Electrolarynx

List of Electrolarynxes:

• Nu-Vois
• Romet R series
• Servox
• SolaTone
• TruTone

TODO: Obrazek zarizeni, schema prikladani zarizeni na krk

Electrolarynxes are Speech Technologies devices that replace the sound-vibrating capabilities of the larynx. The devices usually resemble a small hand-held tube that the user operates with one hand. The device is put against the tissue of the throat or under the chin and the user engages the vibrator on the device. The vibrations the device generates are then carried over to the inside of the oral cavity. The user can then use the rest of the vocal tract to shape the sound and speak.

This allows people who have lost either a part or the entire larynx due to cancer to be able to produce speech and to communicate again.

Historical overview

The current electrolarynxes are hand-held electromechanical devices that use a small vibrator to vibrate the inside of the oral cavity. But before miniaturization allowed such devices to be produced in a portable size, pneumatic external larynxes were used.

These devices were attached to the tracheostoma of the patient. The device was shaped in such a way that the exhaled air produced a humming noise. It was then carried via a small tube to the inside of the patient's mouth where it served as a base for speech much like the vibrations produced by a modern electrolarynx. TODO: Add picture of pneumatic larynx

http://www.drshute.com/archives/2004/08/current_trends.html

UEMI, Norihiro, et al. Design of a new electrolarynx having a pitch control function. In: Robot and Human Communication, 1994. RO-MAN'94 Nagoya, Proceedings., 3rd IEEE International Workshop on. IEEE, 1994. p. 198-203.

LIU, Hanjun, et al. Enhancement of electrolarynx speech based on auditory masking. Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on, 2006, 53.5: 865-874.