Applied Communicative Sciences Lab

This lab is maintained for speech production research, class/lab teaching, and clinical service. Its focus is on normal and disordered speech production, with a greater emphasis on voice production. The instrumentation complements that provided in the UNC Craniofacial Clinic and the UNC Hospitals' Speech and Hearing Clinic, Departments of ENT and Voice Wellness Center. The lab provides experience with the following instrumentation:

• CSL 4400 (CE) records and measures speech signals
• Eleven compatible software programs for speech production measurement
• Research quality tape recorders
• Alaryngeal speech devices, trach and vent tubes

Audiology Diagnostic Clinic/Lab

The Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences has two fully equipped sound suites used for adult and pediatric diagnostic evaluations. Portable audiometers are also available for pediatric applications and school screenings. Clinic/lab equipment includes:

• Two 2-channel diagnostic audiometers
• Diagnostic and hand held middle ear analyzers
• DP OAE Screener
• Diagnostic DPOAE equipment

Hearing Aid Clinic/Assistive Listening Device Labs:

These laboratories are equipped to provide state-of-the-art hearing aid fittings for individuals of all ages. Several computers are used for hearing aid programming, one of which is portable enabling off-site hearing aid related visits. Equipment used to evaluate hearing aid performance includes:

• Three types of real-ear and hearing aid analysis instrumentation
• Hearing Aid programmers
• Multiple types and brands of hearing aids from conventional to 100% digital
• Assistive Listening Devices (FM; modified phones; captioners)

Audiology Diagnostic Clinic/Lab (Center for Development and Learning)  

Pediatric hearing evaluations are provided at this site as part of interdisciplinary team assessments. Equipment necessary for the behavioral and physiologic evaluation of young children includes:

• Sound suite equipped for VRA
• Two channel diagnostic audiometer
• Portable audiometers
• Acoustic immittance instrumentation
• Otoacousitc emissions instrumentation

Literacy Center/Augmentative and Alternative (AAC) Communication Lab

This lab is used for clinical, educational, and research purposes within AAC. This accessible laboratory serves as a central location for assistive literacy software, alternative access hardware and software, and low and high tech AAC equipment. It supports three primary functions: 1) Research - To develop empirically-based design specifications for a universally designed writing software tool and to develop an alternative reading comprehension assessment battery for students with severe speech and physical impairments, 2) Teaching - To provide a training laboratory for graduate students at UNC-CH interested in acquiring skills related to communication and literacy development for persons with severe speech and physical impairments and/or language-learning disabilities, 3) Clinical Service - To provide assessment and intervention services for school-age children with severe-speech and physical impairments and language-learning disabilities.

Speech Science Research Lab

The Speech Science Research lab includes a sound treated booth used for audio recordings and perceptual experiments. A digital signal processing system is interfaced with a PC. This system is used for waveform capturing, editing, acoustic analyses, speech synthesis, and stimulus presentation. Stimuli may be presented through headphones and responses recorded through to a keyboard, monitor, and/or button box inside the booth. The laboratory contains several high quality digital and analogue audio-recorders and microphones. Transcription tape recorders are used for phonetic transcription tasks. Acoustic software includes the Computerized Speech Research Environment (CSRE) version 4.5 from AVAAZ Innovations Inc and CSpeechSP Other custom signal generation and stimulus presentation software is available.

Velopharyngeal Dynamics Research Lab (UNC Craniofacial Center)
Work in this laboratory is focused on speech and respiratory aerodynamics in infants, children, and adults with cleft lip and palate. This lab utilizes the following instrumentation:

• Respritrace used to measure abdominal and thoracic volume during speech production
• Acoustic Rhinomanometer that measures the size of nasal cavities

Speech EMG Research Lab (UNC Craniofacial Center)

This laboratory is devoted to the physiologic study of speech production with an emphasis on the aerodynamic and muscular substrates. Current research projects are focused on respiration and speech production in children and adults with and without cleft lip and palate. A particular focus is on the role of the soft palate and laryngeal muscles in regulating upper airway pressure. This lab is equipped with the following:

• dynamic perturbator to vent upper airway pressures
• aerodynamic instrumentation
• electroglottography (EGG)
• electromyography (EMG) equipment

Speech Acoustics Research Laboratory (UNC Craniofacial Center)

Research in this laboratory is focused on objective acoustic voice characteristics allowing comparison of various populations on acoustic and perceptual features of hypernasality. The laboratory includes:

• Sound suite with PC interfaced nasometer
• EMG instrumentation
• Acoustic analysis equipment

The Infant Behavior Project Laboratory

Research in this laboratory is focused on the early development of children with autism spectrum disorders, other developmental disabilities, and typical development. Current studies involve retrospective videotape analysis of home videotapes of infants and toddlers. The laboratory houses computer and videoediting and playback equipment, as well as developmental test materials appropriate for young children. See http://www.unc.edu/depts/ibp for more information.