bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3D-printed acoustic head simulators that talk and move
Authors: Yue Xinran , Nallanthighall Arya , Mittal Manan , Lu Austin , Sarkar Kanad , Corey Ryan M. , Smaragdis Paris , Singer Andrew C.
Published: April 2023

Acoustic head simulators are used to collect realistic binaural audio with accurate interaural cues. Head simulators are difficult to acquire and often provide only listening and recording capabilities. For cocktail parties and conversation scenarios, it is necessary to have many head simulators that can simultaneously produce speech and capture sound. An added dimension of realism can be provided with motion. We rely on 3D printing to fabricate a large number of head simulators, each of which is equipped with a loudspeaker for mimicking speech production. We use silent multi-axis turrets to provide neck-like motion. Our actuated head simulator collection is integrated into the Mechatronic Acoustic Research System.
Amapiano music and a psychoacoustic approach to analysis through the Ski-hill graph
Authors: Calilhanna Andrea
Published: April 2023

Local artists in African countries' use of computer technology to produce work is inevitable. The effect of popular commercial music on traditional musicians increases the genuine possibility of further extinction of local music, particularly in regional areas. The importance of preserving this music is underacknowledged as, like language, music is an essential form of communication and part of a person's identity. New developments can cast shadows over everyday music during modernisation, and young people seek new sounds. For others, especially those who have witnessed the slow disappearance of cultural practices unique to regions, the loss and damage are akin to whitewashing and theft. In many parts of the world, scholars and locals are scrambling to preserve music and transmit accurate cultural heritage accounts for future generations. Amapiano music, like so much music of the Nigerian diaspora, owes its traditional heritage to the ancient roots of the Igbo people of Nigeria. Through the psychoacoustic approach of mathematical music theory of the Ski-hill graph (Cohn, 2020), it is now possible to produce accurate, inclusive, and ethical representations of Amapiano and traditional Igbo music.
Rocket noise models for the US Department of Defense
Authors: Wall Alan T. , Gee Kent L. , Downing J. M. , James Michael M. , Rasband Reese D.
Published: April 2023

Accurate rocket noise prediction models are critical to support growing space defense programs. Potential deficiencies in the NASA SP-8072 model developed in the 1970s have been identified, but their impacts on accurate predictions are currently unknown. Cross-validationcomparisons to full-scale rocket measurements are needed to identify and quantify errors and to improve accuracy. This paper will review the DoD programs and policies that motivate rocket noise modeling requirements, summarize the current models in use, discuss some of the potential deficiencies of the models, and propose a roadmap for establishing confidence in models for official DoD use.
Vector acoustic intensity analysis of noise from the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle during liftoff
Authors: Cook Mylan R. , Gee Kent L. , Cunningham Carson F. , Hart Grant W.
Published: April 2023

The noise sources within a turbulent rocket plume are not well understood, let alone the radiation from multiple rocket nozzles. Even less is known about the noise sources during launch vehicle liftoff. This paper seeks to simultaneously address these noise source analysis challenges using data collected during the NROL-82 Delta IV Heavy (DIVH) launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The three-core DIVH’s liftoff noise was measured by a ground-based four-microphone array at a distance of 330 m. Hart et al. [Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 45, 040003 (2022)] previously used this array with a cross-correlation technique to identify the overall noise source radiation locus as it switched from the flame trench exit to about 55 m downstream of the nozzle exit plane. Here, vector intensity is used to localize the frequency-dependent noise source axial distribution using a variant of the phase and amplitude gradient estimator method for acoustic intensity [Thomas et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137, 3366–3376 (2015)]. The results help clarify a complex noise source generation process that is both time and frequency-dependent and involves both free and impinging jet noise phenomena.
Spatial variation of exponentially modified Gaussian parameters in an urban setting
Authors: Kamrath Matthew J. , Wilson D. Keith , Haedrich Caitlin E. , Hart Carl R.
Published: April 2023

The distribution of urban acoustic noise levels varies spatially because of differences in traffic volume, distance to other sound sources (e.g., construction sites), urban canyon geometry, and several other factors. We want to connect these environmental variables to the parameters of a parametric probability density function of the acoustic levels. Previously, the exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) distribution matched experimental observation more closely than other distributions for urban sound levels. Using the framework of common engineering methods (e.g., ISO 9613-2), the received pressure level is the source power minus several attenuation factors. The exponential distribution could be due to the attenuation from geometrical spreading because it is a good approximation for a source uniformly distributed on a line segment or within a circle. The Gaussian distribution could be due to multiple factors, including weak turbulent scattering, reflections and diffractions, multiple sources, and source power variability. We measured the sound levels at 37 locations in the North End of Boston (USA), plotted the spatial variation in the EMG parameters, and compared these maps to the environmental variables. The traffic volume, proximity to stationary sources, and scene geometry all seemed to impact the EMG parameters with the traffic volume being the most important.
Acoustic sensing of wind generated vortices in urban environments
Authors: Gaye Samba , Mahmoud Wagdy , Denis Max
Published: April 2023

In this work, generated vortices within an urban microspaces are investigated numerically and experimentally. Of particular interest are vortices within an urban street canyon. Computational fluid dynamics simulations of wind vortices are compared to experimental observation of similar urban street geometries within the District of Columbia. Additionally, the vortex and ground interaction are investigated for acoustic propagation. Preliminary results are presented and discussed.
Collaborative acoustic sensing for autonomous vehicles in GPS denies areas: Application to urban environments
Authors: Sandja Tchamba Herve , Mahmoud Wagdy , Denis Max
Published: April 2023

In this work, an acoustic sensing collabortive localization approach for autonomous vehicles is presented. Due to the autonomous nature of the vehicles, its environment and location must be known. Therefore, it is assumed that the autonmous vehicles share their movement information among each other. In addition to this information, we propose that acoustic self-localization measurements be coupled with a dead recokning in order to estimate the relative position and velocity of itself and other vehicles. Simulated and experimental results will be presented and discussed.
Characterization of urban microclimates from reconstructed wind velocity and temperature fields
Authors: Martin Glacia , Mandjoupa Lirane , Gaye Samba , Mahmoud Wagdy , Denis Max
Published: April 2023

This work aims to study microclimate changes within urban microspaces using atmospheric acoustic tomography (AAT). Of particular interest are the imaging of wind velocity and temperature field variations. To reduce the inaccuracy of using the conventional AAT straight ray model, a nonlinear reconstruction algorithm is employed. Simulated and measurement results are presented and discussed.
Real-time measurement of ambient noise levels during hearing screening in point-of-care settings
Authors: Davies-Venn Evelyn , Clavier Odile , Oeding Kristi
Published: April 2023

Access to hearing healthcare is a global issue that will necessitate several novel approaches to resolve. By evaluating the effectiveness of a hearing screening program in a non-traditional, acoustically hostile point-of-care setting, this study contributes to the global need for access to hearing healthcare. Specifically, this study measured the noise environment of a hearing screening conducted at the Minnesota State Fair, using a Sivantos Dosimeter and a custom Tabsint program, to measure ambient noise levels during hearing screenings using the Creare Wireless Automatic Hearing Testing System (WAHTS). The noise levels were measured and analyzed to determine the average and peak noise levels encountered during the hearing screenings. Normal hearing thresholds were obtained at ambient noise levels ranging from 40 to 65 dBSPL. These findings were compared to the recommended noise levels for hearing testing to determine whether current standards should be revised considering innovations aimed at improving access to hearing healthcare services in point-of-care settings.
Complementary measures for clinical audiological practice to better explain self-reported hearing difficulties: A study using an automated measurement tool in Mexico
Authors: Lelo de Larrea-Mancera E. S. , Solís-Vivanco Rodolfo , Sánchez Jiménez Yolanda , Padilla-Bustos Katia , Chimal-Gómez Yadira , Padilla-Canales M. Guadalupe , Correa-Medina Erick , Clamage David S. , Bologna William J. , Gallun Frederick J. , Seitz Aaron
Published: April 2023

Accessibility issues, especially in developing countries, have prevented the evaluation of diverse hearing abilities beyond the pure tone audiogram in the general population. PART is a free-access automated auditory measurement tool that can address accessibility issues by providing a wide variety of auditory psychophysical measures in multiple languages on standard relatively low-cost commercial interfaces such as tablets and smart phones. Here, we show that PART can complement traditional audiological tests to better account for people’s hearing complaints. Forty-four adults between 40 and 80 years old were tested in Mexico City with a traditional clinical battery (otoacoustic emissions and pure tone audiogram) and a battery of PART-based central auditory processing and speech-on-speech competition measures. Several measures from the PART battery correlated with self-reported hearing difficulties, and the spatial release from masking task was best able to capture this variance. These preliminary data support the inclusion of a speech-on-speech masking as a complement to traditional clinical measures to better account for the hearing complaints of the public. Furthermore, we show PART-based version of this test can be implemented in a clinical setting in Mexico and produce comparable results to those obtained in developed countries like the United States of America.
Supra-threshold envelope-following responses in the ageing population: An early marker of sensorineural hearing damage
Authors: Verhulst Sarah , Van Der Biest Heleen , Keshishzadeh Sarineh , Keppler Hannah , Dhooge Ingeborg
Published: April 2023

Envelope-following-responses (EFRs) evoked by supra-threshold amplitude-modulated sounds are promising markers of age-related or ototoxic-induced cochlear synaptopathy (CS) in research animals. A direct translation of these findings to EFR-based CS-quantification in humans is complicated by possible combinations of CS, inner-, outer-hair-cell damage or central deficits that can also affect EFR markers. To work towards a sensitive CS-marker for use in humans, we focus on an EFR stimulus that—in computational model simulations—is maximally sensitive to CS and investigate how this marker declines in an ageing population with or without OHC damage. 108 subjects participated in this study and were divided into two groups: (i) an ageing group with normal audiograms (i.e., 4-kHz-thresholds <20 dB HL, n = 89, 18–65 years) and (ii) older adults with impaired audiograms (n = 19, 45–75 years). We collected 120-Hz modulated EFRs, along with extended high-frequency audiograms, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, and speech-reception thresholds (Flemish Matrix test). We calculated the rate of decline of each metric with age and conclude that the EFR marker predicts sensorineural hearing damage approximately 10 years earlier than the standard clinical audiogram. Additional relationships between audiometric, speech-intelligibility, and EFR markers are discussed. [Work supported by ERC 678120 RobSpear and 899858 CochSyn.]
Multiple-source dynamic range compression in hearing devices: What can we learn from music mixing?
Authors: Corey Ryan M.
Published: April 2023

Dynamic range compression (DRC), a form of nonlinear gain control, is widely used in both hearing devices and music production, but in very different ways. In hearing devices, DRC boosts quiet sounds more than loud sounds to match the reduced dynamic range of listeners with hearing loss. Compression is applied to the mixture of sounds captured by the hearing device microphone, so it is known to cause distortion in noisy environments where the level of one sound can affect the gain applied to another sound. In music mixing, DRC can be applied to individual vocal or instrumental tracks or to the overall mixture. It can also be applied to combinations of signals to introduce deliberate distortion effects, for example, by adjusting the level of one track based on the level of another. In a hearing device that could process different sound sources independently, real-life sounds could be mixed like musical tracks, reducing unwanted distortion and enabling new nonlinear techniques to improve intelligibility. This talk will explore multiple-source DRC architectures that are commonly used for music but could also be advantageous for hearing devices.
The dynamics of partially encapsulated microbubbles subjected to ultrasound
Authors: Dolev Amit , Sakar Selman
Published: April 2023

Acoustically excited microbubbles generate various nonlinear forces that can be leveraged in microscale systems for actuation and manipulation. To obtain optimal performances, bubbles should be characterized; however, so far, they were studied indirectly by measuring downstream phenomena. Here, we present a novel scheme to measure the vibrations of a bubble at the water-air interface using a laser vibrometer and the impinging pressure using a hydrophone. A custom-built optical setup couples the vibrometer to an inverted microscope. The microstructures encapsulating the bubbles are 3D nanoprinted on glass slides, which allows the realization of complex configurations with various polymers. The overall platform enables us to study the dynamics of bubbles with single or multiple interfaces, and their interactions. The measurements are also used to refine the analytical model of the multi-physics system and find optimal operating conditions. The conditions depend on the bubble geometry, boundaries, and excitation source. The measurements reveal that it is easier to excite certain vibration modes when the acoustic wavelength is much larger than the bubble. We demonstrate the controllable motion of 3D nanoprinted flexible structures by harnessing nonlinear forces that are produced by acoustically excited microbubbles. These structures will serve as building blocks for all-mechanical soft microrobots.
Vibrations of a thin, prestressed, fluid-loaded spherical shell forced by a point sound source
Authors: Godin Oleg A.
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates vibrations of and sound scattering by a thin elastic spherical shell when static pressures are different in the fluids inside and outside the shell. The work is motivated by stratospheric balloons being employed to carry acoustic sensors and by the proposed use of large, encapsulated gas bubbles for passive suppression of underwater sound [O. A. Godin and A. B. Baynes, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 143, EL67–EL73 (2018)]. Linearized equations of motion of thin, prestressed shells are derived from first principles. Differences in the fluid-loading terms from previously proposed ad hoc models are identified and their significance is analyzed. Analytic solutions are derived for vibrations of a spherical shell excited by an incident spherical sound wave and for acoustic fields in the internal and external fluids. The results are verified against exact solutions in several particular cases. The mathematical model of the shell vibrations is applied to characterize the influence of the shell’s material properties on passive suppression of underwater noise and to quantify the effect of wave scattering by the balloon on performance of balloon-borne infrasound sensors in the atmosphere. [Work supported by ONR.]
An equivalent source method for holographic visualization of acoustic sources in an apertured enclosure based on exterior measurements
Authors: Ramezanpour Reza , Liu Yangfan
Published: April 2023

Most acoustical holography techniques are developed to visualize sound sources or reconstruct sound field in a free-space environment, where no boundary reflected or scattered sound are present. However, in some engineering applications, a sound scatter is an inseparable part of source mechanism. For example, for a centrifugal fan, the aerodynamic noise sources are the turbulent pressure inside the fan shell, but the source distribution is significantly altered if the fan shell is removed. Thus, in order to visualize the sources inside the fan shell by holography methods based on exterior sound measurements, the measurements need to be performed with the presence of the shell (which is a sound scatter). This obviously violates the free-space assumption for most acoustical holography methods. In this work, traditional free-space equivalent source methods are extended to visualize acoustic sources situated in an enclosure with openings based on sound measurements exterior to the enclosure. The key step is to replace the free-space Green’s function used in traditional equivalent source methods by a Green’s function that satisfies the boundary condition of the apertured enclosure. Simulations are performed to prove the concept of the proposed acoustical holography method.
Impacts of seabed characteristics on short-range acoustic propagation in seismic surveys
Authors: Douglass Alexander S. , Wood Warren T. , Phrampus Benjamin J. , Abadi Shima
Published: April 2023

An abundance of marine seismic reflection surveys with publicly available datasets have been collected over the last several decades to study the composition of the seabed up to multiple kilometers below the sea floor. In these surveys, a loud impulsive airgun source broadcasts sound into the seabed and the reflections from the seafloor and seabed layers are measured on a long (up to ∼15 km) towed hydrophone array. In these surveys, both the shallow seabed layers (several hundred meters below the seafloor) and deeper layers (multiple kilometers below the seafloor) can significantly impact the acoustic field in the water column at close ranges. Experimental data have shown instances of sound exposure levels (SEL) at ranges between ∼8 and 15 km that exceeded levels predicted by cylindrical spreading models by nearly 15 dB. This work aims to use the abundance of seismic data available to explore the relationship between seabed and sub-seabed characteristics and the acoustic field in the water column. Inversion results that provide seabed sound speed profiles and reflection characteristics will be used to understand the seabed characteristics and its potential effects on SELs or sound pressure levels evaluated along the towed array. [Work supported by ONR.]
Overview of distributed acoustic sensing technology and recently acquired data sets
Authors: Douglass Alexander S. , Ragland John , Abadi Shima
Published: April 2023

Fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a recent innovation utilized primarily in the seismic community for measuring seismic acoustics signals at low frequencies (single digit Hz and below). The technique utilizes strain rates in a fiber optic cable, observed via the backscatter of light pulses, to measure the acoustic field. Recently, the capabilities of this technology to measure higher frequency acoustic fields (10s to 100s of Hz) have been explored. Low frequency marine mammals calls at ∼20 Hz and ship noises have been successfully recorded, and a recent experiment demonstrated the capability to record up to ∼500 Hz. This talk provides an overview of DAS technology and introduces two recent experiments for studying water column acoustics with DAS. A 4-day experiment conducted in November 2020 as part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) provides data along two fiber optic cables extending west from the coast of Oregon by 65 km and 95 km, reaching depths of 590 m and 1575 m, respectively. DASCAL22, a recent experiment from October 2022, simultaneously recorded data using DAS at 2 kHz sampling rate on a cable extending 3.54km at ∼100 m depth and multiple moored hydrophones placed close to the DAS cable, allowing direct comparison between a new and existing technology.
Optical detection of ensonified capillary-gravity waves using polarimetric imaging
Authors: Raghukumar Kaustubha , Hogan Lindsay , Zappa Christopher , Spada Frank , Chang Grace
Published: April 2023

The optical detection of surface capillary-gravity waves induced by underwater sound has many potential applications that range from the detection of sound-generating underwater objects to airborne bathymetric surveys. While multiple lab-based efforts have measured acoustically generated surface capillary-gravity waves, we report on a recent field-based measurement using polarimetric imaging. A controlled acoustic source was placed 10 m below a lake surface and emitted sound in the 500 Hz to 10000Hz frequency range. The lake surface was imaged using a polarimetric camera mounted 7 m above the lake surface. Measurable short-lived surface capillary-gravity waves (∼3 mm wavelength) were observed in the polarimetric camera images during ensonification of the lake surface. Changes were observed in both the omnidirectional and directional wave spectra. In the omni-directional wavenumber spectrum, enhanced capillary wave activity at high wavenumbers was observed for acoustic source frequencies in the 2–5 kHz range. Additionally, ensonification was observed to result in the amplitude and wavenumber modulation (enhancement/diminution) of existing wind-generated surface gravity-capillary waves. In the directional spectra, while ambient gravity-capillary waves showed a spreading function with stronger downwind versus upwind propagation, the acoustically generated gravity-capillary waves showed minimal impact on the directionality of the wave spectra.
Fast spectral approach for delay correction in heterogeneous media
Authors: Schoen Scott J. , Samir Anthony E.
Published: April 2023

Ultrasound imaging makes fundamental assumptions about the interrogated medium, including the propagation speed of the waves. For many clinical applications, assuming a constant speed of sound (SoS, typically 1540 m/s) is sufficiently accurate to yield diagnostically useful images. However, when the medium is appreciably heterogeneous (e.g., trans-skull, or through deep layers of subcutaneous fat), this approximation fails and the distortion of the wavefronts yields a degraded image (i.e., there is aberration). Correcting these distortions for a known SoS distribution is typically intensive computationally. Here, we demonstrate the utility of the heterogeneous angular spectrum method (HASM), a spectral method developed for passive cavitation imaging, to recover efficiently the appropriate apodization and delays in transmit and receive toward corrected images. Compared with a straight ray computation (i.e., no refraction) with mean 5% SoS variation, HASM was roughly tenfold faster, and computed delays matched to within (−84 ± 89) ns [compared with (−660 ± 312) ns error for 1540 m/s assumption]. Furthermore, transmit corrections for focused or plane-wave sequences may be obtained similarly with the method for a specified depth. HASM, thus, has promise toward real-time image enhancement and improved diagnostic utility. [Work Supported by the ASA FV Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship.]
Effects of material memory on acoustic absorption
Authors: Abercrombie Eric , McDaniel James G.
Published: April 2023

Acoustic absorption may be expressed as a sum of energy dissipated in the fluid and energy dissipated in the material in contact with the fluid. This presentation explores the physical mechanisms of energy dissipation in the material, which is assumed here to be viscoelastic. The constitutive law of a viscoelastic material depends on the strain history of the material, thus giving the material a memory. The energy absorbed by the material is dependent on this strain history. Relationships between material memory and dissipation have been investigated [Harry H. Hilton and Sung Yi, Smart Materials and Structures, 1(2), 113–122 (1992)], leading to ‘viscoelastic designer materials' for vibration damping. Starting from this foundation, analysis and numerical simulations are used to investigate the relationships between material memory and acoustic absorption. This investigation establishes the influence of parameters in a generalized Maxwell model on the acoustic absorption. The results inform the creation of metamaterials with microstructures designed to produce specific memory characteristics. [Work supported by ONR.]
Overall sound power levels from four launch vehicles
Authors: Batelaan Richard , Anderson Mark C. , Durrant J. T. , Gee Kent L. , Hart Grant W.
Published: April 2023

To better understand the radiated sound from launch vehicles, this paper describes an effort to quantify the overall sound power level (OAPWL) from different launches. The classic NASA SP-8072 report (K. Eldred, 1971) contains data showing OAPWL as a function of mechanical power but little has been published on actual OAPWL since. This paper uses noise data from four different vehicles launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base to examine the relationship between OAPWL and measurement distance from the launch pad. Because OAPWL values calculated from measurements lessen with increased distance, an empirical correction based on nozzle diameter is described. [Work supported in part by NSF.]
High frequency ultrasound for destruction of per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances
Authors: Sidnell Timothy , Hurst Jake , Lee Judy , Bussemaker Madeleine
Published: April 2023

Per- and poly-fluorinated substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals, used for more than 50 years in plastics, waterproofing, non-stick pans, surfactants and aqueous firefighting foams. Due to their widespread use, and extreme persistence PFAS are now everywhere in the environment. However, PFAS are toxic, bioaccumulate in animals and plants and can lead to numerous ill-health effects. Many PFAS are now banned or heavily regulated and hence legacy and environmental PFAS require destruction. PFAS contain a hydrophobic fluorinated carbon chain and hydrophilic head group(s) giving them desirable chemical properties which also makes them extremely recalcitrant to typical degradation methods. This work will give an overview of how sonolytic degradation of PFAS is expected to be useful toward total remediation of environmental contaminations. We focus on high frequency ultrasound (1001,000 kHz) and examine parameters such as frequency, liquid height, power density, and reactor configuration. The approach will be discussed in reference to remediation samples of fire fighting foam and landfill leachate concentrate. Considerations of how high frequency ultrasound may be employed in an industrial setting will be discussed.
Contactless modal analysis of elastic structures with acousto-elastic transmission matrix
Authors: Palerm Chloe , Prada Claire , Gerardin Benoit , Talon Arnaud , de Rosny Julien
Published: April 2023

Modal analysis is a major issue in the industry to identify resonances in mechanical parts. Indeed, resonances can induce high vibration levels that are potentially destructive. Active modal analysis methods require on the one hand to excite the controlled part and on the other hand to record the induced displacements/acceleration/stresses. Conventional methods, called SIMO, involve a mechanical excitation source associated with several receivers. More rarely, the analysis is performed with several sources and one receiver (MISO). Finally, for several years, MIMO techniques with several sources and several receivers are commonly implemented. However, for some parts, it may be difficult to implement an array of mechanical sources. That is why, here, we propose to carry out the modal analysis with a set of 8 loudspeakers as sources, and the measurements are performed at a large number of measurement points using a LASER vibrometer. The analysis of the singular value decomposition of the contactless transmission matrix allows to identify superposed modes. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such a configuration. This method based on acousto-elastic coupling is successfully applied to the modal analysis of two axi-symmetric parts: a pinion and a rotating wheel. Finally, we will see that the same device can be used to control vibration fields.
What we do (not) know about the mechanisms underlying adaptive speech perception
Authors: Xie Xin , Jaeger T. Florian , Kurumada Chigusa
Published: April 2023

Recognition difficulties associated with unfamiliar talkers and accents can dissipate with exposure, sometimes within minutes. Although such adaptivity in response to unfamiliar input is now considered a fundamental property of speech perception, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Past work has hypothesized three, computationally heterogeneous, mechanisms: (1) low-level, pre-linguistic, signal normalization, (2) changes in/selection of linguistic representations, or (3) changes in post-perceptual decision-making. Direct comparisons of these hypotheses, or combinations thereof, have been lacking. We describe a general computational framework that---for the first time---implements all three mechanisms. We demonstrate how the framework can be used to predict adaptive changes of perception within a commonly used experimental paradigm (e.g., perceptual recalibration) under each of the three mechanisms. Using this approach, we find that---at the level of data analysis presently employed by most studies in the field--- behavioral results that can be obtained from common experimental paradigms do not distinguish between the three mechanisms. This highlights the need for changes and refinements in research practices, sothat future experiments provide data that can reliably distinguish between the three hypothesized mechanisms and/or test the influence from combinations of them. We provide specific recommendations towards this direction.
Examining the feasibility of integrating pupillometry measures of listening effort into clinical audiology assessments
Authors: Phillips Ian , Ellis Gregory M. , McNamara Bridget , Lefler Jacob , DeRoy Milvae Kristina , Gordon-Salant Sandra , Kuchinsky Stefanie E. , Brungart Douglas S.
Published: April 2023

Pure-tone thresholds are often a poor predictor of hearing difficulties experienced by patients in audiology clinics. Approximately 25 million Americans may experience hearing difficulties despite having audiometric thresholds within normal limits. Pupil diameter increases with increasing listening effort and could provide an objective measure for determining the presence of such subclinical hearing problems. However, the cost and technical requirements of research-grade eye trackers have limited their use in audiology clinics. This study aims to determine the feasibility of using a commercially-available head mounted display (HMD) with integrated eye tracking to collect pupillometry measures during audiological testing. Pupillary data were collected for N = 46 younger normal-hearing adults while they completed clinically-relevant tests including pure tone audiometry, gaps-in-noise (GIN), dichotic digits, and speech-in-noise tests. Across tasks, task-evoked pupillary responses were generally sensitive to differences in listening demands. Results suggest audiologic testing with commercial HMD eye trackers is feasible and provides additional objective information related to listening effort that may help clinicians better understand and address patient needs. [The views expressed in this abstract are those of theauthors and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army/Navy/Air Force, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.]
Judgements of a customer service agent's personality based on acoustic properties of their speech
Authors: Song Jieun , Kim Minjeong , Park Jaehan
Published: April 2023

People frequently interact with customer service agents, whether they are a real person or an AI, and quickly form personality impressions from it. The present study aimed to investigate how acoustic characteristics of speech of human agents affect their personality impressions. To this end, spontaneous speech was elicited from 30 native Korean speakers while they played a role of an agent assisting a customer on the phone. We then conducted a personality rating experiment in which 30 native speakers of Korean rated the perceived degree of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness (the “Big Five” personality traits) on the recordings on a 5-point scale. Various acoustic features were extracted from the stimuli, which were converted into two principal components using a Principal Component Analysis. The results of correlation analyses demonstrated that some of the acoustic variables such as measures of voice quality (H1-H2, Harmonic-to-Noise Ratio), the mean f0, and articulation rate were significantly correlated with the personality ratings, with the acoustic correlates different for male and female speakers. This helps discover characteristics of a more likable voice and speaking style for a customer service agent and has important implications for generating more likable synthetic speech for similar services.
Investigating the nature of speech representations by contrasting computational models against behavioral data
Authors: Tan Maryann , Jaeger T. Florian
Published: April 2023

How do listeners interpret speech input when exposure does not contain information about the talker’s category representations? Competing accounts are rarely contrasted. We implement competing hypotheses within the same general computational framework (Bayesian inference). All models were trained on phonetic productions to predict perception, reflecting the hypothesis that listeners learn category representations from the speech input. We compare them against two experiments on the perception of L1-US English stop voicing (N = 24 and 122). Both experiments used minimal pairs (e.g., tin/din) varying in the primary cue (VOT) while keeping secondary cues (f0 and vowel duration) at expected correlations. VOT values occurred equally often and spanned the range observed in US English. We find that (1) models that integrated perceptual noise performed better in predicting categorization responses than those without; (2) models with multiple cues performed better than those with just VOT; (3) models trained on talker-normalized phonetic cues performed better than those trained on unnormalized cues; and, surprisingly, (4) models that also normalized the novel speech input during the experiment performed worse than those that did not. (3) and (4) suggest that listeners’ long-term representations are based on talker-normalized cues but require *labelled* input—contrary to most normalization accounts.
What allows listeners to rapidly adapt to an unfamiliar talker? Evidence from a novel computationally-guided paradigm
Authors: Tan Maryann , Sabatello Rachel , Savic Iva , Jaeger T. Florian
Published: April 2023

Adaptivity in response to talkers with unexpected pronunciations is now understood to be central to speech perception. What mechanisms afford this ability, however, remains unclear. We present first results from a novel paradigm to investigate incremental changes in perception that occur with exposure to an unfamiliar talker. The paradigm is informed by a computational framework and provides high power to detect previously undocumented constraints on adaptive speech perception. L1-US English listeners (N = 122) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, each corresponding to a different ‘accent’. Accents were identical except that the VOT distributions for /d/ and /t/ were shifted by either + 0msec, + 10msec or + 40msec relative to typical talkers of US English. We find that (1) listeners' categorization functions shifted proportionally with the input; (2) shifts were rapid, leading to significant changes after 48 observations; but (3) adaptation plateaued after 96 observations at only 40% of the shift in categorization that would have been justified by the statistics of the input. Result (2) and (3) together require revision of standard normalization, distributional learning, and exemplar/episodic accounts. We use computational models to show our results follow if listeners adapt by ‘mixing’ talker representations learned from previously experienced input.
Spatial location from running binaural signals using cepstral analysis and logarithmic filtering
Authors: Tyler Jeramey , Si Mei , Braasch Jonas
Published: April 2023

This paper proposes an acoustic model for predicting the acoustical room characteristics from a running binaural signal. This is accomplished via training a convolutional neural network on a precedence effect model to extract the spatial locations of the direct sound source and its early reflections. The precedence effect model extends and modifies the BICAM algorithm with cepstral analysis [Tyler, J., Si, M., \& Braasch, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 151] and a logarithmic filter. The logarithmic filter takes human perception into account and provides better separation at higher frequencies. A synthetic dataset of binaural signals was generated using anechoic orchestral recordings with added reflections and reverberations. The binaural model generates binaural activity maps from binaural input signals, which are then used to train a convolutional neural network. The ability to predict the traits of a direct sound source and its reflections has applications in academic areas like perceptual modeling and room acoustical analysis. It can also be applied to industrial areas such as television and movies, video games, and augmented and virtual reality, to name a few. [Work supported by the National Science Foundation: HCC-1909229.]
Mid-frequency sound propagation over a mud seabed with a compressional sound speed depth gradient
Authors: Knobles David P. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Hodgkiss William , Wilson Preston S. , Miller James H.
Published: April 2023

During Seabed Characterization Experiment 2017 in the New England Mudpatch under near isospeed conditions of the water column, observations were made of well-defined intensity striations in time-frequency spectrograms in the 1.5–4.0 kHz band. These observations provided the basis for the hypothesis that the compressional sound speed profile for a homogenous fine-grained sediment possessed a gradient in the upper portions of the seabed. This hypothesis was tested with a statistical inference method that extracts probability density functions for parameter values representing an empirical-based nonlinear profile whose origins go back to Hamilton. Inferred was a surface sound speed that is less than the sound speed of the water at the seafloor and a surface sound speed gradient of about 6 1/s. In 2022 the experiment was repeated during non-isospeed conditions of the water column. The results for 2017 and 2022 are compared with the intent of understanding the response of the geoacoustic properties of the upper portions of a fine-grained sediment to changes in the bottom water temperature and salinity of the water column. [Work supported by Office of Naval Research.]
Detailed composition and physical properties analyses of surficial and sub-surface fined-grained sediments from the Continental Shelf and Upper Slope Sediments Offshore Southern New England, USA
Authors: Chaytor Jason , Ballard Megan , Buczkowski Brian , Lee Kevin M. , McNeese Andrew R. , Wilson Preston S.
Published: April 2023

In recent years, detailed geological characterization of the seafloor and shallow sub-surface on the northern U.S. Atlantic margin have been an important component of multi-disciplinary ocean acoustics and environmental sensing projects to support experiment planning and inform geoacoustic models of sound propagation. Comprehensive surficial sediment and core sampling across shallow continental shelf, shelf-edge, and upper continental slope sites offshore southern New England provide the opportunity to evaluate the importance of many sediment characteristics that impact sound propagation through the seabed. Beginning in the mid-shelf New England Mud Patch and continuing into deeper water, we have begun to develop a detailed understanding of the composition and physical properties of the shallow sediment column record using a combination of surficial and sub-surface sediment sampling tools, coupled with an extensive suite of discrete laboratory analyses. Quantitative data on sediment density, porosity, mineral and biogenic composition, and grain size distribution provides both valuable input parameters for geoacoustic models and helps establish a framework for interpreting independently derived measurements and modeling results. The physical, biological, and other environmental sediment characteristics can be integrated with existing geological assessments of the region and used to investigate ocean and sub-surface acoustic propagation. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Behavioral hearing thresholds and response latencies in killer whales (Orcinus orca) depend on sound duration
Authors: Accomando Alyssa W. , Nease Kayla , Van Alstyne Kaitlin , Robeck Todd , Branstetter Brian K.
Published: April 2023

Large odontocetes are considered at risk of auditory and behavioral impacts from sonar, and it is necessary to predict the effects of tonal sonar signals that have widely varying durations. Here, the effect of sound duration on hearing threshold and reaction time was investigated in two killer whales (Orcinus orca) using behavioral methods. Hearing tests were conducted using sounds between 50 μs and 2 s in duration for frequencies across the hearing range. Hearing thresholds within each frequency were dependent on sound duration, with threshold increasing with duration out to a plateau, which was used to calculate auditory integration time. Vocal response reaction time data showed decreasing latency with increasing signal level and length. These data were consistent with other marine mammal species and demonstrate that signal detection and behavior are affected by the duration of tonal sounds in killer whales.
Auditory brainstem response recovery from forward masking in insectivorous and frugivorous bats
Authors: Capshaw Grace , Diebold Clarice A. , Sterbing Susanne , Lauer Amanda M. , Moss Cynthia F.
Published: April 2023

Echolocating bats rely on precise temporal processing of sound, as echolocation calls may be emitted at rates as high as 150–200 sounds per second in the terminal “buzz” phase that precedes prey capture by insectivorous species. High call repetition rates could introduce forward masking effects that interfere with echo detection; however, echolocating bats may have evolved auditory specializations to prevent repetition suppression of auditory responses and facilitate detection of sounds separated by very brief time intervals. We assessed the time course of post-stimulus recovery of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) in two bat species that differ in the temporal characteristics of their sonar behaviors: the insectivorous Eptesicus fuscus, which uses high sonar call rates to capture prey and the frugivorous Carollia perspicillata, which uses lower call rates to forage. We recorded forward-masking ABRs to paired clicks at varied inter-stimulus intervals and measured recovery from prior stimulation as the ratio of response amplitudes and latencies evoked by the second stimulus relative to the first. We observed significant species-specific effects of forward masking on ABR responses in which E. fuscus maintained comparable responses to ISIs less than 4 ms compared to longer post-stimulus response recovery times (>6 ms) in C. perspicillata.
Linear time-invariant (LTI) modeling for aerial and underwater acoustics
Authors: Gaudette Jason E. , Simmons James A.
Published: April 2023

Most newcomers to acoustic signal processing understand that linear time-invariant (LTI) filters can remove out-of-band noise from time series signals. What many acoustics researchers may not realize is that LTI models can be applied much more broadly, including to non-linear and time-variant systems. This presentation covers an overview of the autoregressive (AR), moving-average (MA), and autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) family of LTI models and their many useful applications in acoustics. Examples include analytic time-frequency processing of multi-component echolocation signals, fractional-delay filtering for acoustic time series simulations, broadband acoustic array beamforming, adaptive filtering for noise cancelation, and system identification for acoustic equalizers (i.e., flattening the frequency response of a source-receiver pair). This talk serves as a brief tutorial and inspiration for researchers who want to expand their use of signal processing, especially those in the fields of animal bioacoustics, aerial acoustics, and underwater acoustics.
Tailoring nonlinear ultrasound beams using acoustic lenses
Authors: Sallam Ahmed , Shahab Shima
Published: April 2023

Acoustic holographic lenses, i.e., acoustic holograms, can tailor ultrasound beams to precisely construct elaborate focal patterns. Due to their valuable capabilities, acoustic holograms are being rapidly investigated for a wide range of applications in physical acoustics and biomedical ultrasound. Modeling and demonstrating acoustic holograms in linear regimes is well documented in the literature. However, Acoustic holograms have the potential to improve the precision and affordability of therapeutic high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). In this work, we will show the effects of nonlinear propagation on ultrasound fields tailored by acoustic holograms. The intensity-dependent effects of harmonic generation, diffraction, and nonlinear gain on the constructed pressure pattern are discussed. In addition, an accelerated method for simulating high-intensity 3D holographic ultrasound is introduced. We will show how the proposed algorithm greatly reduces the computational load for designing and predicting high-intensity holographic ultrasound patterns. This expedites the procedure of designing the acoustic lens, which allows for a more rapid and seamless implementation, especially in medical settings.