Audiovisual project

What is the role of face and voice information in speech communication?

UZH researchers are about to find out

Would you like to be involved? 

Goals:  The Phonetics and Speech Science Group of the University of Zurich is currently investigating the role of expressive audio-visual information on speaker and speech recognition, with the goal of obtaining a better understanding of the mutual contribution of face and voice cues in speech communication.

Participants:  We are looking for mothers who:

• are natives of British or American English, or High German
• have typical hearing and vision (no glasses)
• have typical speech and language development
• have babies between 6 and 18 months

Recording sessions: Mothers will be audio and video recorded while performing semi-spontaneous speech tasks (e.g. reading stories, describing maps, giving instructions) in the presence of their babies and of an adult. The presence of an accompanying person, caring for the child, is requested for the entire duration of the recording sessions. Otherwise, staff members with experience are available to look after the baby during the experiments.

The recordings will take place in Zurich at the Speech Laboratory of the Linguistic Research Infrastructure (LiRI). The tasks involving the mothers and their children will be performed in both same and separate recording booths which, however, allow for visual and auditory contact between participants.  

IMPORTANT: Casual recordings of children's vocalizations will be permanently deleted.

Key Information

Where? LiRI Lab - Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zürich

Reward? 100 CHF

The laboratory is fitted with baby changing facilities and a visitor parking card (upon request).

Contact person

Dr. Elisa Pellegrino: elisa.pellegrino@uzh.ch