The Voice Actor and Their Double: Working as a voice actor and teaching voice acting in the age of AI voice cloning

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and voice cloning technology presents significant challenges and opportunities in the field of voice acting and performing arts. This article explores the profound transformations taking place in the voiceover industry due to the convergence of AI, voice synthesis, and personal voice cloning technologies. The author, a seasoned voice actor, reflects on the impact of these advancements on his profession, from the democratization of voiceover tools to the emergence of AI-generated voices that closely mimic human speech. The article delves into the intricate interplay between technology and human creativity, investigating the implications for voice artists in an era where AI-generated voices are becoming indistinguishable from human performances. The study further examines the expanding market for voice cloning, as well as its potential to transform industries beyond voice acting, such as healthcare and entertainment. The ethical dimensions of voice cloning, including issues related to intellectual property and artistic identity, are explored, with a focus on how artists can assert their uniqueness and maintain control over their vocal identity in a landscape where AI-generated voices proliferate. As the author engages with the complexities of AI\u27s impact on voice acting and teaching the craft in higher education, he underscores the enduring power of human connection and emotional resonance in storytelling. The article concludes by highlighting the role of arts education in cultivating and celebrating the idiosyncrasies of human expression, and how educators must guide voiceover students to embrace their individuality in a world increasingly influenced by AI. Ultimately, the study calls for a renewed dedication to the distinctive qualities of the human voice, emphasizing that despite AI\u27s advancements, the essence of human communication remains irreplaceable. (written by Chat GPT, trained on the article

Postmodern Paranoia: Conspiracy Theories as Network Anxieties in Don DeLillo’s White Noise and Underworld

Conspiracy theories find their way into a majority of Don DeLillo’s novels, ranging from rumors that reference pop culture to speculations with political consequences. While conspiracies can be found throughout a variety of time periods and cultures, I historicize the specific forms of paranoia that arise in DeLillo’s fiction. In White Noise, disturbances in smalltown America in the form of industrial waste spill are accelerated by mass media culture and lead to a family man’s conversion into an attempted murderer. Underworld sees the reliable concerns of the Cold War become untenable as the American empire expands and events like the Kennedy assassination and Vietnam War lead to more complicated forms of paranoia. The novel traces the full extent of nuclear weapons development, all the way to the destruction of nuclear waste products. It is in these depictions of post-1945 American paranoia that DeLillo engages with the feelings of fear and uncertainty that can result from postmodernity. Both novels show an awareness of global systems intruding into civilian life, forcing their characters to learn how to reorient themselves or fail and succumb to their paranoia. The re-emergence of previously hidden waste proves the conspiracy theorist’s dictum that “everything is connected” to be true. Drawing on DeLillo’s treatment of the topic, I will expand on the sorts of anxieties that these conspiracy theories expose and consider how a subject’s positionality influences their relationship to paranoia. This project also seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of conspiracy as a way of comprehending the world, as it can be both an exaggerated reaction to the uncertainties of postmodernity and a reasonable expression of cynicism toward obscured power structures

Sourcing Clays and Styles: Interaction Networks at the Elk Ridge Site, Southwestern New Mexico

Studying interaction in the precontact American Southwest has been tedious as various cultures had differing socio-economic structures resulting in various models used by archaeologists. The Mimbres Mogollon, who inhabited southwestern New Mexico from AD 200-1150, were a middle-range society meaning they lacked overarching rules and regulations from a governing body. This allowed for individuals, families, and communities to form and maintain their own interaction networks at the site level and makes applying a pre-established model of interaction difficult. This research focused on the Elk Ridge site, a large Classic period (AD 850/900-1150) Mimbres pueblo, to determine local and non-local interaction networks maintained by the site residents. Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) and ceramic style analyses on partial and whole vessels recovered from Elk Ridge, the production and distribution of local versus non-local ceramics styles was investigated. The archaeological context of these vessels was also incorporated to distinguish between the movement of goods and relocation of people. This study shows that Elk Ridge was an active participant in a local exchange network as a ceramic production center and had networks with non-local Upland Mogollon communities. These Upland Mogollon connections developed over time allowing for non-locals to move into the site and maintain their own cultural practices and styles

The Sun Goes Down in Juárez

The Sun Goes Down in Juárez is a historical fiction short story based on the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917). It follows the changing relationship between brothers Rudy and Jaime as they join a rebel army in their journey across Mexico to assist in one of the most pivotal battles of the revolution. As their values unalign and the trek continues, Rudy and Jaime are left wondering if they left the other back home. The story heavily focuses on duty and family, particularly pertaining to their importance in Mexican culture, and how these values influence one’s decisions and the consequences that follow. The Sun Goes Down in Juárez examines the traditional social values of early 20th century Mexico, specifically gender roles, and thereby shines a light on the sexism and misogny that women endured at the time. The overall purpose of the story is to accurately represent Mexican characters in historical fiction, while demonstrating realistic and human flaws through consequential events and reflection, as well as placing emphasis on the overlooked contributions of women to the war effort

Spectra - Volume 3, Issue 2

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Assessing the Potential for Magmatic Sulfides within Southwestern Laurentia Large Igneous Province

The ~1.1 Ga magmatism of the Southwestern Laurentia Large Igneous Province (SWLLIP) generated a series of mafic-ultramafic sheets, sills, and dikes emplaced within Mesoproterozoic sedimentary units and older crystalline basement rock throughout the southwest United States and northern Mexico. This large igneous province (LIP) event remains enigmatic in identifying the processes that generated this magmatism. In addition, potential links to the contemporaneous magmatism of North America\u27s magmatic Ni-Cu-platinum group element (PGE) mineralized Mid-Continent Rift (MCR) LIP to the northeast of the SWLLIP remain unclear. The contemporaneous 1.1 Ga MCR LIP event hosts economically viable magmatic sulfide deposits in the Duluth Complex in Minnesota and elsewhere, providing further incentive to understand the links between the LIP events as well as independently assessing the mineral exploration potential for magmatic sulfide deposit formation within the SWLLIP. This study aims to further our knowledge of the petrogenesis of the SWLLIP and the potential of this magmatic event to host magmatic sulfide mineralization. Whole-rock geochemical and Pt, Pd, and Au data have been obtained for 52 SWLLIP samples from California, Arizona, and New Mexico, allowing an initial assessment of the petrogenesis, magmatic sulfide fertility, sulfide saturation status, and crustal contamination of magmas of the SWLLIP to be assessed. All these factors are critical in determining the potential for this LIP to host magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide mineralization. Two suites have been identified within the SWLLIP that define two distinct magmatic pulses during the LIP event: a potentially prospective (from a magmatic sulfide viewpoint) tholeiitic suite and a seemingly unprospective alkaline suite. The tholeiitic suite has undepleted chalcophile element samples, demonstrating that the magmas that formed the suite were derived from a fertile mantle source region with sufficient partial melting to generate chalcophile-undepleted magmas. Furthermore, some tholeiitic samples within this suite are depleted in chalcophile elements and are crustally contaminated, suggesting that the magmas assimilated country rocks and became sulfur-saturated before emplacement. This process is crucial in most magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralizing systems elsewhere and within the SWLLIP-generated immiscible sulfide melts deposited elsewhere within the system. This indicates the magmatic sulfide prospectivity of intrusions with this tholeiitic suite within the SWLLIP. In comparison, alkaline SWLLIP suite samples are uniformly depleted in chalcophile elements and display varying degrees of crustal contamination that do not contain sufficient sulfides, inferring they are unfertile. These unfertile melts were generated by low degree partial melting of the mantle and did not become sulfur saturated before emplacement. Overall, this research indicates that exploration for magmatic sulfides within the SWLLIP should focus on intrusions and sections of the LIP with affinities to the tholeiitic suite. The transitional alkaline suite is likely unprospective of chalcophile elements from an exploration viewpoint. This geochemical dataset allows for comparison between the two distinct pulses of magmatism in the SWLLIP and the MCR magmatism, particularly the mafic magmatism associated with the Duluth Complex, which is suggestive of a single plume under the North American craton

Increasing Swim Instructors\u27 Perceived Knowledge of Sensory-Based Strategies When Coaching Children Who May Have Sensory Differences

Although swim instructors are solely taught water safety regulations and correct swimming techniques, they are nonetheless viewed as mentors by the kids they work with. They are required to finish both their basic swim instructor (BSI) course and their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification, which primarily covers the fundamentals (American Red Cross Training Services, 2023; Kraft & Leblanc, 2018). However, neither provides a method of teaching swimming to children who might have sensory processing differences. This lack of education may affect both the child\u27s participation and the swim instructor\u27s capacity to impart knowledge. Research revealed that swim instructors are not very knowledgeable in this area, and children with specific diagnoses and sensory processing issues can benefit from sensory-based activities in the water (Kraft & Leblanc, 2018; Pinru & Burhaein, 2019). The primary objective of this capstone project is to address the knowledge gap on how to interact with children who have poor sensory control by providing swim instructors at Waves Swim and Safety LLC in Reno, Nevada, with a toolkit on sensory activities. The introductory educational toolkit includes items relevant to occupational therapy practice and offers swim instructors strategies to enhance their teaching and students\u27 engagement in swim classes

The Influence of Dual Sources Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Muscle Fatigue

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied unilaterally to the cerebellum (ctDCS) can improve several aspects of human motor performance. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of dual source tDCS delivered bilaterally over the cerebellar cortices (dsc-tDCS) on the time to task failure (TTF) of a fatiguing contraction. The study utilized a double-blind, randomized, SHAM-controlled, within-subjects, crossover design and participants were given either dsc-tDCS or SHAM stimulation in two different experiments held 7 days apart. Every aspect of the two experiments was the same except the type of stimulation (dsc-tDCS or SHAM) delivered during the fatiguing contraction. The fatiguing contraction was executed with a precision grip at 15% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force and participants were instructed to maintain the contraction for as long of time as possible (TTF). The TTF and fatigue index were both similar for the dsc-tDCS and SHAM stimulation conditions. In addition, the electromyographic (EMG) activity, force error, and standard deviation (SD) of force measured during the fatiguing contraction were also not statistically different between the dsctDCS and SHAM stimulation conditions. The findings suggest that dsc-tDCS does not decrease the rate of progression of muscle fatigue

Generative AI and the Role of Educators in the Creative Arts

Educators have always had a hand in our future; influencing and nurturing those who will make that future. There is no doubt that AI will also have an influence, but AI is still in its formative years. These early years are precious because they allow experimentation before AI becomes entrenched in our society. The three projects in this second part of the AI issue of Tradition-Innovations in Art, Design, and Media Higher Education, Generative Algorithm for Art and Architecture: A collaborative interdisciplinary course structure nurturing transdisciplinary GenAI-supported design, Teaching Creatives to be Provocateurs: Establishing a Digital Humanist Approach for Generative A.I. in the Classroom, and The Voice Actor and Their Double: Working as a voice actor and teaching voice acting in the age of A.I. voice cloning are focused on leading that experimentation. The brave educators who submitted these projects have not built walls around their classrooms, hoping the traditional methods of art & design education will thrive within while blocking new developments out. Instead, they have allowed themselves to be vulnerable by testing generative AI alongside their students, simultaneously guiding their experiments and building a shared framework for understanding

Video Monitoring For Fall Prevention

Patient safety is a vital aspect of healthcare. Falls and fall-related injuries continue to occur in hospitals worldwide and fall prevention is one of the top priorities in providing quality care. Fall assessment tools, bed alarms, patient rounding, patient education, physical restraints, environmental modification, bedside sitters, and remote video monitoring are some of the methods implemented to reduce falls. This project was a quasi-experimental study informed by Kotter and Cohen Model of Change. The initial purpose of this process improvement project was to educate staff on the significance of video monitoring in fall prevention and determine whether the education regarding the importance of video monitoring in fall prevention was effectively integrated into practice and resulted in a reduction in falls. Ultimately, the project was only able to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on staff knowledge of the uses of video monitoring. A cross sectional pre- and post-test design was utilized to assess any gap staff may have regarding video monitoring, and education about video monitoring was tailored to address any needs. Data were collected through a survey of 11 questions, and the mean scores of four selected responses compared before and after intervention. Findings revealed an increase in knowledge post-intervention, as evidenced by increased mean scores. Despite the increase in mean scores, post-intervention fall rates did not decrease. For this project, the final PICOT question was: In nurses working in a healthcare setting (P), does education on the importance of video monitoring in fall prevention(I), compared to pre-education self-report (C) increase staff self-report of understanding the uses of video monitoring (O)