bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using ultrasound to measure Achilles Tendon kinematics, kinetics, and material properties when walking
Authors: Acuña Samuel A.
Published: November 2021

Ultrasound has emerged as a fundamental tool to investigate the biomechanics of muscles and tendons during locomotion. Ultrasound can directly and non-invasively assess neuromuscular activity in vivo and can thus inform researchers how muscles and tendons interact during a wide variety of functional tasks such as walking. For example, loading from the triceps surae muscles (i.e., calf muscles) interacts through distinct fascicles within the Achilles tendon, which can give rise to unique biomechanical behavior detectable via ultrasound. This presentation will discuss how we have used ultrasound to monitor kinematics and material properties of the Achilles tendon during walking, as well as motivate investigations of tendon kinetics using wave speed. This work has broad application to clinical gait analyses as well as to further our understanding of the neuromuscular activity underlying healthy gait. For example, we will investigate the hypothesis that age-related changes in the Achilles Tendon can influence propulsive forces in older adults. Finally, we will discuss the broad opportunities and challenges of using ultrasound during clinical gait analysis.
New applications of ultrasound-based muscle activity sensing for rehabilitation engineering
Authors: Sikdar Siddhartha , Bashatah Ahmed , Majdi Joseph , Chitnis Parag V.
Published: November 2021

Traditionally, electromyography using surface electrodes has been the dominant method for sensing muscle activity. Major challenges with surface electromyography include the difficulty in resolving signals from overlying muscles and low signal to noise ratio. In recent years, ultrasound has been investigated as an alternative and complementary modality for sensing functional muscle activity that overcomes several limitations of surface electromyography. Ultrasound imaging can non-invasively resolve individual muscles, including deep and overlying muscles, and detect dynamic activity within different functional compartments in real-time. While the use of ultrasound in the biomechanics community has a long history, the continuing miniaturization of ultrasound instrumentation has opened up new opportunities for using ultrasound in rehabilitation engineering as a biosignal sensing modality for assistive devices. This talk will describe results from our current work on developing miniaturized low-power ultrasound instrumentation for wearable systems, including next generation prostheses and exoskeletons. I will also describe opportunities and limitations for applications of ultrasound in rehabilitation engineering.
Creating a mentored research environment in an underwater acoustics lab
Authors: Vongsawad Cameron T. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Terry Kaylyn N. , Hollingsworth Scott P. , Dobbs Corey E. , Fronk Gabriel H.
Published: November 2021

Mentored research experiences for undergraduate students yield an increased interest in STEM fields, are better prepared for the professional world, and develop enhanced cognitive and personal skills. These experiences help them become better students with improved ability for independent thought and problem solving who are more likely to pursue graduate degrees. The new Brigham Young University underwater acoustics laboratory has been built to facilitate active mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in order promote quick involvement in original research. New students require significant scaffolding in order to meet the steep learning curves in many topics and skills. This scaffolding includes regular group training, peer mentorship, and active laboratory resources. Advisors facilitate this through efficient laboratory design, structured procedures, and regular communication. This process supports student-led research and mentorship by promoting effective transfer of knowledge and allowing students to develop into independently driven research scientists with the technical and professional skills to be successful in a professional world.
An overview of the upcoming Special Issue on Education in Acoustics
Authors: Russell Daniel A. , Wilson Preston S.
Published: November 2021

The current special session includes presentations by authors who have submitted (or will be submitting) papers to an upcoming special issue of The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America on education in acoustics. Quoting from the call for papers for the special issue: “The scope of this Special Issue would include all types of papers that would be of interest to people who teach courses in acoustics (at all levels), or who might write textbooks on acoustics (at all levels), or to people who enjoy learning and relearning the basics of acoustics.” This talk will provide an overview of the special issue and highlight some of the issue’s content not represented by speakers in the current special session.
Moderated versus unmoderated remote audiovisual speech perception tasks in children
Authors: Gijbels Liesbeth , Yeatman Jason D. , Lee Adrian KC
Published: November 2021

Virtual adaptations for auditory/audiovisual research have received relatively little attention, especially considering developmental work. The recent pandemic provided opportunities to explore different aspects of remote behavioral testing, ranging from adapting the types of stimuli used, to adjusting the methods of behavioral assessment. When working with children online, an additional consideration is the experimenter’s use of moderation, which may also influence the results. Our lab evaluated an online audiovisual speech perception task in 6–7-year-old children, in sessions that were moderated (N = 37) and unmoderated (N = 47) by an experimenter. Differences in performance show the importance of choice of behavioral measures when performing virtual audiovisual research. Additionally, we found differences in attention, drop-out rate, and the number of unusable results. We found that both types of virtual assessments can be used with sufficient considerations taken into account, but the differences in testing procedures should be explicitly stated to facilitate cross-study comparisons. Both moderated and unmoderated remote testing setups have their particular benefits depending on the research question, caregiver involvement, and requirements for sustained attention.
Spectral weighting in sound localization: Effects of competing noise
Authors: Folkerts Monica L. , Picou Erin M. , Stecker G. Christopher
Published: November 2021

The localization of complex sounds relies upon spatial cues, namely the interaural time differences (ITDs) and interaural level differences (ILDs) which are distributed across the frequency spectrum of the stimulus. Spectral weighting functions (SWFs) measured using free-field and binaural methods [Stecker et al., JASA 145, 1720 (2019)] have confirmed the spectral “dominance region” [Bilsen and Raatgever, Acustica 28, 131–2 (1973)] in which listeners utilize the ITD cue around 400-1000 Hz. However, the salience of the spectral “dominance region” in the presence of competing noise is unknown. Previous studies demonstrate decreased localization performance in the presence of a white-noise masker, especially when the stimulus does not contain high-frequency components [Lorenzi et al., JASA 105, 3454–3463 (1999); Brungart and Simpson, JASA 126, 3199–3208 (2009)]. The current study measures SWFs in the presence of two uncorrelated lateral white-noise maskers (at –90° and +90° azimuth) for three signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs: +9, 0, –6 dB). Contrary to our hypothesis that the “dominance region” would shift to higher frequency components, the “dominance region” remained salient around 400–1000 Hz across all SNRs. [Work supported by NIH R01-DC016643.]
Individual differences in personality traits affect performance, frustration, and effort in a speech-in-noise task
Authors: Medina Lopez Paola , Stump Timothy , Kirk Nicole , Jung Vincent , Clougherty Jane E. , Francis Alexander L.
Published: November 2021

Individual personality traits may influence psychological and physiological response to background noise. Here, we assessed participants’ (N = 93) performance on a speech-in-noise arithmetic task along with self-rated effort and frustration and several emotion/personality-related questionnaires. We also manipulated the feeling of control that participants had over noise level by allowing half to choose task difficulty ("easy” or “hard") while assigning the others to a difficulty level without agency. On each trial participants heard three spoken digits and added them. On half of the trials, one digit was masked by noise. To better assess the impact of choice and perceived difficulty, signal-to-noise ratio and spoken digits were identical across all conditions. Participants who scored higher on the Extraversion scale of the Big-5 personality inventory expressed significantly more frustration when they had no control over task difficulty, and less frustration when they had control (interaction, p = 0.03). Similarly, participants with a more external (higher) Locus of Control reported putting significantly more effort into the hard task (whether assigned or chosen) but less effort into the easy task (interaction p = 0.01). Results will be discussed in terms of implications for future research on noise sensitivity and long-term health.
Predicting asymmetries in vowel perception: Formant convergence succeeds where peripherality fails
Authors: Polka Linda , Masapollo Matthew , Bohn Ocke-Schwen
Published: November 2021

Vowel discrimination is often asymmetric such that discriminating the same vowel contrast is easier in one direction compared to the opposite direction. According to the Natural Referent Vowel (NRV) framework, these asymmetries reveal a perceptual bias favoring acoustic vowel signals produced with more extreme vocalic gestures, which act as natural referent vowels. The NR vowel within a contrast typically falls in a more peripheral location within articulatory/acoustic vowel space (defined by F1 and F2) and with F1 and F2 in closer proximity. However, these properties do not always align, as in the case of the /e/-/Ø/ contrast. We here compared findings across three studies where asymmetries were observed during discrimination of this contrast. Peripherality predicts an asymmetry such that perception would be better in the /Ø/□/e/ direction. However, all three studies showed better performance in the opposite direction, which also aligns with the prediction based on formant convergence (derived from reported acoustic measures for each stimulus set). These findings suggest that this perceptual bias is shaped by formant convergence, rather than peripherality per se, which is presumably tied to the extent of vocal-tract constriction. A follow-up study will obtain articulographic recordings of these vocalic gestures to quantify this articulatory-acoustic relation.
Stimulus onset asynchrony effects on perceptual learning
Authors: Soo Rachel , Babel Molly
Published: November 2021

Listeners use lexical knowledge to guide the perception of phonetically ambiguous speech sounds and for retuning phonetic category boundaries. While phonetic ambiguity has many sources, diachronic sound changes represent a more systematic form of phonetic variation. Sound changes may neutralize the phonetic and phonological contrast between two lexical competitors, rendering lexical knowledge in perceptual learning paradigms an unreliable scaffold for boundary retuning, particularly in languages with a high proportion of monosyllabic lexical items (e.g., Cantonese). We present pilot results of an auditory-object-to-picture matching task for perceptual learning of English vowels in monosyllabic words. Seven-step [æ]-[ɑ] continua were created for three minimal pairs (e.g., “gnat”—“knot”). Images corresponding to the real word endpoints were presented at three different stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) intervals: −250, 0, +250 ms. Participants responded as to whether the visual image matched the auditory token. Preliminary findings indicate that listeners deem the auditory token and picture a congruent match at higher proportions in the 0 ms SOA condition. Our future work analyzes the subsequent learning in response to this exposure method and uses this SOA in a Cantonese perceptual learning study focused on adaptation to lexical tone variation.
Examining the link between speech perception and production through categorical boundaries
Authors: Nielsen Kuniko
Published: November 2021

The link between speech perception and production is one of the central topics in speech perception theories. Newman (2003) examined the correlations between acoustic measures of listeners’ perceptual and production prototypes for a given speech category, and found significant correlations for stop consonants (VOT) and for voiceless fricatives (spectral peaks). Shultz et al. (2012) also investigated the possible link between perception and production by examining speakers’ relative cue weighting of VOT and f0 in word initial stops. Although their results showed no significant correlation between weighting of VOT in production and perception, they reported a trend toward a slightly positive correlation between production and perception for VOT values. The current study extends these findings and aims to explore the perception-production link by examining the relationship between the location of categorical boundaries (between /p/ and /b/) in perception and production. If mental representations for perception and production are directly linked, then speakers with higher VOT values in both categories in production would be expected to also show a higher categorical boundary in perception.
Length, speech style, and acoustic characteristics of speech impact perceptions of personality
Authors: Culnan John
Published: November 2021

People naturally make judgments about those around them when they see others or hear them speak. The present work examines the impact of length of speech, speech style (read speech or conversational speech), and acoustic characteristics of that speech upon the Big Five personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, neuroticism, and openness) attributed to the speaker by unknown listeners. Personality trait ratings were collected from 222 listeners who heard audio clips from different speakers producing different lengths of speech in two speech styles. Linear mixed effects models examining length and speech style were then calculated, which demonstrate that short segments of roughly four to five seconds are generally judged differently from longer segments of around 15 s, while speech style only makes a difference in judgments of conscientiousness. Pearson's correlation coefficients reveal that listeners make use of intensity information more than other acoustic features, with intensity measures shown to correlate with conscientiousness, extroversion, and neuroticism. Other correlations of acoustic features with personality ratings demonstrate that extroversion is particularly easy to identify acoustically, whereas openness and agreeableness are more challenging to capture.
Signal processing ocean ambient sound for environmental awareness
Authors: Siderius Martin , Gebbie John
Published: November 2021

Signal processing methods have been developed that use ocean ambient sound to estimate environmental parameters such as the seabed properties. The techniques are straightforward, but in realistic environments there are a variety of complications. The methods considered use a vertically oriented hydrophone line array and practical issues arise such as array motion and deformation. These array parameters are often unknown and represent mismatch with the processing assumptions (e.g., a stationary, straight array). If ignored, performance can degrade significantly so robust signal processing techniques are needed to mitigate. Further, when using ambient sound, as opposed to a sound projector, additional averaging time is needed; this is typically on the order of one or two minutes. Stability in the measurements is essential to obtain the necessary coherent gain. Motion-correcting averaging methods, Doppler correction, adaptive beamforming and supergain are applied to ambient sound processing and will be discussed. Further, data will be analyzed to illustrate the relevant issues and potential remedies in real acoustic environments. Measurements from recent experiments will be presented to illustrate the performance including data collected on the New England Shelf Break in April/May 2021. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Using a library of shipping sources for data-driven localization of nearby sources
Authors: Durofchalk Nicholas C. , Jin Jihui , Romberg Justin , Sabra Karim G.
Published: November 2021

Underwater source localization is often achieved with a purely model-based approach such as matched-field processing with simulated replica-field. However, such approaches only yield reasonable predictions if the complex and dynamic ocean environment is sufficiently known – often a daunting task. Alternatively, it has been suggested that channel impulse responses (CIRs) estimated from measurements of sources of opportunity (such as commercial shipping vessels) can feed a data-driven approach to source localization that forgoes the need for precise model-parameters [Durofchalk et al., JASA 146(4), 2691–2691 (2019)]. In this presentation, multiple vertical line array (VLA) data from the SBCEx16 experiment conducted in the vicinity of shipping lanes in the Santa Barbara channel (580 m depth, downward refracting profile) are first used to a construct a library of estimated CIRs between selected locations along opportunistic shipping tracks and VLA receivers using ray-based blind deconvolution (RBD) [Byun et al., JASA 141(2), 797–807 (2017)]. Subsequently, this library of data derived CIRs is used to localize other surface sources with traditional matched-field processing techniques and as training data for a machine learning algorithm. The average localization error and computational efficiency of the different methods are compared.
An infrasound signal classification method based on non-negative matrix factorization
Authors: Meng Zixuan , Teng Pengxiao
Published: November 2021

Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is a principal component analysis method. Previously, several researchers have applied it to the field of infrasound noise reduction. This paper presents a method of combining the results of non-negative matrix factorization with information entropy theory as a signal feature. Firstly, the short-time Fourier spectrum of the original infrasound signal is factorized by NMF, then the entropy of the coefficient matrix’s singular value is taken as the signal feature. This feature is combined with several classical features to form a feature vector and input it into the classifier for classification. The classification results show that the proposed NMF singular entropy is an effective signal characterization method.
Coherent reflection recovery in forward scattering from random rough surfaces with non-Gaussian correlation functions
Authors: Joslyn Nicholas J. , Dowling David R.
Published: November 2021

The coherence between incident and reflected acoustic waves, with wavenumber k, scattered from a random rough surface, with root-mean-square roughness height h, decreases exponentially as khcosθ increases. The incidence angle, θ, and the surface roughness properties are set by the geometry and characteristics of the environment while the wavenumber range is governed by the signal bandwidth. The frequency-difference autoproduct is a nonlinear field construction capable of recovering reflected-field coherence by downshifting recorded frequencies, effectively decreasing the wavenumber. However, due to the quadratic nature of the frequency-difference autoproduct, dependence on the surface correlation function is introduced. This effect, and other relevant features, appear in the analytic form of the frequency-difference autoproduct derived for Gaussian-distributed surface roughness and surface correlation function. Previous results from simulated isotropic Gaussian surfaces and simple laboratory experiments verify the validity of this form. This presentation provides new results for autoproduct-based coherence recovery in fields scattered from surfaces exhibiting non-Gaussian correlation functions. Coherence recovery is quantified by the coherent surface reflection coefficient (ensemble-average reflected-field amplitude divided by flat-surface reflected-field amplitude), and comparisons are made to the Gaussian-based theory. Experimental results may be provided. [Work supported by ONR and an NDSEG Fellowship.]
Stochastic sound propagation using dynamically orthogonal parabolic equations
Authors: Ali Wael H. , Lermusiaux Pierre F.
Published: November 2021

Accurate modeling of underwater acoustic propagation is challenging due to the complex ocean physics and acoustic dynamics and the need for resolving the wavelength of the propagating acoustic wave over large distances. These challenges are further amplified by the incomplete knowledge of the ocean environment and the acoustic parameters. These complexities thus lead to many sources of uncertainties in the governing models. In this work, we use our stochastic Dynamically Orthogonal (DO) framework to represent these uncertainties probabilistically in the acoustic Parabolic Equation (PE). These equations optimally represent the dominant uncertainties in the sound speed, density, bathymetry, and acoustic pressure fields. Starting from the governing PE, we derive range-evolution DO differential equations for the mean field, stochastic modes, and coefficients, hence preserving the nonlinearities and capturing the non-Gaussian statistics. The DO equations are implemented for the narrow-angle PE and higher-order Padé wide-angle PEs and are applied in range-dependent canonical test cases and realistic ocean environments with uncertain source location, source frequency, sound speed, and/or bathymetry fields. We highlight the computational advantages of our framework by comparing it to Monte Carlo predictions and show convergence of the probability density functions as the number of samples and/or modes is increased.
A look at reverberation received on a vertical array during the TREX13 experiment
Authors: Ellis Dale D. , Hefner Brian T. , Tang Dajun , Hodgkiss William
Published: November 2021

The TREX13 Target and Reverberation Experiment was conducted in shallow water off Panama City, Florida. Previously published work focused on reverberation from a fixed horizontal array, which resolves scattering in the azimuthal direction, but has very limited information about the vertical dependence of the scattering. Here, we look at the TREX13 datai—LFM pulses of various bandwidths in the 1.8–3.6 kHz frequency range—received on the vertical line arrays (VLAs) to see what information can be gleaned. The depth and time dependence of the reverberation and echo from a target are investigated. Beams are formed at various vertical angles, which should provide information about the grazing angle dependence of the scattering. A complication arises in determining the scattering strength in non-uniform environments, since the reverberation comes from all azimuths, and since the source and vertical array receivers were not co-located. In such bistatic geometry, the energy arriving at any instant comes from different ranges, azimuths, and vertical angles. However, if the source and receiver are close together, at longer times the geometry approximates the simpler monostatic situation. To help interpretation, results are compared with predictions from a range-dependent bistatic reverberation model. [Work supported by ONR, Ocean Acoustics.]
IYS Outeach through SPS Science Outreach Catalyst Kits (SOCKs)
Authors: Johnson Noah , Fortener Holly , Conrad Brad
Published: November 2021

Explore some of the outreach possibilities around the International Year of Sound through the 2021–2022 Society of Physics Student Science Outeach Catalyst Kit (SPS SOCK). SOCKs, are free to ASA and SPS chapters (while supplies last) and contain exploratory acoustic and physics activities that are specifically designed for undergraduate and graduate students to use in outreach presentations to elementary, middle and high school students. Through a grant from AIP, this year's SOCK kits come with a complete set of materials for students host an engaging and educationally effective outreach table aim at the general public and students alike. Explore the variety of ways we experience sound and music through several complete setups that are designed to expand a chapter’s outreach capabilities and become tried-and-true outreach activities. This years kits are designed for chapters just starting out or those who are demo pros. This SOCK was designed and implemented by the SPS National interns, ASA Staff, ASA volunteers, and the SPS National office staff. Come learn about this kit and how it can help your group get everyone excited about sound: www.spsnational.org/programs/outreach/science-outreach-catalyst-kits
UK Acoustics Network and International Year of Sound
Authors: Horoshenkov Kirill V.
Published: November 2021

In 2017, the UK's Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) funded a project to create the new Acoustics Network of research active acousticians in the UK (UKAN). The main aim of UKAN was to bring together researchers working in different areas of acoustics to enhance communication between groups, provide a focus for collaboration and innovation, and to maximise the future impact of acoustics-based research in the UK. UKAN works closely with the UK Institute of Acoustics and other professional bodies in the UK and overseas to promote the wider importance of acoustics and to raise its profile nationally and internationally via a range of research exchanges, workshops and public engagement events. The duration of the UKAN grant overlapped well with the International Year of Sound (IYS), its representatives took active part in the IYS Launch Event in January 2020 and continued to support IYS activities throughout 2020/21 despite of the pandemics. The successful UKAN’s operation paved the foundation for securing funding for UKAN + EPSRC grant that started in April 2021. This paper presents a summary of the accomplishments by UKAN/UKAN + and its wider role in planning and supporting of the activities related to the International Year of Sound.
The International Year of Sound (IYS2020+) in Spain
Authors: Pedrero Antonio , Pérez-López Antonio , Calvo-Manzano Antonio , Delgado-Portela Ana
Published: November 2021

The International Year of Sound (IYS2020 +) is an international initiative aimed at raising awareness in society about the importance of sound in everyone's life. To this end, the International Commission for Acoustics has requested that activities be scheduled in all countries of the world. In addition, it has organized an international student contest in order to involve the youngest in this cause. Unfortunately, a few days after this initiative was officially inaugurated, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in the world, forcing the reformulation or even cancellation of many of the scheduled activities. In this communication a general balance of the development of the IYS2020+ in Spain is made. The dissemination work of this initiative carried out by the Spanish Acoustics Society is described. In addition, the most notable activities carried out are discussed, as well as the participation of Spanish schools in the student contest.
Development of a tension-controlled soft-robotic actuation system for a biomimetic bat robot
Authors: Lagad Sanmeel Vijay , Eshera Ibrahim M. , Chakrabarti Sounak , Müller Rolf
Published: November 2021

It has been observed that bat species such as the horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) that are capable of biosonar-based navigation in dense vegetation deform their noseleaves and pinnae during echolocation. To investigate the impact of these deformations on the encoding of sensory information in the biosonar echoes, a biomimetic robot has been developed to replicate this unique peripheral dynamics. Horseshoe bats have about twenty muscles on each pinna and demonstrate a considerable amount of variability in the motions of these structures. To replicate even a small portion of this flexibility and variability, an actuation mechanism with a small footprint on the deforming structure is necessary. In a prior version of the biomimetic robot, soft-robotic pneumatic actuators were used, but the size of these devices limited their number per pinna and relative orientation. To alleviate these issues, a tension-controlled actuation concept has been developed that consists a bank of servo motors that are connected to the pinna via tendons. At present, this system is designed for five degrees of freedom per pinna and three for the noseleaf. Ongoing work seeks to address how the tension-based actuation system can be controlled to recreate the variability in the noseleaf and pinna deformations of bats.
Achroia grisella’s ear as inspiration for acoustic sensing
Authors: Díaz-García Lara , Reid Andrew , Jackson Joseph , Windmill James
Published: November 2021

Bio-inspiration, gathering insight from looking at nature, can be useful when trying to solve challenges innovatively. Insects are forced by their body size and the energy cost of a hearing organ to make many clever adaptations for hearing. Achroia grisella is a nocturnal moth with a hearing sense. It uses it both for avoiding predators and mating, the latter being an unconventional role among moths. The moth is capable of directionality that seems to be monoaural and dependent exclusively on morphology. We develop a model with the goal of 3D printing a structure whose behavior is similar to that of the moth ear, i.e., directionality at a low design cost. Starting from a simple circular plate model, we progressively incorporate more complex elements to improve the resemblance to the natural system. Equations, simulations, and 3D printed devices' frequency responses (measured through Laser Doppler Vibrometry) are compared. The directionality of the printed devices is analyzed.
Exposure radial distances
Authors: Küsel Elizabeth T. , Weirathmueller Michelle , Zeddies David
Published: November 2021

During offshore construction activities that produce underwater sound, mitigation zones are established to define protective monitoring areas for fauna in the vicinity and to establish whether animals may be exposed to sound levels exceeding regulatory criteria. Traditionally, mitigation zones have been determined by estimating the range within which the sound levels remain above given thresholds. These statically defined “acoustic ranges” have drawbacks, especially for criteria based on cumulative metrics such as SEL for marine mammal injury. A threshold distance derived solely from the acoustic footprint of a source is inadequate in establishing whether an animal moving through a (possibly time-varying) sound field would exceed a time-dependent exposure criterion. An approach to defining mitigation zones based on an understanding of the animals’ movement relative to the sound source overcomes the limitations of the static range calculation. The radial distance from a source that accounts for the exposures above threshold, or 'exposure range', can be estimated statistically from path-dependent sound exposure estimates generated through animal movement modeling. Exposure ranges can be calculated by this method also for moving and multiple sources. We present example scenarios comparing acoustic and exposure ranges in the context of seismic surveys and pile driving activities.
A tale of two singers: how do bats and bird mixed-flocks respond to petroleum industry noise in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Authors: Rivera-Parra José L. , Rivera-Parra Pamela , Vasconez Christian , Dueñas-Vidal Álvaro , Sorriso-Valvo Luca
Published: November 2021

Industrial noise can have a significant impact on animal groups that rely on acoustic communication for fundamental survival activities. Our research focuses on two of these groups: insectivorous bats, which use ultrasound to navigate and find food; and mixed flocks of insectivorous birds, that rely on vocalizations to communicate about foraging direction and potential threats. We conducted in situ experiments in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in the Ecuadorian Amazon to understand the immediate and long term effects of industrial noise on behaviour, habitat use and local diversity. We characterized bats and birds vocalizations, and the industrial noise profile, both in ultrasound and audible frequencies. Experiments were performed using pure tone sounds representative of the industrial noise acoustic profile. Moreover, experiments included behavioral response characterization and acoustic transmission modeling. Our results suggest, in both groups, the immediate response is avoidance. In the long term, the effects included a change on habitat use, and modification on community composition. These effects are proportional to how similar is the noise to the frequencies commonly used by the animals and how much noise the habitat itself absorbs. Modeling and technology development are the next steps to further understand these effects and how to mitigate them.
The impact of different forms of noise on female mate choice in the Australian black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus)
Authors: Briggs Jessica
Published: November 2021

The increasing prevalence of anthropogenic noise presents a new selection pressure that is rapidly changing the acoustic landscape in which animal signals have adapted. Increasing noise levels can impact an animal’s ability to use acoustic cues and signals to properly assess their environment or recognize, localize, and evaluate a potential mate, leading to decreases in fitness and survivorship. Anthropogenic noise outside the range of the human sensory system is often overlooked. Therefore, it is important to understand how noise in multiple modalities may disrupt informed decision making. Crickets can detect airborne noise in the low and high frequencies as well as substrate-borne vibrations and rely on detecting airborne calls to successfully assess potential mates. A systematic approach was used to test the behavioral response of Australian black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus) under variable noise conditions, with the aim of understanding how female choice is influenced by multisensory noise. Playback trials in the laboratory were performed to examine how noise in all three forms influenced female mate choice. This study will expand our knowledge of the effects of anthropogenic noise on an understudied taxa and highlight why we need to consider the animal’s sensory system sensitivity when studying noise.
Surface acoustic waves and Mach stem formation produced by lithotripter shock wave-stone interaction
Authors: Xiang Gaoming , Sankin Georgy , Cao Shunxiang , Wang Kevin , Zhong Pei
Published: November 2021

Lithotripter shock wave (LSW)-stone interaction may vary significantly due to respiratory motion of the patient. In this work, we have investigated the variations of the LSW-stone interaction and associated stone fracture pattern using photoelastic imaging, phantom experiments, and three-dimensional fluid-solid interaction modeling at different lateral locations in a lithotripter field. In contrast to the T-shaped fracture pattern observed in a disk-shaped stone under symmetric loading, we have observed a gradual transition of the fracture pattern to a tilted L-shape under asymmetric loading. Importantly, our model simulations reveal the generation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs)—a leaky Rayleigh wave on the anterior and a Scholte wave on the posterior surface of the stone. The propagation of SAWs on the stone boundary is accompanied by a progressive transition of the LSW reflection pattern from regular to von Neumann and to weak von Neumann reflection near the glancing incidence and, concomitantly, the development of a Mach stem, swirling around the stone boundary. The maximum tensile stress and stress integral are produced by SAWs on the stone boundary under asymmetric loading, which drive the initiation and extension of surface cracks into the bulk of the stone that has been confirmed by microCT analysis.
Ultrasound imaging metrics to characterize cavitation activity during burst wave lithotripsy
Authors: Kreider Wayne , Hunter Christopher , Kim Ga Won , Cunitz Bryan W. , Wang Yak-Nam , Thiel Jeff , Bailey Michael R. , Maxwell Adam
Published: November 2021

Burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) is a noninvasive approach for comminuting kidney stones with short bursts of focused ultrasound. An important practical aspect of this approach is the ability to deliver treatments with a handheld therapy probe integrated with an ultrasound imaging probe to facilitate ultrasound guidance and monitoring. Because cavitation can influence both injury and efficacy for stone comminution, we seek to develop cavitation-related imaging metrics that correlate with stone fragmentation and tissue injury. Toward this end, a Verasonics system was programmed to synchronize therapy and imaging pulses and record B-mode and Doppler data using a P4-2 probe. Imaging data were recorded during BWL exposures at 350 kHz both for in vivo injury experiments in a porcine model and invitro breaking experiments for stones in a kidney phantom. For in vivo exposures, cavitation was detected more sensitively with Doppler than B-mode, and the detection of sustained cavitation in the kidney parenchyma appears to precede the onset of hemorrhagic injury. For in vitro exposures using different pulse lengths and pulse repetition frequencies to break stones, the axial position of a bubble cloud proximal to the stone appears to correlate with efficacy. [Work supported by NIH NIDDK, Grants P01 DK043881 and K01 DK104854.]
Can we harness cavitation for therapeutic benefit?
Authors: Holland Christy K.
Published: November 2021

Therapeutic ultrasound and cavitation nucleation agents are currently being developed for a range of clinical applications such as enhanced cardiovascular drug delivery, blood brain barrier disruption, immunotherapy, sonothrombolysis, sonobactericide, and bioactive gas delivery. Microbubbles oscillate when exposed to ultrasound and create stresses directly on nearby tissue that elicit a biological response, thereby enhancing drug transport into vascular tissue, biofilm, thrombi, or tumors. Catheter-directed therapeutics in combination with an ultrasound contrast agent nucleate sustained bubble activity and enhanced drug penetration and efficacy. Passive cavitation imaging aids in mapping the spatial and temporal extent as well as type of bubble activity. The conditions for the onset of inertial and stable cavitation will be reviewed in the context of the Mechanical and Cavitation Indices. Successful implementation of ultrasound and cavitation nuclei-mediated drug and bioactive gas delivery has the potential to change the way drugs are administered systemically, resulting in more effective therapeutics and less-invasive treatments.
Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy of free vibrating oscillators for massive particles detection
Authors: Ostrovskii Igor
Published: November 2021

The half-inch diameter quartz oscillators are set for free vibrations. The crystal admittance (Y) versus frequency of ultrasound (F) is measured near fundamental harmonic of 9-10 MHz. The quartz crystallographic axes X, Y, interplain and rotated are oriented in space toward the sky locations of the Sun, center of the Milky Way galaxy or another star. It is demonstrated that Y(F) spectra are sensitive to an alignment of the crystallographic axes with space direction toward the stars. The two general results include: (1) changing Y(F) from a few to tens of percents under aligning crystallographic axes toward the stars and (2) occurring periodic minima in Y(F)-dependencies taken during some seconds with a tracking generator synchronized with a spectrum analyzer. The deepest minima in Y(F) appear when the azimuths of crystal axes coincide with those of the stars. These changes may be explained by electrically neutral massive particles (mp) emitted from a star and interacting with the crystals. The mass of a single mp-particle is estimated around ∼5 × 10−21 kg. RUS measurements correlate with the data from a crystal pendulum having a quartz bob and starts swinging when mp-particle hits it. RUS of free vibrating oscillators is perspective for detecting stellar massive particles.
Physical parameters influence on the transmitted signal through a rigid porous medium in the low-frequency range of ultrasound
Authors: Mahiou Abdelmadjid , Sellami Ilhem , Sadouki Mustapha
Published: November 2021

The acoustic characterization of porous materials with rigid structure plays an important role in the prediction of the acoustic behavior of these media. In order to obtain an accurate prediction of its response as a function of frequency, several parametric models have been proposed. However, semi-phenomenological models are the most used to describe the acoustic behavior of porous materials with rigid or flexible structures according to a certain number of macroscopic physical properties related to the internal structure of the material and essential for their valuation. Among these models, the one proposed by Johnson et al. to describes the complex density of an acoustic porous material with an immobile skeleton having arbitrary pore shapes. The objective of this work is to study the effect of these parameters involved in Johnson's model as well as other new parameters, recently introduced by Sadouki [Phys. Fluids 33, (2021)), on the transmitted signal in the low-frequency regime of ultrasound.
Sound lateralization ability of elderly individuals in three onset conditions
Authors: Morita Kazumoto , Shiroki Moeko , Toi Takeshi
Published: November 2021

Authors had previously reported that elderly individuals cannot sufficiently grasp the onset portion of sound. To further this research, the current study varied the sound conditions in the onset portion to three—(1) condition in which the onset portion on the delayed ear side was silent; (2) condition in which sound was presented to the onset portion of the delayed ear side as well; and (3) condition in which silence was inserted only during onset portion on the delayed ear, with no phase delay in the ongoing portion. Two sound frequencies of 1 kHz and 500 Hz were presented to 23 elderly participants and 22 young adults. Interaural Time Differences (ITDs) of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 ms were relayed separately to each ear, in addition to the condition of zero ITD to both ears. In the experiments, a test stimulus sound was presented after the reference sound, and participants answered the direction of the sound from among three responses of “Right,” “Left,” or “Same” compared with the reference sound. The results of condition (3) obviously revealed that the elderly participants could not grasp the onset portion of sound compared to the younger participants.
Modeling the time course of cue weighting angle calculations
Authors: Ng Sara , Ellis Gregory M. , Souza Pamela E. , Gallun Frederick J. , Wright Richard A.
Published: November 2021

A series of previous studies (Souza et al., 2015; 2018; 2020) developed a “cue profile” test based on synthetic speech sounds used to assess a hearing-impaired listener’s use of speech cues. The resulting “weighting angle” quantifies how well individual listeners can utilize higher-precision spectro-temporal information (such as formant transitions), or whether they rely on lower-precision temporal (amplitude envelope) cues in consonant identification. The fact that the amount of hearing loss was not associated with the cue profile underscores the need to characterize individual abilities in a more nuanced way than can be captured by the pure-tone audiogram (Souza et al., 2020). One drawback to the current test is that it is time-consuming, making it impractical to deploy in clinical settings. This study employed an inter-trial stability metric based on deviations from a moving average to explore an early stopping point of fewer than 200 trials, rather than the full test of 375 trials, a significant reduction of testing time. A 3-way weighting angle classifier, trained via Long Short-Term Memory Network, was piloted for feasibility as an alternative time reduction method. The results, while preliminary, are encouraging. [Work supported by NIH, Grant No. R01 DC006014 (PI: Souza).]
Singing proficiency of prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants as evaluated by a musician
Authors: Liu Lisa S. , Liu Helen S. , Xu Li
Published: November 2021

Cochlear implant (CI) has become the standard clinical rehabilitation device for children born with hearing impairments. While CI has been successful in helping those children with speech and language development, many studies have found that children with CIs have trouble perceiving tones and pitches. Poor pitch perception would lead to poor vocal singing. In a previous study, samples of singing by normal-hearing children (N = 43) and deaf children with CIs (N = 81) were analyzed acoustically. The present study analyzed those 124 samples with human judgement (i.e., by a musician). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between objective measures using acoustic analysis and subjective measures using an adult musician listener. The musician provided scores for each singing sample on several categories of pitch and tempo. The results showed that the children with CIs did well with tempo, but they had trouble singing the correct pitches and the overall listening pleasure was low. Furthermore, the scores of human judgements on pitch direction, pitch consistency, and pitch interval consistency were significantly correlated with the interval deviation computed from the acoustic analyses of the singing samples (with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.541 to 0.624, all p < 0.05).
Identifying subclinical hearing problems
Authors: Drennan Ward R. , Langley Lauren , Wei Zeyu
Published: November 2021

Noise exposure and aging can cause subclinical hearing problems that are not identified with conventional audiometry. Potential clinical assessments were studied that could identify subclinical hearing deterioration: (1) Electrocochleography (ECoG); (2) Middle Ear Muscle Reflex (MEMR); (3) Extended High Frequency (EHF) thresholds (10–16 kHz); and (4) word recognition in noise. Sixty-one young, normal-hearing people were recruited. Each completed the four auditory assessments and the Life-Time Exposure to Noise Solvents Questionnaire (LENS-Q). ECoG and MEMR measurements were measured as a function of sound level using clinical equipment. Word recognition in noise was measured with a diotic, closed-set, 12-alternative spondees-in-noise test. It was hypothesized that normal-hearing individuals reporting more noise exposure would have slower growth of the ECoG measures and MEMR magnitudes with increasing levels. Individuals reporting higher noise exposure with the LENS-Q had significantly reduced MEMR magnitudes and smaller slopes, supporting the hypothesis. Gender effects were observed. No significant effect of self-report noise-exposure was seen with ECoG AP growth functions or SP/AP ratios, though modest age effects were observed. EHF thresholds were the only significant predictor of word recognition in noise. The results suggest that word recognition in noise, EHF audiometry, and MEMR could indicate subclinical hearing problems.