Abstract: Formant frequencies in a voiced speech signal are detected by filtering the speech signal into multiple frequency channels, determining whether each of the frequency channels meets an energy criterion, and determining minima in envelope fluctuations. The identified formant frequencies can then be enhanced by identifying and amplifying the harmonic of the fundamental frequency (F0) closest to the formant frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for communicating the distress or pain experienced by an infant or a non-communicative patient. The systems and methods can provide an objective quantification of pain and/or distress in conjunction with, e.g., various distressing procedures commonly found in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). The systems may include a processor in communication with a distress level input device and a display configured to provide a representation of a pain or distress score calculated in the processor. The processor may include executable code to translate data from the distress level input into the distress score.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for communicating the distress or pain experienced by an infant or a non-communicative patient. The systems and methods can provide an objective quantification of pain and/or distress in conjunction with, e.g., various distressing procedures commonly found in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). The systems may include a processor in communication with a distress level input device and a display configured to provide a representation of a pain or distress score calculated in the processor. The processor may include executable code to translate data from the distress level input into the distress score.

Abstract: A method for correcting sound for the hearing impaired includes analyzing an incoming sound into frequency channels and computing a group delay of each of the frequency channels that is expected in a healthy ear. A correction is defined as a percentage less than 100% of the group delay (GD) that a given impaired ear has compared to the group delay of the healthy ear. The amount of delay for the correction as a function of time is computed for each frequency channel, which delay is imposed on each frequency channel. The signal levels are scaled to adjust for audibility, after which the delayed and scaled signals from all frequency channels are combined into an outgoing sound.

Abstract: A system for the detection of narrowband signals in wideband noise that combines information across two frequency channels that straddle the frequency of the target signal. Two band pass filters having center frequencies that straddle the frequency of the target signal and that have phase transfer functions that differ by 180 degrees relative to each other at the frequency of the target signal. The presence of the target signal is detected by performing a running cross-correlation of the outputs of saturating, non-linearities that follow from the filters, and determining when the output of the running cross-correlator drops below a predetermined threshold due to the phase shift between the two filter responses caused by the presence of the target signal.

Abstract: A system for reducing noise in a wideband signal, such as speech, using a first filterbank and running cross-correlator to detect narrowband frequency components in the signal and an analysis-synthesis filterbank to attenuate the wideband signal in which narrowband frequency components are not detected. The narrowband frequency components are detected by performing a running cross-correlation of the outputs of two bandpass filters that have center frequencies that straddle the narrowband frequency and differ by 180 degrees relative to each other at the frequency to be detected. Relatively low value cross-correlations indicate that a signal is present in a given frequency band and high value cross-correlations indicate only noise is present. The wideband signal is processed by an analysis-synthesis filterbank to attenuate bands where narrowband frequency components have not been detected and to pass or amplify bands where narrowband frequency components have been detected.

Abstract: A system for the detection of narrowband signals in wideband noise that combines information across two frequency channels that straddle the frequency of the target signal. Two band pass filters having center frequencies that straddle the frequency of the target signal and that have phase transfer functions that differ by 180 degrees relative to each other at the frequency of the target signal. The presence of the target signal is detected by performing a running cross-correlation of the outputs of saturating, non-linearities that follow from the filters, and determining when the output of the running cross-correlator drops below a predetermined threshold due to the phase shift between the two filter responses caused by the presence of the target signal.