A multivariate model incorporating subharmonic measurements for evaluating vocal roughness.

Kitayama, Itsuki; Hosokawa, Kiyohito; Iwaki, Shinobu; Yoshida, Misao; Miyauchi, Akira; Aruga, Kenji; Kawabe, Takanari; Kishikawa, Toshihiro et al. · NPJ Digit Med · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The assessment of voice quality plays a critical role in the clinical evaluation of hoarseness. However, no study has established a highly accurate method for the auditory-perceptual judgment of vocal roughness, which is one of the major components of hoarseness. In this study, we developed a multivariate acoustic model for quantifying vocal roughness using a tailored fundamental frequency (f<sub>o</sub>) estimation algorithm. The newly devised parameters enabled the classification and quantification of subharmonics, a key component of rough voice. Furthermore, we introduce the acoustic roughness index (ARI), a predictive acoustic model that integrates these parameters with existing acoustic parameters. The ARI demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy and a strong correlation with auditory-perceptual roughness, establishing it as a robust index for the evaluation of vocal roughness.