Research

BRIEF STATEMENT

My research focus is on the development of digital signal processing, system modeling, and biomedical engineering tools that involve speech, audio, and acoustics. My recent efforts have revolved around developing quantitative models that describe nonlinear effects in human speech production, and applying these physiological descriptions for the development of communication and clinical technologies. Developing biologically-inspired technology is becoming a new direction in modern engineering. Evolution has fine-tuned living things for billions of years, giving them many of the properties – efficiency, strength, flexibility – that we engineers love.

GENERAL AREAS OF INTEREST

Digital signal, image, video processing
Numerical modeling of speech production
Laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy
Ambulatory monitoring of physiological signals
Acoustic Biosensors – Wearable devices

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATORS (present and past)

Robert E. Hillman, Harvard-MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital
Daryush D. Mehta, Harvard University
Byron D. Erath, Clarkson University
Sean D. Peterson, University of Waterloo
John V. Guttag, MIT EECS
Cara Stepp, Boston University
George R. Wodicka, Purdue University
Thomas F. Quatieri, MIT Lincoln Labs
Jon Gudnason, Reykjavik University
J. Stuart Bolton, Purdue University
Luc Mongeau, McGill University
Athanasios Tsanas, University of Oxford
Max Little, MIT Media Lab and University of Oxford
Steven S. Kraman, University of Kentucky
Hans Pasterkamp, University of Manitoba
Jessica E. Huber, Purdue University
Jaime Undurraga, Macquarie University
Eduardo Martínez Montes, Centro de Neurociencias de Cuba

ONGOING RESEARCH SUPPORT

Title : Subject-specific representations of laryngeal motor control using low-order models of voice production
Funding Source : ANID (FONDECYT)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2023
End year : 2027
Grant number : FONDECYT # 1230823
Tasks: To create individualized representations of laryngeal motor control
Award: US$400k in 4 years
URL: Voice Production Lab website

Title : Advanced Center for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (AC3E)
Funding Source : ANID – BASAL
Role : Main researcher
Begin year : 2014
End year : 2024
Grant number : FB0008
Tasks: Head of the bioengineering track
Award: US$20MM in 10 years
URL: AC3E website

Title : Clinical Research Center for Improved Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Vocal Hyperfunction
Funding Source : National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Role : Site PI
Begin year : 2017
End year : 2027
Grant number : NIH grant # P50DC015446
Tasks: Mathematical modeling of vocal hyperfunction.
Award: US$23MM in 10 years
URL: NIH P50 Center website

Title : Parameter estimation of the subglottal model using system identification
Funding Source : ANID (FONDECYT)
Role : Co-Investigator, PI: Juan Yuz
Begin year : 2023
End year : 2027
Grant number : FONDECYT # 1230623
Tasks: Develop efficient methods for subglottal inverse filtering
Award: US$200k in 4 years
URL: Voice Production Lab website

COMPLETED RESEARCH SUPPORT

Title : Neurophysiological control for a computational lumped mass model of the vocal folds
Funding Source : ANID (FONDECYT)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2019
End year : 2023
Grant number : FONDECYT # 1191369
Tasks: To develop numerical modeling tools for evaluating the neural basis of normal and pathological laryngeal motor control for the long term-goal of enhancing the
overall assessment of vocal function.
Award: US$400k in 4 years
URL: Voice Production Lab website

Title : Modeling and analysis of fluid-structure systems using port-Hamiltonian descriptions
Funding Source : ANID (FONDECYT)
Role : Co-Investigator, PI: Juan Yuz
Begin year : 2018
End year : 2022
Grant number : FONDECYT # 1181090
Tasks: To develop a port-Hamiltonian system framework to model the vocal folds
Award: US$200k in 4 years
URL: Voice Production Lab website

Title : Exploring auditory-motor integration in speech production using statistical learning and its implications for hearing prostheses
Funding Source : CONICYT (REDES)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2018
End year : 2019
Grant number : REDES170082
Tasks: Travel grant to support various exchange activities between USM and Macquarie University, Australia
Award: US$30k for 1 year

Title : Auditory feedback during speech production in schizophrenic patients: An evoked potential study
Funding Source : CONICYT (MEC)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2018
End year : 2019
Grant number : MEC # 80170124
Tasks: Travel grant to support a 6 month research stay for Prof. Eduardo Martínez Montes at Centro de Neurociencias de Cuba (CNEURO)
Award: US$40k for 1 year

Title : A subject-specific model of voice production and its application in the short and long term assessment of vocal hyperfunction
Funding Source : CONICYT (FONDECYT)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2015
End year : 2019
Grant number : FONDECYT # 1151077
Tasks: To develop a method to obtain a subject-specific numerical model of voice production that can be used to enhance the assessment of phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction
Award: US$400k in 4 years
URL: Voice Production Lab website

Title : Estimación Bayesiana de un modelo numérico de la voz humana con aplicaciones clínicas
Funding Source : CONICYT (MEC)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2016
End year : 2017
Grant number : MEC # 80150034
Tasks: Travel grant to support a 7 month research stay for Prof. Sean Peterson at USM
Award: US$50k for 1 year

Title : Ambulatory monitoring of vocal function to improve voice disorder assessment
Funding Source : National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Role : Personnel – Consultant
Begin year : 2011
End year : 2015
Grant number : NIH grant # 1R21/R33-DC011588.
Tasks: Assist in the development and validation of a prototype of an ambulatory monitoring device.
Award: US$1.4MM for 5 years

Title : Numerical Modeling and Other Engineering Tools for the Ambulatory Assessment of Vocal Function
Funding Source : MIT-UTFSM Seed Fund
Role : Co-Investigator (Co-PI)
Begin year : 2015
End year : 2016
Grant number : MISTI GA-7805892690
Tasks: Extend the diagnostic capabilities of current objective methods for ambulatory monitoring by means of lumped-mass modeling, laryngeal high-speed video, and machine learning.
Award: US$30k for 1 year

Title : Physics-based model of voice production
Funding Source : CONICYT
Role : Co-PI, country coordinator
Begin year : 2013
End year : 2014
Grant number : STIC-AMSUD 13STIC-08
Tasks: Exchange grant between Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and France to contribute toward physically-relevant models of voice production
Award: US$30k for 2 years

Title : System for laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy
Funding Source : CONICYT – FONDEQUIP
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2014
End year : 2015
Grant number: EQM130094
Tasks: Purchase and enable a system for laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy at UTFSM.
Award: US$250k for 1 year

Title : Dynamic model-based algorithm for the ambulatory monitoring of vocal function using neck surface acceleration
Funding Source : CONICYT (FONDECYT)
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2011
End year : 2014
Grant number : FONDECYT # 11110147
Tasks: Develop and test a novel model-based DSP tool for the ambulatory monitoring of vocal function
Award: US$120k for 3 years

Title : Implementation of a system for laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy
Funding Source : UTFSM
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2014
End year : 2014
Grant number : UTFSM 231423
Tasks: Support the implementation of a laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy at UTFSM.
Award: US$10k for 1 year

Title : Voice Health Monitoring: Developing Measures of Ambulatory Voice Quality and Dysphonia
Funding Source : MIT-UTFSM Seed Fund
Role : Co-Investigator (Co-PI)
Begin year : 2014
End year : 2015
Grant number : MISTI GA-9616965900
Tasks: Enhance the hardware and software of voice health monitoring by developing a smartphone-based system that provides a confidential and user-friendly interface for daily sensor calibration, periodic alerts, and biofeedback.
Award: US$30k for 1 year

Title : Automatic detection of vocal hyperfunction for the ambulatory monitoring of vocal function
Funding Source : UTFSM
Role : Principal Investigator
Begin year : 2012
End year : 2013
Grant number : UTFSM 231234
Tasks: Develop criteria for automatic detection of vocal hyperfunction behaviors in a time-varying neck surface acceleration signal
Award: US$15k for 1 year

Title : The Development of Ambulatory Biofeedback Approaches to More Effectively Treat Common Voice Disorders
Funding Source : MIT-Chile Seed Fund
Role : Co-Investigator (Co-PI)
Begin year : 2012
End year : 2013
Grant number : MISTI 2745333
Tasks: Create opportunities for interaction between the MIT and UTFSM teams that could foster further interactions and thus allow envisioning a new design for a complete ambulatory vocal biofeedback system.
Award: US$30k for 1 year

Title : Audio Distortion Compensation & Noise Reduction Methods
Funding Source : Intel Corporation
Role : Post Doctoral Research Associate
Begin year : 2010
End year : 2011
Grant number : Purdue-Intel contract.
Tasks: Design and implement advanced non linear filtering techniques to improve the performance of voice command and speech recognition, especially for mobile devices with limited keyboard functionality.
Award: US$200k for 2 years

Title : Engineering Issues in Understanding Human Speech
Funding Source : National Science Foundation (NSF)
Role : Personnel – Graduate Research Assistant
Begin year : 2008
End year : 2010
Grant number : NSF Award #1036280.
Task: Develop and conduct acoustical experiments and numerical models for the research project.
Award: US$350k for 3 years

Title : Fluid-Structure Interactions within the Human Larynx
Funding Source : National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Role : Personnel – Graduate Research Assistant
Begin year : 2006
End year : 2008
Grant number : NIH grant # R01 DC05788.
Tasks: Develop numerical models of the vocal folds vibration and its acoustic interaction with the respiratory system.
Award: US$2,1MM for 5 years