Emotion Voice Analysis System Connected to the Human Brain

To investigate human brain activities in association with emotional speech, we developed a novel voice analysis system connected to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. Participants spoke inside the MR magnet during which BOLD activities of the brain was measured. Speech voice was transmitted through the newly developed mask-microphone inside the magnet to the external computer and was processed by the emotional voice analysis system. Two participants conversed without hindrance and their emotional state was analyzed. Using the system, we were able to detect brain activities during speech and simultaneously evaluate the human emotional voice.