Recurrence Quantification Analysis of Sentence-Level Speech Kinematics.
Current approaches to assessing sentence-level speech variability rely on measures that quantify variability across utterances and use normalization procedures that alter raw trajectory data. The current work tests the feasibility of a less restrictive nonlinear approach-recurrence quantification analysis (RQA)-via a procedural example and subsequent analysis of kinematic data.



To test the feasibility of RQA, lip aperture (i.e., the Euclidean distance between lip-tracking sensors) was recorded for 21 typically developing adult speakers during production of a simple utterance. The utterance was produced in isolation and in carrier structures differing just in length or in length and complexity. Four RQA indices were calculated: percent recurrence (%REC), percent determinism (%DET), stability (MAXLINE), and stationarity (TREND).



Percent determinism (%DET) decreased only for the most linguistically complex sentence; MAXLINE decreased as a function of linguistic complexity but increased for the longer-only sentence; TREND decreased as a function of both length and linguistic complexity.



This research note demonstrates the feasibility of using RQA as a tool to compare speech variability across speakers and groups. RQA offers promise as a technique to assess effects of potential stressors (e.g., linguistic or cognitive factors) on the speech production system.
University of Iowa, Iowa CityHaskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT.
Eric S
ES
Jackson
Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT.
Mark
M
Tiede
University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Michael A
MA
Riley
Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CTGraduate Center, City University of New York.
D H
DH
Whalen
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008037:Linguistics; D008046:Lip / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D013068:Speech Production Measurement