Developed as a tangent related to Bryce Irvin’s Master’s Research in Natural Voice Singing Restoration with External Prosthesis at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Two-Voiced Gesture Controlled ElectroLarynx attempts an “unnatural” take on Voice Restoration: allowing the user to “sing” with two voices simultaneously. The most recent version of the Two-Voiced Gesture Controlled Electrolarynx is embedded in a cargo vest.

The Two-Voiced Gesture Controlled ElectroLarynx currently uses a Teensy 4.1 for sensor processing, scale mapping, and audio generation. The onset/offset and pitch of each voice is controlled with an IR distance sensor that can be remapped to snap to different scales and intonations. Intonations are highly customizable and can be set up as presets that can be cycled through with the push of a button. There is also a “Theremin Mode” that allows the user to use each voice as a theremin independently. All code for the waveform generation and scale mapping is handled within the Teensy 4.1. The audio signals are fed via I2S to a Stereo Class D amplifier, which amplifies the two independent voices to transducers that are coupled to the neck within the vest collar.

The Embedded Vest Prototype version of the Two-Voiced Gesture Controlled Electrolarynx debuted as part of Phase 1 showing of the CELSO project by Driven Arts Collective. Future iterations will aim to improve the power and fidelity of the transducer set-up, increase robustness of the wearable device, and improve the accuracy of the user interface.