ACOUSTIC DISCRIMINATION OF VELAR IMPAIRMENT IN CHILDREN

Cepstral coefficients calculated out of a linear prediction have been used to discriminate two groups of 19 control children and 12 patients with velar impairment. French vowels /a/, /i/, /u/ had been studied u sing the cepstral coefficients. Vowels /i/ and /u/ appeared to be effi cient to perform the separation on acoustic grounds. A 100% recognitio n score can be reached when the two vowels are considered together. Mo difications of the cepstrums dealing with velar incompetence are also discussed. A way to make an automatic grading of the pathology is fina lly presented.