Manufacturing Commons^™

Intelligibility Of Electrolarynx Speech Using A Novel Hands-Free Actuator, Brian Madden, Mark Nolan, Ted Burke, James Condron, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

During voiced speech, the larynx provides quasi-periodic acoustic excitation of the vocal tract. In most electrolarynxes, mechanical vibrations are produced by a linear electromechanical actuator, the armature of which percusses against a metal or plastic plate at a frequency within the range of glottal excitation. In this paper, the intelligibility of speech produced using a novel hands-free actuator is compared to speech produced using a conventional electrolarynx. Two able-bodied speakers (one male, one female) performed a closed response test containing 28 monosyllabic words, once using a conventional electrolarynx and a second time using the novel design. The resulting audio recordings …

Use Of Collaborative Learning Technology To Support Cross-Faculty Group Learning, Colm O'Kane, Jennifer Mcdonnell

Conference Papers

The scope of applications of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has grown exponentially in recent years. This group of techniques has been found to be extremely effective as a collaborative tool to inspire scaffolding between students. It is also useful when several academic supervisors wish to view the same project work.

This paper describes the process and the motivation behind the first implementation of a campus pack-based project in Year 3 of Technological University Dublin's (DIT) BSc. in Product Design programme. Issues have been encountered in previous years with this cross-faculty managed project, but this work shows the potential that …