title: Surface electromyographic control of a novel phonemic interface for speech synthesis.
abstract: Many individuals with minimal movement capabilities use AAC to communicate. These individuals require both an interface with which to construct a message (e.g., a grid of letters) and an input modality with which to select targets. This study evaluated the interaction of two such systems: (a) an input modality using surface electromyography (sEMG) of spared facial musculature, and (b) an onscreen interface from which users select phonemic targets. These systems were evaluated in two experiments: (a) participants without motor impairments used the systems during a series of eight training sessions, and (b) one individual who uses AAC used the systems for two sessions. Both the phonemic interface and the electromyographic cursor show promise for future AAC applications.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate Program for Neuroscience - Computational Neuroscience , Boston University , MA , USA ;
authors.forename: Gabriel J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cler
authors.affiliation: b Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences , Boston University , Boston , MA , USA ;
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nieto-Castañón
authors.affiliation: b Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences , Boston University , Boston , MA , USA ;|c Department of Biomedical Engineering , Boston University , Boston , MA , USA ;
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Guenther
authors.affiliation: d Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering , Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Fager
authors.affiliation: b Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences , Boston University , Boston , MA , USA ;|c Department of Biomedical Engineering , Boston University , Boston , MA , USA ;
authors.forename: Cara E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Stepp
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004576:Electromyography; D005152:Facial Muscles; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010243:Paralysis / Q000150:complications; D010700:Phonetics; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Guillain-Barré syndrome; Surface electromyography; phonemic interface; training