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Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement

Received: 15 October 2019    Accepted:     Published: 18 November 2019
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Abstract

Most of the existing speech enhancement algorithms are aimed at improving the quality of speech, and the algorithms that can improve the speech intelligibility effectively are rare. Speech intelligibility has been found to improve listening comfort and it is generally related to the distortion of the speech signal closely. Studies have assessed the impact of speech distortion introduced by gain functions and shown that one of the main reasons that existing algorithms cannot improve speech intelligibility is because they allow amplification distortions more than 6dB. Therefore, these distortions of the enhanced amplitude spectrum should be corrected to improve the speech intelligibility. The early research by Loizou et al. obtained the experimental results on the ideal state and we are unable to use it in reality because there is no clean speech in reality. In this paper, we modify the method proposed by Loizou et al. and select the estimated speech under two hypothetical conditions to verify the improvement of the speech intelligibility. The short-term objective intelligibility value verifies the improvement of speech intelligibility as the improved algorithm of speech intelligibility is applied to reality successfully.

Published in Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems (Volume 7, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13
Page(s) 92-98
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Speech Intelligibility, Amplification Distortion, Short-Term Objective Intelligibility Value

References
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[2] T. Baer, B. Moore, and S. Gatehouse, “Spectral contrast enhancement of speech in noise for listeners with sensorineural hearing impairment: Effects on intelligibility, quality and response times,” J. Rehab. Res. Dev. Vol (30), 1993, pp. 49–72.
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[4] Bai Haichuan, Ge Fengpei and Yan Yonghong, “DNN-based speech enhancement using soft audible noise masking for wind noise reduction,”Merging Technologies and Applications, vol. 15 (9), 2018, pp. 235-243.
[5] F. Chen and P. Loizou, “Impact of SNR and gain-function over-and under-estimation on speech intelligibility,” Speech Communication, vol. 54, 2012, pp. 272-281.
[6] P. Loizou, Speech Enhancement: Theory and Practice. Boca Raton: Florida, CRC Press LLC, 2007, pp. 97-99.
[7] P. Loizou and G. Kim, “Reasons why current speech- enhancement algorithms do not improve speech intelligibility and suggested solutions,” IEEE Trans. Audio, Speech, Lang. Process, vol. 19 (1), 2011, pp. 47-56.
[8] L. Yang and P. Loizou,“Estimators of the Magnitude-Squared Spectrum and Methods for Incorporating SNR Uncertainty”, Senior Member, IEEE, vol. 19 (5), 2011, pp1123-1137.
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[10] P. J. Wolfe and S. J. Godsill, “Efficient alternatives to Ephraim and Malah suppression rule for audio signal enhancement,” EURASIP J. Appl. Signal Process, vol. 10, 2003, pp. 1043–1051.
[11] Guo Lihua and Ma Jianfen, “Improved Wiener filtering speech enhancement algorithm with high intelligibility,” Computer applications and software, vol. 31 (11), 2014, pp. 155-157.
[12] Chen Chen, Gao Ying and Liu Wei. “Comparative Analysis of Priori SNR Estimation Algorithms in Single Channel Speech Enhancement,” Circuits and Systems, vol. 7 (2), 2018, pp. 25-35.
[13] IEEE Subcommittee, “IEEE Recommended Practice for Speech Quality Measurements,” IEEE Trans. Audio and Electro acoustics, vol. 17 (3), 1969, pp. 225-246.
[14] Y. Lu and P. Loizou, “Speech enhancement by combining statistical estimators of speech and noise,” in Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, Signal Processing, 2010, pp. 4754–4757.
[15] Y. Hu and P. Loizou, “Subjective comparison and evaluation of speech enhancement algorithms,” Speech Commun, 2007, vol. 49, pp. 588–601.
[16] F. Gelderblom, T. Tronstad and E. Viggen, “Subjective Evaluation of a Noise-Reduced Training Target for Deep Neural Network-Based Speech Enhancement,” IEEE/ACM Transactions on Audio Speech and Language Processing, vol. 27 (3), 2019, pp. 583-594.
[17] C. Tan and B. Moore, “Perception of nonlinear distortion by hearing-impaired people,” Int. J. Audiol. 2008, vol. 47, pp. 246–256.
[18] S. Rangachari and P. Loizou, “A noise-estimation algorithm forhighly non-stationary environments,” Speech Commun. 2006, vol. 48, pp. 220–231.
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  • APA Style

    Zhao Yanlei, Ou Shifeng, Gao Ying. (2019). Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement. Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems, 7(3), 92-98. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13

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    ACS Style

    Zhao Yanlei; Ou Shifeng; Gao Ying. Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement. Autom. Control Intell. Syst. 2019, 7(3), 92-98. doi: 10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13

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    AMA Style

    Zhao Yanlei, Ou Shifeng, Gao Ying. Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement. Autom Control Intell Syst. 2019;7(3):92-98. doi: 10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13,
      author = {Zhao Yanlei and Ou Shifeng and Gao Ying},
      title = {Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement},
      journal = {Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems},
      volume = {7},
      number = {3},
      pages = {92-98},
      doi = {10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.acis.20190703.13},
      abstract = {Most of the existing speech enhancement algorithms are aimed at improving the quality of speech, and the algorithms that can improve the speech intelligibility effectively are rare. Speech intelligibility has been found to improve listening comfort and it is generally related to the distortion of the speech signal closely. Studies have assessed the impact of speech distortion introduced by gain functions and shown that one of the main reasons that existing algorithms cannot improve speech intelligibility is because they allow amplification distortions more than 6dB. Therefore, these distortions of the enhanced amplitude spectrum should be corrected to improve the speech intelligibility. The early research by Loizou et al. obtained the experimental results on the ideal state and we are unable to use it in reality because there is no clean speech in reality. In this paper, we modify the method proposed by Loizou et al. and select the estimated speech under two hypothetical conditions to verify the improvement of the speech intelligibility. The short-term objective intelligibility value verifies the improvement of speech intelligibility as the improved algorithm of speech intelligibility is applied to reality successfully.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Improved Wiener Filter Algorithm for Speech Enhancement
    AU  - Zhao Yanlei
    AU  - Ou Shifeng
    AU  - Gao Ying
    Y1  - 2019/11/18
    PY  - 2019
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13
    T2  - Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems
    JF  - Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems
    JO  - Automation, Control and Intelligent Systems
    SP  - 92
    EP  - 98
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5591
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.acis.20190703.13
    AB  - Most of the existing speech enhancement algorithms are aimed at improving the quality of speech, and the algorithms that can improve the speech intelligibility effectively are rare. Speech intelligibility has been found to improve listening comfort and it is generally related to the distortion of the speech signal closely. Studies have assessed the impact of speech distortion introduced by gain functions and shown that one of the main reasons that existing algorithms cannot improve speech intelligibility is because they allow amplification distortions more than 6dB. Therefore, these distortions of the enhanced amplitude spectrum should be corrected to improve the speech intelligibility. The early research by Loizou et al. obtained the experimental results on the ideal state and we are unable to use it in reality because there is no clean speech in reality. In this paper, we modify the method proposed by Loizou et al. and select the estimated speech under two hypothetical conditions to verify the improvement of the speech intelligibility. The short-term objective intelligibility value verifies the improvement of speech intelligibility as the improved algorithm of speech intelligibility is applied to reality successfully.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Science and Technology for Opto-electronic Information, Yantai University, Yantai, China

  • Department of Science and Technology for Opto-electronic Information, Yantai University, Yantai, China

  • Department of Science and Technology for Opto-electronic Information, Yantai University, Yantai, China

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