Tim Kraft

kraft

Biomedical Electronics Technician

Department of Communication
Sciences and Disorders
Academic Instructional Center
Room AI 334, Mailstop 9171
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington 98225

E-mail: tim.kraft@wwu.edu

Education and Training:
B.S., Western Washington University, 1997
Major: Electronics Engineering Technology
Minor: Music

Areas of Interest:
The science of sound
Speech analysis
Phonetics
Biomedical devices - Calibration and maintenance
Video and audio recording technology as tools in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Telepractice
Cochlear Implant technology
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Noise induced hearing loss
Music

Question: What does the word "biomedical" mean?
Answer: Relating to the activities and applications of science to clinical medicine

Question: What does a Biomedical Electronics Technician do?
Answer: Diagnose malfunctions, maintain, repair, install, test, develop and fabricate patient care and clinical laboratory equipment and apparatus for use in health care facilities and other patient care related areas. Also, provide technical support to health care professionals, clinicians, and technologists involved in patient care.

Fourier Synthesis applet:
Building complex waveforms from sine waves

http://www.physics.wisc.edu/instructional/phys109/fourier/

Categorical Perception Demonstration from the
University of Gothenburg, Sweden

http://www.ling.gu.se/~anders/KatPer/Applet/index.eng.html

Handy Information:
Piano Keyboard Frequencies (.doc)
Piano Keyboard Frequencies (.pdf)

CSD 488 - Hearing Loss in Adulthood - Software useful for Interview Project (but not required)

You can reserve and obtain portable equipment at ATUS Classroom Services, Haggard Hall 114, phone 360-650-3300.

http://west.wwu.edu/atus/classrooms/equipment_policies_and_fees.shtml

DVD Authoring Software (free) - for creating a DVD from any video file:

DVD Flick Tutorial:

DVD Ripping Software - for creating small video clips from a DVD:
(not free, but licensed and installed on many CSD computers):

Emicsoft Total Media Converter

AOA DVD Ripper (free demo version limited to 10-minute clips)

How to create video clips on CSD Dept. computers using
Emicsoft Total Media Converter:

Audio Software:
If you find these programs useful, please support the developers by buying a license! (where applicable)

Goldwave

GoldWave - Click Here to Download/Install (.exe)
Audio Editor - Version 5.13 - fully functional demo
Shareware

or get it from the original source:
http://www.goldwave.com/

I like version 5.13 (above), however more current versions may be downloaded directly from the authors.

Play, edit, mix, and analyze audio
Record audio from cassettes, vinyl records, radio, etc. through your computer's line-in
Record dictation through a microphone or play dictation back at a slower speed for transcription (with foot pedal control)
Record and edit audio for podcasting or telephone systems
Apply special effects, such as fade, equalizer, doppler, mechanize, echo, reverse, flanger, and more
Digitally remaster and restore old recordings with noise reduction and pop/click filters
Convert files to/from different formats, such as iTunes, wav, wma, mp3, ogg, aiff, au, vox and even raw binary data
Make perfect digital copies of audio CD tracks using the CD Reader tool and save them in wav, wma, mp3, or ogg files
Edit music for dance programs, figure skating, gymnastics
Analyze human speech, bird song, whale song

Speech Analyzer

Speech Analyzer - Click Here to Download/Install (.exe)
Speech Analysis Software

or get it from the original source: www.sil.org/computing/sa/index.htm

Perform fundamental frequency, spectrographic and spectral analysis, and duration measurements.
Add phonemic, orthographic, tone, and gloss transcriptions to phonetic transcriptions in an interlinear format.
Perform ethnomusicological analysis of music recordings.
Use slowed playback, repeat loops and overlays to assist with perception and mimicry of sounds for language learning.

Tone Generator

Tone Generator - Click Here to Download/Run (.exe)
(no install needed, the .exe file IS the program file)

or get it from the original source:
http://www.tolvan.com/

This is the best simple tone generator that I have found. There are also several other great little audio utilities included under "tools".

Reaper

Reaper - Click Here to Download/Install (Windows) (.exe)
Digital Audio Workstation

Other versions:
Windows x64 (4.9MB installer)
OS X Intel (7.2MB DMG) beta
OS X PPC (5.3MB DMG) beta

or get it from the original source:
http://www.reaper.fm/

REAPER is a digital audio workstation: a complete multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing, and mastering environment.

Soundcard Oscilloscope

Soundcard Oscilloscope - Click Here to Download/Install (Windows) (.zip)

or get it from the original source:
www.zeitnitz.de
/Christian/scope_en

This software and all previous versions are not Freeware!
The use of the software and of the documentation is granted free of charge for private and non-commercial use in educational institutions. Any commercial application, distribution and sale is prohibited. For commercial usage contact the author. All right reserved.

Author: Christian Zeitnitz, christianzeitnitz@web.de

The Soundcard Oscilloscope receives its data from the Soundcard with 44.1kHz and 16 Bit resolution. The data source can be selected in the Windows mixer (Microphone, Line-In or Wave). The frequency range depends on the sound card, but 20-20000Hz should be possible with all modern cards. The low frequency end is limited by the AC coupling of the line-in signal. Be aware, that most microphone inputs are only mono.

The oscilloscope contains in addition a signal generator for 2 channels for Sine, Square, Triangular and Sawtooth wave forms in the frequency range from 0 to 20kHz. These signals are available at the speaker output of the sound card. These can be fed back to the oscilloscope in order to generate Lissajous figures in the x-y mode.

To make this program work on my Dell Optiplex 755 with a SoundMax Integrated Digital HD audio device, I had to update the audio driver which I found on the Dell web site (not the Analog Devices web site).

Here is the driver I used:
SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio Device Driver HD version 5.10.1.7255 (5-18-2009) (.exe)

VTDemo - Vocal Tract Acoustics Demonstrator

VTDemo - Vocal Tract Acoustics Demonstrator:
Click Here to download version 1.4 (.exe)
Click Here to Download version 3.5 (.exe)

More information about the Vocal Tract Acoustics Demonstrator can be found here:
Vocal Tract Acoustics Demonstrator Description Page

VTDemo is an interactive Windows PC program for demonstrating how the quality of different speech sounds can be explained by changes in the shape of the vocal tract. With VTDemo you can move the articulators in a 2D simulation of the vocal tract cavity and hear in real-time the consequences on the sound produced.

VTDemo Version 1.4

Real-time synthesis allowing the effect of change to articulatory parameters to be heard as they are manipulated.
A new voice source model based on the LF Model.
A new GA parameter to control glottal area.
A real-time spectral display.
Creation/replay of animated articulations.
Vocal tract length switch for adult male/adult female/child speaker.

VTDemo Version 3.5 adds these capabilities:

Control table for editing dynamic synthesis
NS parameter for controlling size of velo-pharyngeal port
Animation of glottal area and velum
Real-time formant frequency estimation

Page Updated 04.04.2013