Auto-oscillation of human vocal folds: Key experiments using acoustic loads. This project aims to explain the basic physics of the voice using new, non-invasive, acoustic techniques. The physics of the vocal folds’ aeromechanical oscillation are not understood because this precious tissue is unavailable for direct experiments. This project shall determine how the flow and pressure at the larynx behave under acoustical loads and develop a data set that selects which models can explain vocal fold ....Auto-oscillation of human vocal folds: Key experiments using acoustic loads. This project aims to explain the basic physics of the voice using new, non-invasive, acoustic techniques. The physics of the vocal folds’ aeromechanical oscillation are not understood because this precious tissue is unavailable for direct experiments. This project shall determine how the flow and pressure at the larynx behave under acoustical loads and develop a data set that selects which models can explain vocal fold motion under different conditions and determine the parameters in those models. This project could benefit the huge industries that treat, record, compress, transmit, analyse and synthesise the voice.Read moreRead less
The voice: glottal flows, vocal tract resonances and their interaction. Speech is fundamental to human culture and huge industries exist that analyse, compress, synthesise, transmit and distribute it. Nevertheless, several practical difficulties mean that some key variables and how they interact are only imprecisely known. This project uses an innovative approach for deriving the glottal flow and a new technique for generating precise acoustical flows in model systems to refine the algorithms cu ....The voice: glottal flows, vocal tract resonances and their interaction. Speech is fundamental to human culture and huge industries exist that analyse, compress, synthesise, transmit and distribute it. Nevertheless, several practical difficulties mean that some key variables and how they interact are only imprecisely known. This project uses an innovative approach for deriving the glottal flow and a new technique for generating precise acoustical flows in model systems to refine the algorithms currently used to relate speech sound to the acoustic flow in the larynx. The project aims to provide the first reliable measurements of the bandwidths of resonances and the acoustical losses in vocal tracts. The results will have practical industrial and, perhaps, clinical applications.Read moreRead less
INTEGRATED PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CONTROL OF HUMMING NOISE FROM KCGM’S HAUL TRUCKS. This project aims to resolve an environmental noise issue caused by the humming noise of Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines haul trucks in the areas of Kalgoorlie, Boulder, and Williamstown. This solution utilises integrated passive and active control systems to attenuate the frequency components of humming noise from a truck’s exhaust and engine. A novel aspect of this technique is the use of passive micro-perforate ....INTEGRATED PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CONTROL OF HUMMING NOISE FROM KCGM’S HAUL TRUCKS. This project aims to resolve an environmental noise issue caused by the humming noise of Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines haul trucks in the areas of Kalgoorlie, Boulder, and Williamstown. This solution utilises integrated passive and active control systems to attenuate the frequency components of humming noise from a truck’s exhaust and engine. A novel aspect of this technique is the use of passive micro-perforated structures to provide the necessary sound absorption capability and to alter the sound propagation and radiation properties of the truck exhaust and engine, and increase the effectiveness of active control.Read moreRead less
Beyond linear source-filter theory: how does the vocal tract affect the motion of the vocal folds? The human voice lies at the very core of human culture. Yet the way in which the vocal folds ('vocal cords') vibrate is only partly understood and the way in which sound waves within the vocal tract affect this vibration is almost unknown, beyond the fact that it is sometimes important. Using new and unique non-invasive techniques, we shall conduct acoustic experiments to measure properties of the ....Beyond linear source-filter theory: how does the vocal tract affect the motion of the vocal folds? The human voice lies at the very core of human culture. Yet the way in which the vocal folds ('vocal cords') vibrate is only partly understood and the way in which sound waves within the vocal tract affect this vibration is almost unknown, beyond the fact that it is sometimes important. Using new and unique non-invasive techniques, we shall conduct acoustic experiments to measure properties of the vocal folds and their interaction with the sound they produce in the vocal tract. This knowledge will solve some of the remaining puzzles about the voice. Practical applications will include exercises in voice control (especially for singers and orators) and potential applications in clinical diagnosis techniques.Read moreRead less
The physics and art of expressive performance on wind instruments. This project aims to understand the non-linear physics underlying how musicians produce beautiful, expressive phrases. Elegant, expressive playing is much more than just the right notes. Using techniques unique to this team, we will give a deeper understanding of how breath pressure, mouth geometry and forces, tongue action and finger motions interact to communicate expression in musical phrases on a wind instrument. The outcome ....The physics and art of expressive performance on wind instruments. This project aims to understand the non-linear physics underlying how musicians produce beautiful, expressive phrases. Elegant, expressive playing is much more than just the right notes. Using techniques unique to this team, we will give a deeper understanding of how breath pressure, mouth geometry and forces, tongue action and finger motions interact to communicate expression in musical phrases on a wind instrument. The outcome will be the understanding of how varying control parameters interact at the physical level and how this communicates expression to listeners. Understanding interactions that expert players perform unconsciously will have significant benefits to music learning and teaching.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101000
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$270,847.00
Summary
Next generation acoustic sensor arrays for super resolution imaging. This project aims to develop a new type of acoustic lens that enhances incoherent sensing. This compressive acoustic sensing approach will achieve super-resolution imaging that is robust to noise. The technology has diverse applications including medical imaging, petroleum prospecting, sonar and acoustic holography and will lead to new technology for Australia.
Electroacoustic and Acoustic Characterisation of Nanoporous Colloids. Nanoporous materials have an enormous technological importance in many different industries, both traditional and advanced. New technologies require new materials, which are being produced in thousands of laboratories worldwide. The methods for characterising these materials are slow and expensive. A new suite of measurements will be developed, based on acoustic methods, that is rapid and relatively inexpensive. It will not o ....Electroacoustic and Acoustic Characterisation of Nanoporous Colloids. Nanoporous materials have an enormous technological importance in many different industries, both traditional and advanced. New technologies require new materials, which are being produced in thousands of laboratories worldwide. The methods for characterising these materials are slow and expensive. A new suite of measurements will be developed, based on acoustic methods, that is rapid and relatively inexpensive. It will not only give parameters such as particle size, porosity and pore size, which are complementary to existing methods, but also important new information about charge and conductivity that is not presently available.Read moreRead less
Material boundaries in ultrasonics: New methods and in vitro studies in biomedical phantoms. Ultrasound is an indispensable part of healthcare worldwide. The next wave of applications will see ultrasound pulses used to closely probe suspected disease sites and to directly manipulate bioactive agents. For safe and effective use of such techniques it is essential to know the ultrasound field at the disease site. This project will develop simulation methods to achieve the fast, accurate and case-sp ....Material boundaries in ultrasonics: New methods and in vitro studies in biomedical phantoms. Ultrasound is an indispensable part of healthcare worldwide. The next wave of applications will see ultrasound pulses used to closely probe suspected disease sites and to directly manipulate bioactive agents. For safe and effective use of such techniques it is essential to know the ultrasound field at the disease site. This project will develop simulation methods to achieve the fast, accurate and case-specific results required. Community healthcare will benefit, through better diagnostic capabilities and customized treatment. Australia is well placed to profit further from this research, in view of the growing worldwide demand for more sophisticated, knowledge-based techniques in medicine.Read moreRead less
The effect of vessel wall structures on ultrasonic flow velocity measurements. The flow velocity within a nearly cylindrical vessel is often measured using an external ultrasound transducer via the Doppler principle. Thick vessel walls may present acoustically mismatched structures. This project aims to determine how such walls redistribute the energy in an interrogating ultrasound beam, and how this in turn affects the measurement of flow velocities. This is a fundamental issue, especially imp ....The effect of vessel wall structures on ultrasonic flow velocity measurements. The flow velocity within a nearly cylindrical vessel is often measured using an external ultrasound transducer via the Doppler principle. Thick vessel walls may present acoustically mismatched structures. This project aims to determine how such walls redistribute the energy in an interrogating ultrasound beam, and how this in turn affects the measurement of flow velocities. This is a fundamental issue, especially important in vascular disease where blood flow and blood vessels are affected by wall irregularities and lesions. The new knowledge generated by this project will have practical importance and, by identifying achievable outcomes, potentially major cost savings, in medical ultrasound.Read moreRead less
The acoustics of reed instruments during transients and vibrato: elements of excellence. In the hands and mouth of an expert player, a woodwind reed instrument (for example, clarinet and oboe) can produce a subtle and beautiful sound. Using techniques only available in this lab, this project will determine the physics of the interactions between a player's vocal tract, the vibrating reed and the instrument bore. The project will determine how an expert player can control the initial, final and s ....The acoustics of reed instruments during transients and vibrato: elements of excellence. In the hands and mouth of an expert player, a woodwind reed instrument (for example, clarinet and oboe) can produce a subtle and beautiful sound. Using techniques only available in this lab, this project will determine the physics of the interactions between a player's vocal tract, the vibrating reed and the instrument bore. The project will determine how an expert player can control the initial, final and slurred transients that give grace, elegance and other desired qualities. The project will also study how sustained notes vary with time, with special attention to timbre vibrato, which gives 'warmth' and a lively, 'glowing' quality to their sound. This study will yield important practical results, which can be converted into advances in music teaching.Read moreRead less