Articles tagged with Speech
Researchers have discovered how individual neurons coordinate to anticipate events in the brain's auditory cortex. This process is impaired in neurological and psychiatric disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD. By understanding these mechanisms, scientists hope to develop new models for studying predictive signals in the brain.
A new study suggests that our speech is not just about speed, but also about conveying information efficiently. Researchers found that faster speech rates are associated with simpler word choices and syntax, while slower speech rates are linked to more complex words and structures. The study provides insights into how people craft thei...
Researchers at New York University have discovered a new verbal working memory architecture, which involves two brain networks. This finding has significant implications for the creation of artificial intelligence systems, such as speech translation tools, and may lead to improved human-like intelligence in machines.
A recent study published by the Acoustical Society of America found that listening to meaningful sounds, such as music or conversation, can decrease performance on cognitive tasks. In contrast, meaningless noises have a less significant impact on cognitive performance and subjective annoyance.
A team of researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and acoustic analysis to study how children's brains respond to emotional speech cues. They found that lower frequency characteristics in voice spectra may play a significant role in understanding brain activity and differentiating emotional processing.
A UBC study analyzing Trump's speech style and Twitter usage found grandiosity, informal language, and vocal pitch variation as statistical predictors of his success in the Republican primaries. The researchers suggest that these communication styles helped Trump win the nomination despite being shocking to many viewers.
A new study found that speech difficulties can predict poor literacy skills at ages 5½ and 8, but effects are mitigated by age. Early language impairment with speech difficulties is a warning sign for significant reading problems.
A recent study published in PNAS shows that people apply the rules of their spoken language to sign language, revealing a common structure between speech and sign. Researchers found that participants responded similarly to words and signs with doubling, regardless of linguistic context.
A recent study published in Frontiers presents a brain-to-text system that decodes speech from brain signals with high accuracy. The technology uses electrocorticography and language models to match patterns of neural signals to spoken words, offering potential benefits for individuals with speech disorders or locked-in patients.
The 27th Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology was held in Beijing, China, with over 17,000 attendees from 32 societies. Notable speakers included Chinese Academy of Engineering members and international cardiology experts.
Researchers found that preschoolers monitor their private speech for errors and correct them, even without a listener. Adults can encourage this behavior in children by talking aloud while working on tasks.
Researchers found that older adults' brains degrade speech processing in quiet environments, making it harder to comprehend speech amidst background noise. The study suggests that brain training techniques may help improve speech comprehension in older adults.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers have linked symptoms of difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments to evidence of cochlear synaptopathy in young adults. Regular use of hearing protection significantly improved test scores.
A study found that dogs use left and right hemispheres to process words and intonation, integrating information to arrive at a unified meaning. Dogs also activate their reward center when they hear praise in praising intonation, suggesting they can combine word and tone for correct interpretation.
A new study reveals dogs can distinguish both vocabulary words and the intonation of human speech through brain regions used by humans. The research found that dogs process vocabulary in the left hemisphere and intonation in the right hemisphere, mirroring human brain function.
A new study reveals that many stroke patients are unaware they're having a stroke, leading to delayed medical attention. The study found nearly one-third presented with eye symptoms, suggesting the need for a revised public campaign acronym.
A new study by SDSU researchers finds that DiCaprio's speech sparked record levels of public engagement with climate change, exceeding Earth Day and a major climate summit. The study analyzed news media trends, Twitter postings, and Google search trends to investigate global engagement with climate change since January 2011.
A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that orangutans have the potential capacity to control their voices, which could have led to the evolution of human speech. The research found that an adolescent orangutan named Rocky was able to copy the pitch and tone of sounds made by researchers, mimicking vowel-like calls.
A study by University of Zurich researchers found that individuals posting hate speech who used their full name were more common than anonymous trolls. Online anonymity is not a deterrent for hate speech, as it can actually increase credibility and popularity among trolls.
Scientists at UCLA's Voice Center for Medicine and the Arts studied Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Carly Fiorina's speech patterns across various settings. They discovered that despite differing messages, the politicians employed similar voice modulation strategies to convey charisma.
A study from the University of Utah finds that older Americans with hearing loss have more trouble understanding British accents when there is background noise. The study also explores how transgender women can adopt a clearer speaking style to sound more feminine and how fast-talking affects speech intelligibility.
Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have developed a novel noise reduction technology called SEDA, which tunes out ambient talkers and tunes in on the person the wearer wants to listen to. This algorithmic approach can improve speech clarity for those with hearing loss and has potential applications beyond cochlear implants.
A recent study by the University of Washington's Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences found that 9-month-old babies who participated in music play sessions showed improved brain responses to music and new speech sounds. This suggests that early musical experiences can have a lasting impact on cognitive skills such as pattern percept...
Researchers created mice with a mutation associated with human stuttering and found they vocalized in an abnormal pattern reminiscent of the disorder. The animal model may help scientists understand the molecular and neurological basis of stuttering and develop treatments.
Researchers found that robot avatars using multi-modal communication, combining speech and iconic hand gestures, are as easily understood as human actors. The study demonstrated that avatars can convey their message more effectively when using gestures with speech.
Research reveals that bilingual babies exhibit stronger brain responses to speech sounds compared to monolingual peers. Bilingualism is shown to shape cognitive development and improve executive function skills, with babies displaying sensitivity to both languages from 11 months of age.
Research reveals anticipated rejection due to weight stigma negatively impacts heavier women's emotional well-being. Participants who expected rejection experienced lower self-esteem, increased feelings of shame and embarrassment, and greater stress.
A study examines a lawsuit by Amarin Pharmaceutical that challenged the FDA's ban on promoting off-label uses of its product. The authors argue that such statements should be required to assert scientific facts beyond mere logical truth to regulate commercial speech about pharmaceuticals. They advocate for informative content based on ...
A BMJ investigation reveals Jeremy Hunt's public use of seven-day NHS data without clear attribution, potentially breaching the ministerial code. The authors' findings were shared with colleagues before publication, but not in a way that influenced the editorial process.
Researchers have developed a cooling technique that protects the brain's speech centers during surgery and identifies specific areas responsible for word formation and speech timing. The study used focal cooling to map brain functions, including speech ability, and found distinct roles for specific brain regions in forming words.
Conservatives tend to use nouns instead of adjectives to describe things, preferring clarity and predictability. This linguistic preference is linked to the values associated with conservatism, such as stability and tradition.
Research found that damage to brain connections can impact aphasia severity, with some patients having more severe symptoms despite similar stroke volumes. Investigators used MRI imaging to map neural connections and identified patterns associated with language difficulties.
Researchers found that the adult brain's natural plasticity can compensate for a near-complete loss of auditory nerve fibers, restoring sensitivity to faint sounds but not complex sounds like speech. The brain's 'amplifier' at higher stages of processing acts as an amplifier, increasing sound detection abilities within normal limits.
Researchers use virtual reality to investigate how people adapt their speech in conversation, finding that language behavior is identical to dialogue with a human partner.
A new study by University of Houston researchers found that including religion in campaign speeches can increase a candidate's perceived trustworthiness and favorability. The study revealed that atheists face significant challenges in winning public office due to societal biases against non-believers.
Researchers discovered four linguistic factors indicative of dementia: semantic impairment, acoustic impairment, syntactic impairment, and information impairment. The automated technology provides an objective diagnostic rating for dementia, surpassing the current initial assessment tool used by healthcare professionals.
Dr Erica Gold's £360,000 project defines the West Yorkshire accent to assist forensic speech comparison in criminal cases. The study aims to address the scarcity of population data and variability in speech across different speaker groups.
A study by University of Texas at Dallas researchers shows that watching 3-D images of tongue movements can help individuals learn speech sounds. The findings could be especially helpful for stroke patients seeking to improve their speech articulation.
Researchers found that infants can identify and link new sounds to meaning, indicating a social capacity for recognizing and learning from novel communicative signals. This ability broadens our understanding of infants' coordination of social, language, and cognitive development.
Researchers at NYU have identified brain rhythms that help process music, revealing a role for cortical oscillations in detecting musical sequences. Musicians show enhanced oscillatory mechanisms and better pitch detection accuracy.
A Washington State University researcher is building a comprehensive family audio database with funding from the National Science Foundation. The database will combine recordings of children's communications with their parents and siblings, enabling researchers to study family communication dynamics and disorders in greater detail.
New research from Queen's University found that a strong relationship with a loved one can help manage stress in difficult situations. Physical closeness allows individuals to share the emotional burden more efficiently, regardless of their reported level of closeness.
Infants at 4 months old can associate words with objects, suggesting early knowledge of language's relation to the world. This ability is crucial for language acquisition and learning about surroundings.
A study by NC State University researchers found that rural Appalachian students who speak a stigmatized dialect may feel like they're at a disadvantage in the classroom. They reported being met with snickers or feeling singled out, which led to hesitation in speaking up and trying to change their way of talking.
A unique study found that testosterone therapy induces structural changes in areas of the brain involved in verbal fluency in female-to-male transsexuals. This may suggest that sex hormones play a substantial role in shaping human brain structure, beyond early developmental phases.
A multicenter study found that hybrid cochlear implant devices led to significant improvements in hearing and speech recognition among individuals with severely damaged high-frequency hearing. The study showed that 45 participants experienced overall improvement in their hearing and speech recognition, with some achieving profound gains.
A pilot study by researchers at ISTAR found that video self-modelling (VSM) helps reduce stuttering frequency in adults who experienced relapse after therapy. Participants watched videos of themselves speaking fluently, with improved results for those viewing their videos regularly.
A recent CDC report challenges the notion that Black fathers are more absent in their children's lives than White fathers. Researchers found that messages of individual blame for Black Americans perpetuate structural racial inequalities and reinforce the idea that Blacks are ultimately responsible for their own disadvantage.
A study led by Duke University researchers found that parrots have distinct brain regions, called 'shells,' that are involved in vocal learning and may contribute to their ability to imitate human speech. The study also suggests that the shells may be responsible for the species' exceptional vocal mimicry abilities.
Researchers at Michigan State University found that children who stutter have difficulty perceiving a beat in music-like rhythms, which may account for their halting speech patterns. This study has implications for treating stuttering and suggests that improving beat perception in children could lead to improved fluency in speech.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that playing natural sounds in offices boosts worker moods and improves cognitive abilities. The study tested three different sound stimuli: typical office noises with a conventional masking signal, an office soundscape with a 'natural' masker, and an office soundscape with no masker.
Researchers found that people who share views align more closely in their speech patterns, even unconsciously. Those who compromise in conflict situations also show greater linguistic alignment with the speaker.
Scientists at Duke University have discovered a brain region that integrates the timing of speech, a crucial element of spoken language. The superior temporal sulcus (STS) became active during speech quilts with longer segments, suggesting it plays a key role in processing speech rhythms.
Researchers found that native English speakers had difficulty recalling words spoken in a Korean accent, suggesting that understanding foreign accents may reduce information processing capacity. The study's results have implications for communication strategies in settings like schools and hospitals.
Dr. Carlos Busso's groundbreaking research on audiovisual emotion recognition has been recognized with a 10-Year Technical Impact Award. The study demonstrated the benefits of using both speech and facial recognition modalities to improve emotion classification, with applications in medical, entertainment, and security fields.
Researchers Andrea Bowes and Albert Katz found that people are better able to infer the mental and emotional state of others after reading metaphors. This is because metaphors activate embodied social experiences, making it easier to understand others' emotions and mental states.
Researchers aim to enhance speech signals and classify background noise using powerful smartphone processors and machine learning algorithms. The project has the potential to create a wide collection of smartphone apps for use with hearing aid devices.
A new study found that older adults with musical training were 20% faster at identifying speech sounds than non-musicians. The research suggests that music instruction can enhance brain areas supporting speech recognition, even in old age. Music training may help counteract cognitive decline and improve auditory processing abilities.
Children who actively participated in music classes showed greater gains in speech processing and reading scores compared to less-involved peers. Music training improved neural benefits in the same areas of the brain traditionally weak in disadvantaged children.
Sheila E. Blumstein received the Silver Medal in Speech Communication from the Acoustical Society of America for her work on how acoustic signals are transformed into linguistic representations. She has made significant contributions to our understanding of speech processing and neural systems.