title: Benefits of the fiber optic versus the electret microphone in voice amplification.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Voice disorders that result in reduced loudness may cause difficulty in communicating, socializing and participating in occupational activities. Amplification is often recommended in order to facilitate functional communication, reduce vocal load and avoid developing maladaptive compensatory behaviours. The most common microphone used with amplification systems is the electret microphone. One alternate form of microphone is the fiber optic microphone.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the benefits of the fiber optic (1190S) versus the electret (M04) microphone as measured by objective and subjective parameters in the amplification of a patient's voice with reduced loudness caused by neurological and/or respiratory-based problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients with vocal fold paralysis, Parkinson's disease and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) participated in the study. The study contained a measurement of intensity, amplitude perturbation and signal-to-noise ratio during a sustained vowel production and a measurement of intensity during conversation with the use of the two microphones simultaneously. It also included the completion of a questionnaire indicating the patient's satisfaction with each microphone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fiber optic (1190S) microphone had better objective acoustic performance (i.e. lower amplitude perturbation, higher signal-to-noise ratio and higher intensity) than the electret (M04) microphone. It also had better patient subjective satisfaction (i.e. less conspicuousness, more voice clarity, less acoustic feedback, more loudness and more utilization) than the electret microphone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with neurological and/or respiratory-based voice problems may more confidently and frequently use the fiber optic microphone to communicate, socialize and participate in occupational activities more easily. Speech-language pathologists may more confidently use or recommend the fiber optic microphone with amplification systems.
authors: Nova Southeastern University, Davie Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA. kyriakou@nsu.nova.edu
authors: Kyriaki
authors: K
authors: Kyriakou
authors: Hélène R
authors: HR
authors: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010700:Phonetics; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000628:therapy*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D014833:Voice Quality