How to make an artificial larynx by modifying electro-larynx (Vocal Box)

Author: Ashini Naileshkumar Rami

Rami, Ashini Naileshkumar, 2021 How to make an artificial larynx by modifying electro-larynx (Vocal Box), Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering

Terms of Use: This electronic version is (or will be) made publicly available by Flinders University in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. You may use this material for uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material and/or you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact copyright@flinders.edu.au with the details.

Abstract

During verbal communication, the larynx causes vibration due to its flexibility in the

respiratory tract. Electrolarynxes or artificial larynxes are commonly used to restore speech

after laryngectomy. An objective and subjective analysis of vowel quality is presented in this

paper based on the design of a low-powered electrolarynx that uses a modified glottal source.

A design is presented in the first part of the paper that can drive a variety of input signals. An

effect of neck surface is pre-filtered to design a driving source in the second part. A comparison

of power consumption between the prototype and a conventional electrolarynx is carried out.

We compare the vowel qualities of the volunteers' vowels with those of normal vowels.

According to our findings, the glottal modified wave helps reduce the amount of power

required by the electrolarynx. Using the present approach, we measure the loudness, quality

factor, and position of the formants as a measure of quality and find that they are better (or

comparable) than traditional electrolarynxes. Electrolarynx with modified glottal waves are

more power-efficient than existing methods and have the potential to be incorporated into a

wearable device. As well as providing better vowel quality than conventional driving signals,

it also produces fewer noises.

Keywords: Keywords: Electrolarynx, larynx, nltk, auditory, visual, voice restoration, esophageal speech, tracheoesophageal puncture, silent speech

Subject: Engineering thesis

Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2021
School: College of Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Professor David Powers