Enhancing Speech Rate Estimation Techniques To Improve Dysarthria Diagnosis

This report discusses the implementation of a computerized algorithm specifically designed to measure the syllables-per-minute rate of abnormal speech typically produced by persons suffering from an articulatory disorder known as dysarthria. This speech rate measurement application - which can also serve as a diagnostic tool in itself - has been integrated into the computerised Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (CFDA) suite of diagnostic tests. It is demonstrated that, when processing dysarthric speech, syllables-per-minute measurements are more accurate when based on vowel transition detection techniques as opposed to using spectral moment computations.