Speech Production Laboratory
The mission of the Speech Production Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin is to understand speech production characteristics in languages and in acquisition in young children, in typical developmental circumstances and in circumstances where there is delay or disorder in achievement of expected developmental milestones. Major data analysis techniques include perceptual transcription and acoustic analysis. Lab projects include connected speech and experimental paradigms focused on:
- Patterns in adult languages
- Patterns in speech acquisition
- Children who are developing typically: Cross linguistic comparisons
- Children with varying degrees of hearing impairment,
- Children with severe and persistent speech disorder and delay of functional origin
- Children diagnosed with developmental apraxia of speech.
Learn more about the people involved with the Speech Production Laboratory.
Perception, Processing and Production (PPP) Research Group
The PPP Research group meets weekly during the fall and spring semesters. Participants include UT-Austin faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students who are interested in research on varied aspects of speech perception, cognitive processing and speech production. Meetings include research presentations of ongoing research projects by group members, readings and discussion, and occasional presentations by visiting faculty on campus. Interested persons should contact
Barbara L. Davis, Lab Director for scheduling information.
The Speech Production Laboratory is housed on the second floor of
the Jesse Jones Communication Complex within The University of Texas at Austin Speech and Hearing Clinic. This laboratory contains state of the art audio and video equipment to study speech production processes in child and adult speakers.
The Speech Production Laboratory (SPL) facilities include a sound-treated/RF shielded booth. Video and audio equipment includes 1 Mini-DV camera kit, 4 Sony ICD- MS515 digital voice recorder kits for video and audio data collection, and 5 TASCAM DA40 DATs; 1 Sony CMR300 DAT for data transcription. Four Dell Optiplex computers are available to support data collection and analysis. Two are equipped with CSL, 4 with LIPP analysis software to support acoustic and transcriptional analysis projects. All computers are connected to the University network via high speed cable or wireless ports. Data is backed up regularly to a local server. University mainframe computers are also available for analysis procedures. Two HP 2430 LaserJet printers are housed within the lab. Major analysis procedures within the lab include perceptual and acoustic analysis of spoken language in children and adults.
The UT Austin Speech and Hearing Center (UTSHC) within which the Speech Production Laboratory is housed, provides on site facilities for speech production data collection including 10 diagnostic/therapy rooms and one group/conference room with one-way observation mirrors. All clinic rooms are equipped with audio and video recording equipment to gather spontaneous speech samples or recording experimental procedures.