Speech Intelligibility in Reverberation and Noise
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THURSDAY MORNING, 7 DECEMBER 2017 STUDIO 9, 8:25 A.M. TO 11:40 NOON Session 4aAA Architectural Acoustics: Speech Intelligibility in Reverberation and Noise Roger W. Schwenke, Chair Meyer Sound Laboratories, 2832 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, CA 94702 Chair’s Introduction—8:25 Invited Papers 8:30 4aAA1. Speech intelligibility studies in a historic multipurpose room. Ana M. Jaramillo (Olson Sound Design, LLC, 8717 Humboldt Ave. N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55444, [email protected]), Peggy B. Nelson (Speech-Language-Hearing Sci., Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN), and Bruce C. Olson (AFMG Services North America, LLC, Brooklyn Park, MN) The Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences department at the University of Minnesota is located in Shevlin Hall, a historic building dating from the 1920s. Shevlin Hall has a large room on the first floor with a high coffered ceiling that is often used for receptions and presentations but also serves as a classroom. Students with hearing loss often complained about attending classes in Shevlin 110 due to its high reverberation times, combined with window AC unit noise, resulting in very degraded speech intelligibility. In 2013, the room went through renovations that addressed room acoustics, sound system design, as well as lighting and equipment (not including AC). Post-renovation measurements and subjective impressions have shown a significant improvement in speech intelligibility in the room. For this paper, we are looking at subject-based intelligibility tests to compare with prediction metrics and simulations, as well as collect- ing a qualitative narrative on the department’s impression on the room before and after renovations. 8:55 4aAA2. A comparison of speech coherence index and measured speech intelligibility. Tobi A. Szuts and Roger W. Schwenke (Meyer Sound Labs., 2832 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, CA 94610, [email protected]) Perceptual tests were taken in real and simulated spaces to determine whether Speech Coherence Index (SCI) predicts human per- formance better than Speech Transmission Index (STI). SCI is a proposed method of estimating speech intelligibility during event condi- tions, that is, in real time with program material. The complex valued coherence function is used to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio on a per frequency basis, and is calculated with short time windows at high frequencies and longer time windows at low frequencies to mimic the multi-resolution nature of human hearing. SCI has been shown to track STI very closely under simplified conditions. Under more realistic conditions, SCI is more sensitive to reverberant energy and is always less than STI. Under certain conditions, such as long source to listener distance or low SNR, SCI predicts significantly lower intelligibility values than STI. 9:20 4aAA3. Acoustical renovation and sound system design in a church in buenos aires, argentina. Fernando M. del Solar Dorrego (Elec. Eng., Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, 445 Waupelani Dr., Apt. B10, State College, PA 16801, [email protected]) and 4a THU. AM Pablo Gardella (Elec. Eng., Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina) Church “Nuestra Senora~ de la Paz” suffered from an excessive reverberation (4 seconds at mid-frequencies) and an ill-suited sound reinforcement system. Measurements of the Speech Transmission Index (STI) in the congregation area indicated that speech intelligibil- ity was greatly impaired. Thermal insulation on the roof was insufficient and impacted in air conditioning costs. Renovations included the design of a sound-absorbing and thermally insulating covering in the roof area. Subsequent measurement of room acoustic parame- ters showed that the proposed goals were met. A new sound system, which increased speech intelligibility and audio quality substan- tially, was designed and tested. The possible appearance of acoustical defects after the renovation, such as echoes and flutter echoes, was studied using objective tests on the measured Room Impulse Responses (RIRs). 9:45 4aAA4. Study of architectural design & acoustic conditions of primary schools in Singapore. Siu Kit Lau and Geok Ling Lee (Dept. of Architecture, National Univ. of Singapore, Block SDE3, #01-06, 4 Architecture Dr., Singapore 117566, Singapore, slau@ acousticsresearch.com) Urban noise problems are a growing concern in rapidly urbanizing cities such as Singapore. Studies have revealed that children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of noise. Children in Singapore schools are particularly susceptible considering the long hours spent in naturally ventilated classrooms. This study aims to assess the architectural design and planning of schools in Singapore based on their acoustic qualities. External ambient noise, fac¸ade sound insulation, and reverberation time were measured in three schools 2661 J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 142, No. 4, Pt. 2, October 2017 174th Meeting: Acoustical Society of America 2661 about the architectural design to characterize their acoustic environments and seek areas for improvements. It is revealed that all the classrooms studied experience internal noise levels above the guideline values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) of 35 dB, suggesting poor acoustic conditions and harmful effects on children’s’ health, behavior, and learning abilities. Reverberation time standards were only met by the classrooms in one school out of three, implying that speech intelligibility and learning performance are hindered elsewhere. Two overseas case studies are explored to demonstrate how better acoustic environments can be achieved through planning and design in unbuilt schools and abatement strategies for built schools. Architects and planners can adapt and incorpo- rate them into the design of primary schools in Singapore. 10:10–10:25 Break Contributed Papers 10:25 10:40 4aAA5. Active learning classroom configurations and the effects on 4aAA6. Results from the summer sound lab: Exploring acoustical speech intelligibility. Edwin S. Skorski (Interior Design, Central Michigan options for a multiuse space on campus. Daniel Butko, Zachary Maggia, Univ., CMU - Human Environ. Studies, EHS Bldg. 228, Mount Pleasant, Collin Abdallah, and Lindsey Trout (Architecture, The Univ. of Oklahoma, MI 48859, [email protected]) 830 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, [email protected]) For high academic achievement, it is critical that the acoustic environ- This paper summarizes the progress of an active multiphase acoustical ment of classrooms and other learning spaces provide the proper conditions research project emphasizing implementation of adaptive interactive acous- for good speech communication between teacher and students. While there tical responses in multiuse spaces to transform unhealthy learning environ- is a significant body of research regarding traditional classroom seating ments. A multiuse space on campus, which suffers from poor speech arrangements, less is known regarding the acoustical impacts of “active intelligibility as a result of excessive reverb and flutter echo revealed learning classroom” configurations. Active learning classrooms are typically through finish materials, room volume, and shape, functions as an architec- furnished with mobile tables and chairs that are easily reconfigured in a vari- tural sound lab and location for data collection. The project, launched ety of learning arrangements. Additionally, in an active learning environ- Spring 2017, will span multiple phases and disciplines for data collection, ment, there is typically no fixed position from which the teacher will design, prototyping, validation, and construction. Faculty and students are lecture. While active learning spaces provide flexibility and mobility, which collecting and analyzing acoustical data, adding to a literature review and is advantageous for student engagement, they also create a complex acoustic database of comparable acoustical challenges and results, and validating environment where both source and receiver positions have a continually findings in both computer and physical model form. Collected data will lead shifting spatial relationship. Using design guidelines found in ANSI/ASA researchers to design applications for adaptive and resilient learning envi- S12.60-2010/Part 1, this study will use computer simulated environments to ronments with minimized acoustical distractions and improved speech intel- explore various active learning space configurations and compare the results ligibility. Their work will culminate in a final full-scale built form, to generally accepted acoustical performance criteria for RT, C80, STI, and providing scholarly merit applicable to similar spaces and/or functions. RASTI. Established industry partnerships will provide development of physical panel-based prototyping, followed by acoustical testing, full-size fabrica- tion, and installation for public interaction and academic validation. 10:55–11:40 Panel Discussion 2662 J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 142, No. 4, Pt. 2, October 2017 174th Meeting: Acoustical Society of America 2662 THURSDAY MORNING, 7 DECEMBER 2017 SALON F/G/H, 8:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M. Session 4aAB Animal Bioacoustics: General Biosonar Rolf Muller,€ Chair Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, ICTAS Life Sciences District (Mail Code 0917), Blacksburg, VA 24061 Contributed Papers 8:00 whales can “self-mitigate” the effects of noise if warned of an impending exposure. [Work supported by SSC Pacific NISE Program.] 4aAB1. Bone conducted sound in a dolphin’s mandible: Experimental