Newswise Feature Channel: Speech & Language

Virginia Representative, Jennifer Wexton, Finds Her Voice One Year After Being Diagnosed with Rare Brain Disorder Affecting Her Speech

Hackensack Meridian Health — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:05:46 EST

Public speaking may be one of the most crucial skills for politicians, playing a vital role in their ability to connect with voters and colleagues. But after being diagnosed with a rare brain disorder a year ago, Virginia Representative, Jennifer Wexton, literally lost her voice.

New brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to 'speak' again

UC Davis Health — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:05:24 EST

A brain-computer interface developed by UC Davis Health accurately translates brain signals into speech. The device implanted in the brain of a man with ALS is the most accurate system of its kind.

Michigan State University experts discuss back to school issues

Michigan State University — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 16:05:42 EST

Florida State Faculty to Share Insights for 2024 Back-To-School Virtual Media Briefing

Florida State University — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:05:07 EST

For media seeking commentary for back-to-school stories and other education coverage, FSU faculty will participate in a virtual media briefing Aug. 6. Faculty with expertise in literacy and language development, school psychology and counseling, autism and intellectual disability, and mathematics education will be available to answer questions.

"Holiday" or "vacation": Similar language leads to more cooperation

University of Vienna — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:00:18 EST

"Holiday" or "vacation", "to start" or "to begin", "my friend's cat" or "the cat of my friend" - in our language, there are different ways of expressing the same things and concepts. But can the choice of a particular variant determine whether we prefer to cooperate with certain people rather than with others?

MSU researchers use VR to understand stuttering in children

Michigan State University — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 09:05:00 EST

Researchers in Michigan State University's Developmental Speech Lab have codeveloped virtual reality, or VR, simulations to understand how stuttering develops in young children with the goal of improving diagnostic and treatment approaches for children who stutter.

Speech Accessibility Project's three newest partners are dedicated to people with cerebral palsy

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 13:05:03 EST

The Speech Accessibility Project is partnering with several organizations who serve people with cerebral palsy as it recruits more participants for its speech recognition technology work. They include ADAPT Community Network, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and CP Unlimited.

Experts available: SCOTUS Decisions on 3 Social Media Cases

Scholars Strategy Network — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 09:05:33 EST

Accessibility issues in cancer care

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:05:49 EST

Research identifies issues with booking new appointments at clinics for cancer treatment

People are less likely to recommend someone who stutters if they believe the job requires strong communication skills

Binghamton University, State University of New York — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:05:17 EST

New research from Binghamton University, State University of New York reveals that people are less likely to recommend someone who stutters for a job if they believe the job requires strong communication skills.

NUS linguists make breakthrough discovery on detecting early linguistic signs of dementia by studying the natural speech of seniors

National University of Singapore (NUS) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:05:27 EST

A study led by linguists from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has found that early linguistic signs of dementia can be detected through the study of the natural speech of senior Singaporeans. The novel study revealed that participants with memory-related mild cognitive impairment spoke less and used fewer, but more abstract, nouns that is consistent with the speech pattern of Alzheimer's patients.

Empowering Families in Chicago: Wash Time on Fullerton Laundromat and LaundryCares Foundation Host Free Laundry and Literacy Day

LaundryCares Foundation — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:05:18 EST

The LaundryCares Foundation in partnership with Wash Time on Fullerton and Near North Health is excited to announce a collaborative initiative with Wash Time on Fullerton Laundromat to address the early literacy gap in the Chicago community.

Using AI to decode dog vocalizations

University of Michigan — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:05:00 EST

Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is trying to say to you? University of Michigan researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI, developing tools that can identify whether a dog's bark conveys playfulness or aggression.

Dr. Estelamari Rodriguez Honored as GRACE Patient Educator of the Year

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:05:39 EST

In recognition of her work breaking down language barriers around the world by creating Spanish-language educational content about lung cancer for patients and caregivers, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center's Dr. Estelamari Rodriguez has been honored as GRACE Patient Educator of the Year.

Research Reveals How Heavy Metal Singers Scream and Squeal

University of Utah Health — Fri, 31 May 2024 10:45:16 EST

Scientists captured, for the first time, the complex internal acrobatics that heavy metal singers perform in order to sing harsh vocals.

Infants hear significantly more speech than music at home, UW study finds

University of Washington — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:05:37 EST

A new University of Washington study, published May 21 in Developmental Science, is the first to compare the amount of music and speech that children hear in infancy. Results showed that infants hear more spoken language than music, with the gap widening as the babies get older.

Building a Better Sarcasm Detector #ASA186

Acoustical Society of America (ASA) — Thu, 16 May 2024 10:35:00 EST

Sarcasm is notoriously tricky to convey through text, and the subtle changes in tone that convey sarcasm often confuse computer algorithms as well, limiting virtual assistants and content analysis tools.

Machine Listening: Making Speech Recognition Systems More Inclusive

American Institute of Physics (AIP) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 11:00:00 EST

One group commonly misunderstood by voice technology are individuals who speak African American English, or AAE.

twist on theatre sports could counteract a stutter

University of South Australia — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:00:13 EST

Mock 'Ninja knife throwing', 'Gibberish', or the fast and furious 'Zap' - they're all favourite theatre games designed to break ice and boost confidence. But add speech therapy to theatre sports and you get a brand-new experience that's hoping to deliver positive changes for people with a stutter.

Similar Genetic Elements Underlie Vocal Learning in Bats, Whales, and Seals

Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:00:00 EST

In a paper in the prestigious journal Science to appear on Feb. 29, 2024, a multi-institutional team led by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and University of California at Berkeley found parts of the genome, both within genes and outside of them, that evolved and are associated with vocal learning across mammals. These elements have been linked to autism in humans.