Human Voice as a Measure of Mental Load Level

Autor/inn/en	Boyer, Stanislas; Paubel, Pierre-Vincent; Ruiz, Robert; El Yagoubi, Radouane; Daurat, Agnès
Titel	Human Voice as a Measure of Mental Load Level
Quelle	In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 61 (2018) 11, S.2722-2734 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1092-4388
DOI	10.1044/2018_JSLHR-S-18-0066
Schlagwörter	Cognitive Processes; Difficulty Level; Acoustics; Recall (Psychology); Identification; Speech + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Akustik; Abberufung; Identifikation; Identifizierung; Speaking; Sprechen
Abstract	Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine a reliable and efficient set of acoustic parameters of the human voice able to estimate individuals' mental load level. Implementing detection methods and real-time analysis of mental load is a major challenge for monitoring and enhancing human task performance, especially during high-risk activities (e.g., flying aircraft). Method: The voices of 32 participants were recorded during a cognitive task featuring word list recall. The difficulty of the task was manipulated by varying the number of words in each list (i.e., between 1 and 7, corresponding to 7 mental load conditions). Evoked pupillary response, known to be a useful proxy of mental load, was recorded simultaneously with speech to attest variations in mental load level during the experimental task. Results: Classic features (fundamental frequency, its standard deviation, number of periods) and original features (frequency modulation and short-term variation in digital amplitude length) of the acoustic signals were predictive of memory load condition. They varied significantly according to the number of words to recall, specifically beyond a threshold of 3-5 words to recall, that is, when memory performance started to decline. Conclusions: Some acoustic parameters of the human voice could be an appropriate and efficient means for detecting mental load levels. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01