Oral Muzzle Pressure Effects in Underwater Communication

摘要

The design of most SCUBA communication equipment requires that the diver/talker speak into a slightly raised air pressure to prevent back flooding at the exhaust port of the system. The study sought to determine the effect on intelligibility of speaking into such an elevated pressure. Three male and two female speakers read standard intelligibility word lists as they wore an oral muzzle adjusted to exhaust release at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 cm/H2O re atmospheric pressure. Recorded stimuli were played to 20 listeners who identified each word as one of five choices in a closed response set. Results indicated a systematic trend for intelligibility scores to decrease with increases in muzzle release pressures. (Author)