Sensory-perceptual transformations in speech analysis
James D. Miller, Steven J. Sadoff, Mark R. Veksler · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1988
In Miller's auditory-perceptual theory of phonetic recognition, the sensory effects of sequences of glottal-source spectra, burst-friction spectra, and silences are integrated into a unitary perceptual response by the sensory-perceptual transformations. The mathematical and computational implementations of the hypothesized transformations will be described. One transformation is applied to spectral pattern or shape and is implemented formant by formant. For example, the center frequency of a perceptual formant is calculated by second-order difference equations from the center frequencies, loudness, and bandwidths of the corresponding sensory formants of glottal-source and burst-friction spectra, when either or both are present, and from similar values for a neutral vocal tract during silence. The loudness of the perceptual response, which is calculated as the integrated loudness of the burst-friction and glottal-source inputs, decays slowly after the cessation of sensory input and, in this way, an audible perceptual response can be maintained during brief periods of silence. Examples of application of these concepts to a variety of speech sounds, such as stops and fricatives, will be illustrated. [Work supported by NINCDS and AFOSR.]