Speaker: Eric J. Hunter, Research Scientist, Deputy Exec. Director, National Center for Voice and Speech

Eric Hunter, PhD, is the Deputy Executive Director for the National Center for Voice and Speech. His research interests include signal processing, biomechanics of speech articulators (specifically the larynx and laryngeal muscle mechanics), vibration and posturing models of the vocal system, muscle mechanics and muscle models, and biomechanical properties of tissues. Dr. Hunter is on the board of editors of The Open Acoustics Journal and the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing. He is also a member of the American Physical Society, the American Society of Biomechanics, and the Acoustical Society of America. He received the National Research Service Award traineeship to complete his PhD in Speech Science from the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at The University of Iowa. He completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in Physics, with an Acoustics emphasis.

Presentation Abstract:

One key aspect of occupational medicine is the examination of human exposure to vibration. Occupational studies in vibration exposure have historically focused on whole body vibration (in relation to areas such as space travel and heavy equipment operation) or in hand and arm vibration (e.g., hand tools). However, evidence is growing that vocal vibration exposure and inadequate recovery times put occupational voice users (e.g., teachers, telephone workers, air traffic controllers, ministers, counselors) at high risk for vocal injury. Using hand vibration as a model, a vibration dose exposure and recovery convolution model has been developed. Before it was possible to develop this model, several preliminary steps were taken and will be discussed: [1] development of hypotheses related to the origins of vocal vibration injury; [2] derivation of vocal vibration dose from these hypotheses; [3] assessment of vibration exposure; and [4] quantification of resultant vocal vibration injury. The translation of such a model to the research of whole body and hand vibration exposure which focuses on exposure standards and thresholds will be discussed. Finally, future work, potential interdisciplinary collaborations, student projects and other avenues of biomedical engineering research will also be discussed.