Recurrence analysis of sensorimotor trajectories in a minimalist perceptual task using sonification.

Active Perception perspectives claim that action is closely related to perception. An empirical approach that supports these theories is the minimalist, in which participants perform a task using an interface that provides minimal information. Their exploratory movements are crucial to generating a meaningful sequence of information. Previous studies analyzed sensorimotor trajectories describing qualitative strategies and linear quantification of participants' movement performance, but that approach struggles to capture the behavior of non-stationary data. In the present study, we applied the recurrence plot (RP) and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) to study the structure of sensorimotor trajectories developed by participants trying to discriminate between two invisible geometric shapes (Triangle or Rectangle). The exploratory movements were made using a computer mouse and sonification-mediated feedback was provided, which depended exclusively on whether the pointer was inside or outside the shape. We applied RP and RQA to the sensorimotor trajectories, with the aim of studying their fine structure characteristics, focusing on their repetitive patterns. Recurrence analysis proved to be useful for quantifying differences in dynamic behavior that emerge when participants explore invisible virtual geometric shapes. The differences obtained in RQA-based measures associated with the vertical structures allowed to postulate the existence of particular exploration strategies for each figure. It was also possible to determine that the complexity of the dynamics changed according to the shape. We discuss these results in light of antecedents in haptic and visual perceptual exploration.

Perception of the acoustic environment during COVID-19 lockdown in Argentina.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly modified the behavior of societies. The application of isolation measures during the crisis resulted in changes in the acoustic environment. The aim of this work was to characterize the perception of the acoustic environment during the COVID-19 lockdown of people residing in Argentina in 2020. A descriptive cross-sectional correlational study was carried out. A virtual survey was conducted from April 14 to 26, 2020, and was answered mainly by social network users. During this period, Argentina was in a strict lockdown. The sample was finally composed of 1371 people between 18 and 79 years old. It was observed that most of the participants preferred the new acoustic environment. Mainly in the larger cities, before the isolation, mechanical sounds predominated, accompanied by the perception of irritation. Confinement brought a decrease in mechanical sounds and an increase in biological sounds, associated with feelings of tranquility and happiness. The time window opened by the lockdown offered an interesting scenario to assess the effect of anthropogenic noise pollution on the urban environment. This result offers a subjective approach, which contributes to understanding the link between individuals and communities with the environment.

Sistemas de análisis acústico y de reconocimiento automático en habla espontánea / Acoustic analysis and automatic recognition systems in spontaneous spech

En este trabajo se presentan dos sistemas de análisis acústico del habla con aplicaciones a la descripción de segmentos de discurso espontáneo y un sistema de reconocimiento automático de habla espontánea orientado a la detección de palabras. El primer sistema de análisis presenta detalladamente todos los rasgos instintivos segmentales y suprasegmentales del habla en forma simultánea asociados a la frecuencia, energía y duración. El segundo presenta automáticamente los parámetros físicos asociados a la entonación en una superficie que cuantifica el campo vocal del hablante y mide el rango vocal y dinámico en el discurso hablado. Se presenta un histograma de la frecuencia fundamental útil para comparar las tendencias entonativas de sesión a sesión. Finalmente se ha desarrollado una herramienta de reconocimiento con modelos acústicos para el español hablado en la Argentina. El mismo transcribe los sonidos grabados a texto y posibilita la aplicación de otras herramientas para el procesamiento de lenguaje natural.(AU)

In this paper two acoustic speech analysis systems are presented with applications to the description of spontaneous speech segments and a system of automatic spontaneousspeech recognition oriented to word detection. The first analysis system presents in detail all segment and supra-segment instinct speech features simultaneously and associated frequency, power and duration. The second automatically displays thephysical parameters associated to intonation in a surface that quantifies the vocal field of the speaker and measures the vocal and dynamic range in spoken discourse. A histogram of the fundamental frequency proves useful to compare intonation tendencies from session to session. Finally a recognition tool with acoustic models was developed for Spanish spoken in Argentina. It transcribes the recorded text sounds and enables the application of other tools for natural language processing.(AU)

Sistemas de análisis acústico y de reconocimiento automático en habla espontánea / Acoustic analysis and automatic recognition systems in spontaneous spech

En este trabajo se presentan dos sistemas de análisis acústico del habla con aplicaciones a la descripción de segmentos de discurso espontáneo y un sistema de reconocimiento automático de habla espontánea orientado a la detección de palabras. El primer sistema de análisis presenta detalladamente todos los rasgos instintivos segmentales y suprasegmentales del habla en forma simultánea asociados a la frecuencia, energía y duración. El segundo presenta automáticamente los parámetros físicos asociados a la entonación en una superficie que cuantifica el campo vocal del hablante y mide el rango vocal y dinámico en el discurso hablado. Se presenta un histograma de la frecuencia fundamental útil para comparar las tendencias entonativas de sesión a sesión. Finalmente se ha desarrollado una herramienta de reconocimiento con modelos acústicos para el español hablado en la Argentina. El mismo transcribe los sonidos grabados a texto y posibilita la aplicación de otras herramientas para el procesamiento de lenguaje natural.

In this paper two acoustic speech analysis systems are presented with applications to the description of spontaneous speech segments and a system of automatic spontaneousspeech recognition oriented to word detection. The first analysis system presents in detail all segment and supra-segment instinct speech features simultaneously and associated frequency, power and duration. The second automatically displays thephysical parameters associated to intonation in a surface that quantifies the vocal field of the speaker and measures the vocal and dynamic range in spoken discourse. A histogram of the fundamental frequency proves useful to compare intonation tendencies from session to session. Finally a recognition tool with acoustic models was developed for Spanish spoken in Argentina. It transcribes the recorded text sounds and enables the application of other tools for natural language processing.