News Excerpt: 

The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-Guwahati) claimed that its researchers achieved a significant breakthrough in speech technology by developing a novel method to generate human speech signals directly from vocal cord vibration signals.

More about News: 

• IIT Guwahati researchers have developed a technology called "LOQU" that can capture vocal fold movement without invasive procedures, using sensors placed over the throat.
• LOQU has been derived from the Latin word for “To speak or talk”.
• This innovative approach allows for the reconstruction of speech signals from vocal cord vibrations, offering promising applications for speech-impaired individuals and medical settings.
• Speech production begins with airflow from the lungs through the windpipe, facilitated by the larynx or voice box, which acts as a conduit between the throat and the windpipe. 
• Inside the larynx are the vocal cords or vocal folds, regulated by the glottis, controlling airflow between the lungs and mouth. 
• The voice box adjusts the space between vocal folds to create sounds, which travel through the vocal tract, modulating in volume and pitch to form a "voice”.
• During speech, vocal folds vibrate due to intrinsic laryngeal muscle movement.
• Our method involves capturing vocal fold vibrations using non-invasive sensors and processing these signals electronically to generate speech harmonics. 
• The resulting speech signals closely resemble traditional speech, as validated through comparison tests with signals recorded using conventional microphones.
• The reconstructed speech signals have been found to be clear and comparable to traditional speech in extensive comparison tests. 
• These results hold significant potential for individuals struggling with speech impairments, offering a viable alternative to traditional microphones, and enhancing speech clarity.

• The prototype of LOQU, which has now been granted a patent, is priced at around Rs 2,000.