Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions with Biomedical Applications (MAVEBA) workshop came into being in 1999 from the particularly felt need of sharing know-how, objectives and results between areas that until then seemed quite distinct such as bioengineering, medicine and singing. MAVEBA deals with all aspects concerning the study of the human voice with applications ranging from the neonate to the adult and elderly. Over the years the initial issues have grown and spread also in other aspects of research such as occupational voice disorders, neurology, rehabilitation, image and video analysis. MAVEBA takes place every two years always in Firenze, Italy

Models and analysis of vocal emissions for biomedical applications: 5th International Workshop: December 13-15, 2007, Firenze, Italy

The MAVEBA Workshop proceedings, held on a biannual basis, collect the scientific papers presented both as oral and poster contributions, during the conference. The main subjects are: development of theoretical and mechanical models as an aid to the study of main phonatory dysfunctions, as well as the biomedical engineering methods for the analysis of voice signals and images, as a support to clinical diagnosis and classification of vocal pathologies. The Workshop has the sponsorship of: Ente Cassa Risparmio di Firenze, COST Action 2103, Biomedical Signal Processing and Control Journal (Elsevier Eds.), IEEE Biomedical Engineering Soc. Special Issues of International Journals have been, and will be, published, collecting selected papers from the conference

Models and analysis of vocal emissions for biomedical applications

This book of Proceedings collects the papers presented at the 4th International Workshop on Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications, MAVEBA 2005, held 29-31 October 2005, Firenze, Italy. The workshop is organised every two years, and aims to stimulate contacts between specialists active in research and industrial developments, in the area of voice analysis for biomedical applications. The scope of the Workshop includes all aspects of voice modelling and analysis, ranging from fundamental research to all kinds of biomedical applications and related established and advanced technologies

Orthographic and phonological processing in English word learning

This thesis investigates the process of orthographic and phonological word learning in adults. Speed of reading aloud is used as the main measure, specifically the reduction in naming reaction times (RTs) to short and long novel words through repetition and the convergence of RTs to short and long items. The first study (Chapter 2) fully described this fundamental learning paradigm and it is then used to compare various types of training in different groups of readers in the following chapters. Second, the role of phonology in visual word learning was investigated in Chapter 3. Novel words that received the training of both orthography and phonology (reading aloud condition) was found to be more efficient and effective compared to solely training the phonology of the novel words (hear-and-repeat with and without distractors). Yet, all three experiments in Chapter 3 also showed that the establishment of a phonological representation of a novel word can be sufficient of result in representations in the mental lexicon even without any encounter with the orthographic form of the novel word. Linear mixed effect modelling also found that literacy and phonological awareness made a significant contribution to nonwords naming speed when vocabulary and rapid digit naming were taken into account. Expressive vocabulary was found to be a significant predictor of the change in naming speed across the learning session when the effects of literacy, phonological awareness were controlled. Third, Chapter 4 then involved the repeated presentation of interleaved high-frequency words, low-frequency words and nonwords to native speakers of English in two testing sessions 28 days apart. Theoretical interest lies in the relative effects of length on naming latencies for high-frequency words, low-frequency words and nonwords, the extent to which those latencies (RTs) converge for shorter and longer words and nonwords, and the persistence of training/repetition effects over a 28-day retention interval. Finally, Chapters 5 and 6 try to bring these theories in a more applied context to understand orthographic word learning in adults with dyslexia and in bilingual speakers