6th Workshop on Speech in Noise: Intelligibility and Quality
9/10 January 2014, Marseille, France

Laboratory of Mechanics and Acoustics
National Center for Scientific Research
Marseille
France
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Speech in Noise

Speech is probably the most used method of communication. It is fast, robust, open to interaction and can be used in highly adverse conditions. Besides the content of the message it contains additional information, such as the emotional state, size and sex of the speaker. But occasionally speech information is not transmitted properly due to interference by one or more other sources typically labelled as noise.

Technological progress demands a better understanding of the processes involved in the perception of speech in noise. For example, mobile telecommunications makes people communicate under far more noisier conditions than the traditional landline. Contemporary hearing aids with wireless technologies allow the implementation of numerous digital signal processing strategies, creating novel opportunities to improve the speech perception for hearing impaired listeners. A better understanding of the perception of speech in noise also appears imperative to a further development of cochlear implants. Notwithstanding progress in the field of automatic speech recognition, robustness to noise remains a challenge.

Besides these challenges, new technology also created new opportunities to study the perception of speech in noise. Computational models in the field of room and space acoustics make it possible to evaluate listening conditions prior to construction or acoustic modifications. New techniques in brain imaging, neural processing and cognitive functioning allow new perspectives on the processing of noisy speech. Although speech intelligibility has traditionally received much interest, the presence of noise appears to influence subsequent processing by the human brain, even when the message appears to have been transmitted properly.

A better understanding of the perception of speech in noise demands knowledge and exchange of knowledge from a variety of disciplines, who typically do not meet at other conferences. Additionally, the field can benefit from interaction between industry and academia. This workshop series aims to provide a platform for all involved in the amazingly diverse research on "Speech in Noise".

The SpiN2014 Workshop

The SpiN workshop in 2014 was held in the Laboratory of Mechanics and Acoustics at the National Center for Scientific Research in Marseille, France. Show on Map

The scientific program contained both oral and poster presentations. Invited speakers at various stages in their academic careers revealed their latest research findings, covering the many aspects of speech in noise research.

 

Papers Presented

Download Workshop Programme and Abstracts.

Keynote:

Oral Presentations:

Poster Presentations:

Marseille

Nestled between sea and hills, Marseille is an amazing city that moves with the seasons and passions. It is the oldest city in France and combines the richness of a unique heritage and an intense cultural life with an exceptional location.

Sometimes affectionate, sometimes rebellious, Marseille seduces the visitor with the charm of its 111 different districts, its mild climate and the secrets of its gastronomy.

The city has a unique character with a cosmopolitan center combined with picturesque villages nearby and an amazing 57 km coastline including numerous beaches, various ports and 24 km of limestone mountains rising to over 550 meters. Its ideal climate, with more than 2800 hours of sunshine per year, combined with a strong maritime influence, is perfectly reflected in the outstanding gastronomy of the Provençal region.

Besides the many tourist attractions, and amplified by the fact that Marseille is currently Europe's Cultural Capital, the city is growing ground for various high-quality academic institutions and world-leading innovative industries.

More detailed information about travelling, lodging, dining and enjoying Marseille during the SpiN workshop can be found in our Marseille survival guide (updated 2013-1-3).

Organising Committee

Looking forward seeing you in Marseille, the organising team:

  • Sabine Meunier (LMA),
  • Mark Huckvale (UCL),
  • Rolph Houben (AMC),
  • Olivier Macherey (LMA),
  • Jacques Chatron (LMA),
  • Sophie Savel (LMA),
  • Gaston Hilkhuysen (LMA).

Past Workshops

Previous workshops were held in London (UK), Amsterdam (NL), Lyon (F), Cardifff (UK) and Vitoria (ES) and assembled each time around 70 people mainly from Europe occasionally from North America.

Contributions of previous workshops can be found at:

We warmly thank our sponsors: PACA, la Ville de Marseille, Genesis, Medel, Neurelec & ANR

Last updated: by Mark Huckvale