Applications of Engineering Webinar Series: "Real-world, wearable...

Speaker:  Daryush D. Mehta, PhD (he/him)

Title: Real-world, wearable sensing of vocal behavior to improve the assessment and treatment of voice disorders

Date/Time: 10 May 2023 / 19.00 - 20:00

Zoom Link:   https://sabanciuniv.zoom.us/j/95708253736

Abstract:Many common voice disorders are chronic or recurring conditions that involve excessive muscle activity in the vocal anatomy and physiology, referred to as vocal hyperfunction. The clinical management of hyperfunctional voice disorders would be greatly enhanced by the ability to monitor and quantify detrimental vocal behaviors during an individual’s activities of daily life. This talk provides an update on ongoing work that uses a miniature accelerometer on the neck surface below the larynx to collect a large set of ambulatory data on patients with hyperfunctional voice disorders (before and after treatment) and matched-control healthy subjects.

Three analysis approaches are highlighted in an effort to identify the best set of measures for differentiating among hyperfunctional and normal patterns of vocal behavior: (1) ambulatory measures of voice use that include vocal dose and voice quality correlates, (2) aerodynamic measures based on glottal airflow estimates extracted from the accelerometer signal using subject-specific vocal system models, and (3) classification based on machine learning and pattern recognition approaches.Results demonstrate the potential for ambulatory voice monitoring to improve diagnosis, treatment, and, ultimately, prevention of common hyperfunctional voice disorders. The project is highly interdisciplinary, sustained effort in close collaboration with clinicians, psychologists, engineers, and computer scientists.

Bio: Daryush Mehta is Director of the Voice Science and Technology Laboratory at the MGH Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and Adjunct Associate Professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. Daryush received his PhD in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology from the Harvard–MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Master's in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, and Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from University of Florida (Go Gators!). Daryush’s research interests include advanced imaging of voice production, acoustic speech signal processing, and clinical voice disorder assessment. Profile: https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/14169928/Daryush-Mehta.