A multi-purpose user-friendly voice analysis tool: application to lipofilling treatment

A multi-purpose software tool (BioVoice) is presented, capable of performing automatic analysis of a large range of voice signal, no manual setting being required to the user. This makes the tool feasible for application by non-expert users in several fields, ranging from high-pitched new-born cries, to adult healthy singing vocalizations and to irregular, pathological voice signals. Main voice characteristics (fundamental frequency and formants) are evaluated and tracked by means of robust analysis techniques that can handle the above mentioned wide range of signals, as internal settings for optimal frame length, frequency range of analysis and plots are automatically adjusted. Specific parameters are evaluated according to the kind of signal under study, and displayed with suitable plots and tables. In this paper, the method is applied to patient affected by laryngeal hemiplegia that underwent lipofilling treatment to recover phonatory capabilities.