SmartWhistle Poster Draft from Bioengineering’s Capstone Design Course

1. SmartWhistle Poster Draft from Bioengineering’s Capstone Design Course

2. SmartWhistle: A Tracheoesophageal Voice Prosthesis that Restores Pitch Variation Olga Bachilo, Jean Bao, James Cao & Katy Moncivais, Rice University, Houston, TX (mimesweepers@yahoo.com) Results Purpose SmartWhistle Design • To improve on current designs of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses (TEVPs): • Give female patients a higher pitch than male patients. • Allow pitch variation for men and women. Elastic Attachment • Air column length changes with stretch of elastic attachment (Fig. 2). • Change in air column length changes sound frequency. • Sound is produced at the whistle opening (Fig. 4). • Upward diversion of air avoids vibration of esophageal wall, eliminating dissonance. Whistle Opening Background GRAPHS to be inserted. • 60,000 laryngectomees in the US. • 60% laryngectomees use TEVPs. • TEVP occupies the shunt between the esophagus and the trachea (Fig. 1). • Sound-producing TEVPs have been shown to increase voice pitch. Length of Air Column Figure 2. CAD illustration of the SmartWhistle. Air Flow Figure 1. TEVP at work: pulmonary air is redicrected through the voice prosthesis into the esophagus causing esophageal wall to vibrate, producing sound. Conclusion • Fundamental frequency range increased by x%. • Maximum frequency increased by x%. • SmartWhistle produces a higher pitch than the current design. Figure 3. Prototype of the SmartWhistle made of elastomeric material. Figure 4. Air flow through the whistle component induces sound production at the whistle opening. Limitations of Current Devices • Women sound like men! • Esophageal vibration frequency is much lower than normal female voice frequency. • Women and men sound monotonous. • Sound-producing TEVPs induce dissonance between esophageal vibration and TEVP sound. Future Work Testing Methods • Scale down the prototype and modify testing. • Find a biologically inert construction material that produces a more natural voice than silicone which is used in current devices. • Test in animals and humans. A • Air flow is produced by blow dryer at high and low speeds. • Air flows through SmartWhistle, vibrates the sound production membrane, producing noise (Fig. 5). • Noise is analyzed with Pratt Software. • SmartWhistle, current model, and negative control are tested. Sound Production Membrane Acknowledgements Design Objectives Air Inlet We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The Brown Foundation Teaching Grant, Dr. Maria Oden, Dr. Michael Reece, Dr. Jan Lewin, Dr. Julia Leone, Matthew Wettergreen, Kevin Bowen, Eugene Koay, and the Rice Bioengineering Dept. B References Guttman, M. R. Rehabilitation of the Voice in Laryngectomized Patients. Arch. Otolaryngol. 1933; 15:478-479. Robbina, J. Acoustic Differentiation of Larnygeal, Esophageal, and Tracheoesophageal Speech. J. Speech and Hearing Res. 1984; 27: 577-585. van der Torn, M. et al. Female-pitched Sound-producing Voice Prostheses – Initial Experimental and Clinical Results. Eur..Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 2001;258:397-405. Figure 5.Testing apparatusA) side view; B) front view with SmartWhistle loaded SmartWhistle

3. Nice title bar. Add Dept.

4. Use informative headings. Insert space between bullet and first word; use a hanging indent so that “patients” is under the G in “Give.”

5. Per year? Total? Spelling error

6. Sexist? Use different bullet style for sub-bullets to visually signal hierarchical relationship Monotone speech? Disposable?

7. Scale? No reference to Fig 3 Bold 3 tested prototypes?

8. These images don’t show testing. Sound? Show? ?

9. First two bullets report results not conclusions.

10. How? In animals and humans? Identify?

11. Separate References and Acknowledgements

12. Overall, poster needs more definition of sections. May want to use terms such as “lack of pitch variation within speech” instead of “monotone.” Emphasize learning process that TEP users undergo. Emphasize that device can be tested in humans who can return to other device easily because they are removable.

13. Revised poster . . .

14. SmartWhistle: A Tracheoesophageal Voice Prosthesis that Restores Pitch Variation Olga Bachilo, Jean Bao, James Cao & Katy Moncivais, Rice University, Houston, TX (mimesweepers@yahoo.com) Mission Statement SmartWhistle Prototype Results We aim to improve current designs of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses (TEVPs) to give female users a higher pitch than male users and to allow pitch variation within speech facilitated by a greater range of pitch for both females and males.   Pitch Elevation  • How it works: • Air flow extends the whistle via elastic attachment (Fig. 2). • Whistle extension elongates the air column. • Change in air column length changes sound frequency. • Upward diversion of air vibrates esophageal wall, producing sound (Fig. 3). Elastic Attachment • At every air speed, SmartWhistle (16 Fr.) produces a significantly higher fundamental frequency than the standard (p<0.05*, n=3).   Whistle Opening  Frequency (Hz) 24 mm Background * Student’s t-test, 2 tailed • 60,000 laryngectomees in the US currently. • 60% laryngectomees use TEVPs. • TEVP occupies the shunt between the esophagus and the trachea (Fig. 1). • Sound-producing TEVPs have been shown to increase voice pitch. 40 mm Air Speed Air Column Pitch Range Expansion • SmartWhistle’s (20 Fr.) frequency range is 1.5 times greater than the standard’s. Figure 2. CAD illustration of a 20 Fr. SmartWhistle scaled up 4 to 1. A B Frequency (Hz) Air Speed Air Flow Figure 1. TEVP at work: pulmonary air is redirected through the voice prosthesis into the esophagus causing esophageal wall to vibrate, producing sound. Conclusion Figure 4. Prototype of A) current standard design with a flap valve and B) SmartWhistle, both made of elastomeric material. Figure 3. Air flow through the whistle opening. • SmartWhistle produces a higher pitch than the current standard design, giving female users a higher-pitched voice. • SmartWhistle produces a greater range of pitch than the current standard design, allowing more pitch variation within speech for all users. Limitations of Current Devices • Female users speak with the same low pitch as male users. • Esophageal vibration frequency is much lower than normal female voice frequency. • All users have a monotone pitch. Testing Methods Exiting air vibrates latex membrane, producing sound. 3 Future Work • Scale down the prototype and modify testing. • Modify whistle design to produce sound in addition to changing air speed. Design Objectives 1 2 Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The Brown Foundation Teaching Grant, Dr. Maria Oden, Dr. Gregory Reece, Dr. Jan Lewin, Dr. Julia Leone, Matthew Wettergreen, Kevin Bowen, Eugene Koay, and the Rice Bioengineering Dept. 4 Air from blow dryer enters artificial throat inlet. References Sound is recorded and analyzed for frequency with Praat software. Robbina, J. Acoustic Differentiation of Larnygeal, Esophageal, and Tracheoesophageal Speech. J. Speech and Hearing Res. 1984; 27: 577-585. van der Torn, M. et al. Female-pitched Sound-producing Voice Prostheses – Initial Experimental and Clinical Results. Eur..Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 2001;258:397-405. Air flows into artificial throat through the prosthesis:A) Standard B) SmartWhistle (Fig. 4). All values are for the actual product, not the prototype.

15. SmartWhistle: A Tracheoesophageal Voice Prosthesis that Restores Pitch Variation Olga Bachilo, Jean Bao, James Cao & Katy Moncivais, Rice University, Houston, TX (mimesweepers@yahoo.com) Mission Statement SmartWhistle Prototype Results We aim to improve current designs of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses (TEVPs) to give female users a higher pitch than male users and to allow pitch variation within speech facilitated by a greater range of pitch for both females and males.   Pitch Elevation  • How it works: • Air flow extends the whistle via elastic attachment (Fig. 2). • Whistle extension elongates the air column. • Change in air column length changes sound frequency. • Upward diversion of air vibrates esophageal wall, producing sound (Fig. 3). Elastic Attachment • At every air speed, SmartWhistle (16 Fr.) produces a significantly higher fundamental frequency than the standard (p<0.05*, n=3).   Whistle Opening  Frequency (Hz) 24 mm Background * Student’s t-test, 2 tailed Mission statement identifies goals in direct response to limitations of existing technology. Labels added to illustration of prototype are useful. Heading “How it works” helps frame explanation. Accessible, concise description. Testing Methods section efficiently communicates approach. Nice use of red text/membrane. Nice synopsis of key results provides evidence that your team achieved its design goals. Section headings could be more specific or informative. Consider and alternative color palette. Red text on a black background is not high contrast. • 60,000 laryngectomees in the US currently. • 60% laryngectomees use TEVPs. • TEVP occupies the shunt between the esophagus and the trachea (Fig. 1). • Sound-producing TEVPs have been shown to increase voice pitch. 40 mm Air Speed Air Column Pitch Range Expansion • SmartWhistle’s (20 Fr.) frequency range is 1.5 times greater than the standard’s. Figure 2. CAD illustration of a 20 Fr. SmartWhistle scaled up 4 to 1. A B Frequency (Hz) Air Speed Air Flow Figure 1. TEVP at work: pulmonary air is redirected through the voice prosthesis into the esophagus causing esophageal wall to vibrate, producing sound. Conclusion Figure 4. Prototype of A) current standard design with a flap valve and B) SmartWhistle, both made of elastomeric material. Figure 3. Air flow through the whistle opening. • SmartWhistle produces a higher pitch than the current standard design, giving female users a higher-pitched voice. • SmartWhistle produces a greater range of pitch than the current standard design, allowing more pitch variation within speech for all users. Limitations of Current Devices • Female users speak with the same low pitch as male users. • Esophageal vibration frequency is much lower than normal female voice frequency. • All users have a monotone pitch. Testing Methods Exiting air vibrates latex membrane, producing sound. 3 Future Work • Scale down the prototype and modify testing. • Modify whistle design to produce sound in addition to changing air speed. Design Objectives 1 2 Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The Brown Foundation Teaching Grant, Dr. Maria Oden, Dr. Gregory Reece, Dr. Jan Lewin, Dr. Julia Leone, Matthew Wettergreen, Kevin Bowen, Eugene Koay, and the Rice Bioengineering Dept. 4 Air from blow dryer enters artificial throat inlet. References Sound is recorded and analyzed for frequency with Praat software. Robbina, J. Acoustic Differentiation of Larnygeal, Esophageal, and Tracheoesophageal Speech. J. Speech and Hearing Res. 1984; 27: 577-585. van der Torn, M. et al. Female-pitched Sound-producing Voice Prostheses – Initial Experimental and Clinical Results. Eur..Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 2001;258:397-405. Air flows into artificial throat through the prosthesis:A) Standard B) SmartWhistle (Fig. 4). All values are for the actual product, not the prototype.

16. Revised poster . . .

17. SmartWhistle: A Tracheoesophageal VoiceProsthesis that Restores Pitch Variation Olga Bachilo, Jean Bao, James Cao & Katy Moncivais, Rice University, Houston, TX (mimesweepers@yahoo.com) Results Mission Statement SmartWhistle Prototype We aim to improve current designs of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses (TEVPs) to give female users a higher pitch than male users and to allow pitch variation within speech facilitated by a greater range of pitch for both females and males.   Pitch Elevation  • How it works: • Air flow extends the whistle via elastic attachment (Fig. 2). • Whistle extension elongates the air column. • Change in air column length changes sound frequency. • Upward diversion of air vibrates esophageal wall, producing sound (Fig. 3). Elastic Attachment • At every air speed, SmartWhistle (16 Fr.) produces a significantly higher fundamental frequency than the standard (p<0.05*, n=3).   Whistle Opening  Frequency (Hz) 24 mm Background * Student’s t-test, 2 tailed • 60,000 laryngectomees in the US currently. • 60% laryngectomees use TEVPs. • TEVP occupies the shunt between the esophagus and the trachea (Fig. 1). • Sound-producing TEVPs have been shown to increase voice pitch. 40 mm Air Speed Air Column Pitch Range Expansion • SmartWhistle’s (20 Fr.) frequency range is 1.5 times greater than the standard’s. Figure 2. CAD illustration of a 20 Fr. SmartWhistle scaled up 4 to 1. A B Frequency (Hz) Air Speed Air Flow Figure 1. TEVP at work: pulmonary air is redirected through the voice prosthesis into the esophagus causing esophageal wall to vibrate, producing sound. Figure 4. Prototype of A) current standard design with a flap valve and B) SmartWhistle, both made of elastomeric material. Conclusion Figure 3. Air flow through the whistle opening. Limitations of Current Devices • SmartWhistle produces a higher pitch than the current standard design, giving female users a higher-pitched voice. • SmartWhistle produces a greater range of pitch than the current standard design, allowing more pitch variation within speech for all users. • Female users speak with the same low pitch as male users. • Esophageal vibration frequency is much lower than normal female voice frequency. • All users have a monotone pitch. Testing Methods Exiting air vibrates latex membrane, producing sound. 3 Future Work • Scale down the prototype and modify testing. • Modify whistle design to produce sound in addition to changing air speed. Design Objectives 1 2 References and Acknowledgments 4 Robbina, J. Acoustic Differentiation of Larnygeal, Esophageal, and Tracheoesophageal Speech. J. Speech and Hearing Res. 1984; 27: 577-585. van der Torn, M. et al. Female-pitched Sound-producing Voice Prostheses – Initial Experimental and Clinical Results. Eur..Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 2001;258:397-405. Air from blow dryer enters artificial throat inlet. Sound is recorded and analyzed for frequency with Praat software. We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The Brown Foundation Teaching Grant, Dr. Maria Oden, Dr. Gregory Reece, Dr. Jan Lewin, Dr. Julia Leone, Matthew Wettergreen, Kevin Bowen, Eugene Koay, and the Rice Bioengineering Dept. Air flows into artificial throat through the prosthesis:A) Standard B) SmartWhistle (Fig. 4). All values are for the actual product, not the prototype.