelligence(AGI)to the forefront of the artificial intelligence(AI)field once again.However,the questions of how to define and evaluate AGI remain unclear.This perspective article proposes that the evaluation of AGI should be rooted in dynamic embodied physical and social interactions(DEPSI).More specifically,we propose five critical characteristics to be considered as AGI benchmarks and suggest the Tong test as an AGI evaluation system.The Tong test describes a value-and ability-oriented testing system that delineates five levels of AGI milestones through a virtual environment with DEPSI,allowing for infinite task generation.We contrast the Tong test with classical AI testing systems in terms of various aspects and propose a systematic evaluation system to promote standardized,quantitative,and objective benchmarks and evaluation of AGI.

Toward a Learnable Climate Model in the Artificial Intelligence Era

Artificial intelligence(AI)models have significantly impacted various areas of the atmospheric sciences,reshaping our approach to climate-related challenges.Amid this AI-driven transformation,the foundational role of physics in climate science has occasionally been overlooked.Our perspective suggests that the future of climate modeling involves a synergistic partnership between AI and physics,rather than an“either/or”scenario.Scrutinizing controversies around current physical inconsistencies in large AI models,we stress the critical need for detailed dynamic diagnostics and physical constraints.Furthermore,we provide illustrative examples to guide future assessments and constraints for AI models.Regarding AI integration with numerical models,we argue that offline AI parameterization schemes may fall short of achieving global optimality,emphasizing the importance of constructing online schemes.Additionally,we highlight the significance of fostering a community culture and propose the OCR(Open,Comparable,Reproducible)principles.Through a better community culture and a deep integration of physics and AI,we contend that developing a learnable climate model,balancing AI and physics,is an achievable goal.

Recent Progress in Reinforcement Learning and Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Advanced Control Applications

Reinforcement learning(RL) has roots in dynamic programming and it is called adaptive/approximate dynamic programming(ADP) within the control community. This paper reviews recent developments in ADP along with RL and its applications to various advanced control fields. First, the background of the development of ADP is described, emphasizing the significance of regulation and tracking control problems. Some effective offline and online algorithms for ADP/adaptive critic control are displayed, where the main results towards discrete-time systems and continuous-time systems are surveyed, respectively.Then, the research progress on adaptive critic control based on the event-triggered framework and under uncertain environment is discussed, respectively, where event-based design, robust stabilization, and game design are reviewed. Moreover, the extensions of ADP for addressing control problems under complex environment attract enormous attention. The ADP architecture is revisited under the perspective of data-driven and RL frameworks,showing how they promote ADP formulation significantly.Finally, several typical control applications with respect to RL and ADP are summarized, particularly in the fields of wastewater treatment processes and power systems, followed by some general prospects for future research. Overall, the comprehensive survey on ADP and RL for advanced control applications has d emonstrated its remarkable potential within the artificial intelligence era. In addition, it also plays a vital role in promoting environmental protection and industrial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence-assisted repair of peripheral nerve injury: a new research hotspot and associated challenges

Artificial intelligence can be indirectly applied to the repair of peripheral nerve injury.Specifically,it can be used to analyze and process data regarding peripheral nerve injury and repair,while study findings on peripheral nerve injury and repair can provide valuable data to enrich artificial intelligence algorithms.To investigate advances in the use of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis,rehabilitation,and scientific examination of peripheral nerve injury,we used CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to analyze the relevant literature included in the Web of Science from 1994–2023.We identified the following research hotspots in peripheral nerve injury and repair:(1)diagnosis,classification,and prognostic assessment of peripheral nerve injury using neuroimaging and artificial intelligence techniques,such as corneal confocal microscopy and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy;(2)motion control and rehabilitation following peripheral nerve injury using artificial neural networks and machine learning algorithms,such as wearable devices and assisted wheelchair systems;(3)improving the accuracy and effectiveness of peripheral nerve electrical stimulation therapy using artificial intelligence techniques combined with deep learning,such as implantable peripheral nerve interfaces;(4)the application of artificial intelligence technology to brain-machine interfaces for disabled patients and those with reduced mobility,enabling them to control devices such as networked hand prostheses;(5)artificial intelligence robots that can replace doctors in certain procedures during surgery or rehabilitation,thereby reducing surgical risk and complications,and facilitating postoperative recovery.Although artificial intelligence has shown many benefits and potential applications in peripheral nerve injury and repair,there are some limitations to this technology,such as the consequences of missing or imbalanced data,low data accuracy and reproducibility,and ethical issues(e.g.,privacy,data security,research transparency).Future research should address the issue of data collection,as large-scale,high-quality clinical datasets are required to establish effective artificial intelligence models.Multimodal data processing is also necessary,along with interdisciplinary collaboration,medical-industrial integration,and multicenter,large-sample clinical studies.

Mental health in the virtual world:Challenges and opportunities in the metaverse era

Current rates of mental illness are worrisome.Mental illness mainly affects females and younger age groups.The use of the internet to deliver mental health care has been growing since 2020 and includes the implementation of novel mental health treatments using virtual reality,augmented reality,and artificial intelligence.A new three dimensional digital environment,known as the metaverse,has emerged as the next version of the Internet.Artificial intelligence,augmented reality,and virtual reality will create fully immersive,experiential,and interactive online environments in the metaverse.People will use a unique avatar to do anything they do in their“real”lives,including seeking and receiving mental health care.In this opinion review,we reflect on how the metaverse could reshape how we deliver mental health treatment,its opportunities,and its challenges.