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2024 Vol.43, Issue 4 Preview Page

Research Article

Impact of face masks on spectral and cepstral measures of speech: A case study of two Korean voice actors

한국어 스펙트럼과 캡스트럼 측정시 안면마스크의 영향: 남녀 성우 2인 사례 연구

Wonyoung Yang1
,
Miji Kwon2*
양 원영1
,
권 미지2*
1Division of Architecure, Gwangju University
2Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Gwangju University
*Corresponding Author
31 July 2024. pp. 422-435
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Abstract

This study intended to verify the effects of face masks on the Korean language in terms of acoustic, aerodynamic, and formant parameters. We chose all types of face masks available in Korea based on filter performance and folding type. Two professional voice actors (a male and a female) with more than 20 years of experience who are native Koreans and speak standard Korean participated in this study as speakers of voice data. Face masks attenuated the high-frequency range, resulting in decreased Vowel Space Area (VSA) and Vowel Articulation Index (VAI) scores and an increased Low-to-High spectral ratio (L/H ratio) in all voice samples. This can result in lower speech intelligibility. However, the degree of increment and decrement was based on the voice characteristics. For female speakers, the Speech Level (SL) and Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) increased with increasing face mask thickness. In this study, the presence or filter performance of a face mask was found to affect speech acoustic parameters according to the speech characteristics. Face masks provoked vocal effort when the vocal intensity was not sufficiently strong, or the environment had less reverberance. Further research needs to be conducted on the vocal efforts induced by face masks to overcome acoustic modifications when wearing masks.

Keywords
Face masks
Speech recognition
Speech acoustics
Vocal effort
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Speaker’s gender

본 연구의 목적은 안면 마스크가 한국어에 미치는 영향을 음향적, 공기역학적, 포먼트 매개변수 측면에서 검증하고자 하였다. 국내에서 판매되는 모든 종류의 마스크를 필터 성능과 접이식 방식을 기준으로 선택하였다. 본 연구에는 표준 한국어를 구사하는 경력 20년 이상의 한국인 전문 성우 2명(남녀)이 음성 데이터의 화자로 참여하였다. 연구 결과, 안면 마스크는 고주파수 범위를 약화시켜 Vowel Space Area(VSA) 및 Vowel Articulation Index(VAI) 점수를 감소시키고 모든 음성 샘플에서 Low-to-High spectral ratio(L/H ratio)을 증가시킨 것으로 나타났다. 이로 인해 음성 명료도가 낮아질 수 있음을 파악하였다. 그러나 음성 특성에 따라 증가 및 감소 정도가 결정되며 여성 화자의 경우 안면 마스크 두께가 증가함에 따라 Speech Level(SL)과 Cepstral Peak Prominence(CPP)가 증가하였다. 그러나 남성 화자의 경우 안면 마스크 두께가 증가함에 따라 이 두 매개변수가 감소하였다. 결론적으로, 본 연구에서는 마스크의 유무나 필터 성능이 음성 특성에 따른 음성 음향 매개변수에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 안면 마스크는 음성 강도가 충분히 강하지 않거나 환경의 반향이 덜할 때 음성 노력에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 마스크 착용 시 음향 변형을 극복하기 위해 안면 마스크로 유도된 음성 노력에 대한 추가적인 연구가 수행되어야 함을 시사한다.

키워드
안면 마스크
언어 인지
음향
음성 노력
코로나 19
화자의 성별
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Information
  • Publisher :The Acoustical Society of Korea
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국음향학회
  • Journal Title :The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국음향학회지
  • Volume : 43
  • No :4
  • Pages :422-435
  • Received Date : 2024-04-25
  • Accepted Date : 2024-06-18
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7776/ASK.2024.43.4.422
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