Low-cost contact microphones for bedside voice assessment: proof of concept

Adrián Castillo-Allendes; Fernanda Figueroa-Martínez; Lady Catherine Cantor-Cutiva; Mark Berardi; Eric J Hunter

doi:10.1007/s00405-025-09970-0

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Low-cost contact microphones for bedside voice assessment: proof of concept

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Low-cost contact microphones for bedside voice assessment: proof of concept

Adrián Castillo-Allendes, Fernanda Figueroa-Martínez, Lady Catherine Cantor-Cutiva, Mark Berardi and Eric J Hunter

European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology, 9002937

01/31/2026

DOI: 10.1007/s00405-025-09970-0

PMCID: PMC13002727

PMID: 41620545

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Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the proof-of-concept feasibility of using low-cost, commercially available contact microphones (CMs) for bedside voice assessment under simulated hospital noise conditions. Methods Two low-cost CMs were tested against a reference accelerometer and headset air microphone using two vocally trained adults. Participants performed sustained vowels, pitch glides, and connected speech under four noise conditions: quiet-lab, quiet-hospital, multi-talker babble, and simulated hospital noise. The selected acoustic parameters, commonly used in clinical assessment, include smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS), fundamental frequency (fo), shimmer, jitter, harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR), and low-to-high spectral ratio (L/H ratio). Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Results CPPS and fo demonstrated no significant device effects and remained stable across noise conditions (p > 0.05). Breathy voice significantly reduced CPPS (speech: β = − 0.48, p ≤ 0.01; vowel: β = − 0.62, p ≤ 0.01) and increased jitter and shimmer (β = 0.74 and 0.75, respectively; p ≤ 0.01). Device-related variability was most evident in shimmer and NHR, with accelerometer values differing from CMs. Noise conditions minimally influenced primary measures in CMs compared to the headset microphone. Conclusion This feasibility study suggests that low-cost CMs may preserve clinically relevant acoustic measures with stability across noisy conditions. Preliminary findings indicate potential advantages over conventional microphones for bedside voice assessment, though validation with clinical populations in real, rather than staged, conditions is needed.

Bedside assessment

Cepstral peak prominence

Contact microphone

Voice assessment

Acoustic analysis

Details

Title: Subtitle: Low-cost contact microphones for bedside voice assessment: proof of concept
Creators: Adrián Castillo-Allendes - Michigan State University
Fernanda Figueroa-Martínez - University of Iowa
Lady Catherine Cantor-Cutiva - East Tennessee State University
Mark Berardi - University of Iowa
Eric J Hunter - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology, 9002937
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-025-09970-0
PMID: 41620545
PMCID: PMC13002727
NLM abbreviation: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
ISSN: 0937-4477
eISSN: 1434-4726
Publisher: Springer Nature
Grant note: R01DC012315 / NIDCD NIH HHS 56170003 / Fulbright Chile
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 01/31/2026
Academic Unit: Communication Sciences and Disorders; Teaching and Learning; Otolaryngology
Record Identifier: 9985139494602771

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