(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022-12-15)
Irvin, Bryce
The accessibility of expressive singing is limited by the physical mechanisms that produce speech and singing. For individuals without these physical mechanisms, singing is either difficult or impossible. Through this work, we propose the development of an external electronic prosthesis capable of inducing a natural singing voice in a performer without the need for traditional singing mechanisms. The novelty introduced by this prosthesis will serve as a new way for performers of any background and ability to express themselves and participate in social music activities. Specifically, we first aim to resolve issues with common prosthesis transducers. We then aim to discover methods for inducing the most natural singing voice in users, focusing on the nature of the excitation waveform used to drive the transducer of the prosthesis.