Automated assessment and treatment of speech rate and intonation in dysarthria
 
Automated assessment and treatment of speech rate and intonation in dysarthria 
 
, , Tomas Dekens, Tomas Dekens, Lukas Latacz, Lukas Latacz, Gwen Van Nuffelen, Gwen Van Nuffelen, Werner Verhelst, Werner Verhelst, Marc De Bodt, Marc De Bodt
 
Abstract 

Prosody assessment and treatment in dysarthria is clinically relevant, since prosodic impairment can have a negative impact on speech intelligibility and thus on participation in daily life conversation. We propose a speech-technology based software tool that provides automated numerical and visual feedback on two important aspects of prosody: speech rate and intonation. The tool includes speech rate and intonation algorithms, both specifically developed for the analysis of Dutch dysarthric speech. The tool enables speech-language pathologists to obtain objective measures of these prosodic aspects in a standardized and fast way, and enables dysarthric speakers to practise their prosodic skills intensively without the presence of a speech-language pathologist being required.