Joseph S Kalinowski

US Patent:

6754632, Jun 22, 2004

Filed:

Sep 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/665192

Inventors:

Joseph Kalinowski - Greenville NC
Andrew Stuart - Winterville NC
Michael Rastatter - Greenville NC

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

A61F 558

US Classification:

704271, 600 23

Abstract:

Methods and devices generate an exogenous natural second speech signal as an auditory stimulus to a user to enhance the fluency of persons who stutter. The natural speech signal is independent of the contemporaneous speech production of the stutterer and is provided by a voice gesture and can be a prolonged or sustained voice gesture sound such as a simple vowel, or consonant, or vowel trains and the like. The second speech signal can be transmitted in advance of a speaking event or speech production of the stutterer and/or concurrently with a speaking event, either intermittently or continuous during the speaking event. The devices of the instant invention are configured to provide the voice based speech signal such that it is audible to the user and does not require feedback of the users own speech allowing the user to speak at a substantially normal pace with enhanced fluency. The device and methods can relay the signal based on a manual activation or automatically based on a detection of speech or a stuttering event on the part of the user.

US Patent:

7031922, Apr 18, 2006

Filed:

Nov 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/718222

Inventors:

Joseph Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Andrew Stuart - Winterville NC, US
Michael Rastatter - Greenville NC, US

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

G10L 21/00

US Classification:

704271, 704275, 704235, 434185, 434156, 434178, 600 23, 600559, 623 10

Abstract:

Methods, devices, and computer program products display visual choral speech to a patient who stutters or has a speech impediment or impairment as a visual stimulus for the patient to enhance the fluency of the patient. The visual choral speech is incongruous with the speech produced by the stutterer and is provided by a visual display of the articulatory movements of a person other than the patient (or a simulated representation thereof) of the person's lips and mouth as the person speaks. The visual speech gestures can be displayed to the patient in advance of a speaking event or speech production by the stutterer and/or concurrently with a speaking event (either intermittently or continuous during the speaking event). The visual choral speech gestures can be based on a string of coherent words to provide the visual speech gestures signal such that it is relayed to the user without the attendant auditory component allowing the user to speak at a substantially normal pace with enhanced fluency.

US Patent:

7591779, Sep 22, 2009

Filed:

Aug 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/213581

Inventors:

Joseph Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Andrew M. Stuart - Winterville NC, US
Vijaya Guntupalli - Greenville NC, US
Tim Saltuklaroglu - Knoxville TN, US

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

A61F 5/58

US Classification:

600 23, 434185

Abstract:

Portable devices for treating stuttering or communication disorders include a circuit configured to automatically electronically select sua sponte different signal parameters and/or sound effect algorithms used to generate varied altered auditory feedback signals to a user over time.

US Patent:

7828712, Nov 9, 2010

Filed:

Sep 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/530669

Inventors:

Michael P. Rastatter - Greenville NC, US
Joseph S. Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Andrew M. Stuart - Winterville NC, US

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

A61F 5/58
A61B 19/00

US Classification:

600 23, 128897

Abstract:

Methods and devices treat treating non-stuttering pathologies having impaired or decreased communication skills by administering a frequency altered auditory feedback signal to a subject having a non-stuttering pathology while the subject is speaking or talking to thereby improve the subject's communication skills. Certain methods for treating subjects having non-stuttering pathologies or disorders presenting with an impairment or dysfunction in communication skills using frequency altered auditory feedback, comprise: (a) positioning a ear-supported device (devoid of external cabling during normal operation) for receiving auditory signals associated with a subject's speech in close proximity to at least one ear of an individual, the device being adapted to be in communication with at least one of the ear canals of the individual; (b) receiving in the device an audio signal associated with the subject's speech; (c) generating from the device a frequency altered auditory feedback signal having an associated frequency shift between about +/−2 octaves relative to the received audio signal; and (d) transmitting the frequency altered auditory feedback signal to at least one ear canal of the subject.

US Patent:

8257243, Sep 4, 2012

Filed:

Oct 11, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/901916

Inventors:

Michael P. Rastatter - Greenville NC, US
Joseph S. Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Andrew M. Stuart - Winterville NC, US

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

A61F 5/58

US Classification:

600 23

Abstract:

Methods and devices treat treating non-stuttering pathologies having impaired or decreased communication skills by administering a frequency altered auditory feedback signal to a subject having a non-stuttering pathology while the subject is speaking or talking to thereby improve the subject's communication skills.

US Patent:

20050095564, May 5, 2005

Filed:

Apr 25, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/424088

Inventors:

Andrew Stuart - Winterville NC, US
Joseph Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Michael Rastatter - Greenville NC, US

International Classification:

G09B021/00

US Classification:

434112000, 434185000, 704271000

Abstract:

Methods, devices and systems treat non-stuttering speech and/or language related disorders by administering a delayed auditory feedback signal having a delay of under about 200 ms via a portable device. The DAF treatment may be delivered on a chronic basis. For certain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, the delay is set to be under about 100 ms, and may be set to be even shorter such as about 50 ms or less. Certain methods treat cluttering (an abnormally fast speech rate) by exposing the individual to a DAF signal having a sufficient delay that automatically causes the individual to slow his or her speech rate.

US Patent:

20120301859, Nov 29, 2012

Filed:

Aug 9, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/570380

Inventors:

Michael P. Rastatter - Greenville NC, US
Joseph S. Kalinowski - Greenville NC, US
Andrew M. Stuart - Winterville NC, US

International Classification:

G09B 5/04

US Classification:

434319

Abstract:

Methods and devices treat treating non-stuttering pathologies having impaired or decreased communication skills by administering a frequency altered auditory feedback signal to a subject having a non-stuttering pathology while the subject is speaking or talking to thereby improve the subject's communication skills.

US Patent:

59614439, Oct 5, 1999

Filed:

Apr 1, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/831043

Inventors:

Michael Pierre Rastatter - Greenville NC
Joseph Stanley Kalinowski - Greenville NC
Andrew Michael Stuart - Greenville NC

Assignee:

East Carolina University - Greenville NC

International Classification:

A61F 558

US Classification:

600 23

Abstract:

A device and method for ameliorating stuttering by providing an altered auditory feedback by employing a compact device configured for positioning in or adjacent the ear canal of an individual. The portable, self-contained device can be used on a "chronic" basis and includes a receiver for receiving auditory signals, an auditory delay and or frequency shift circuit, and a transmitter for transmitting the altered signal to the individual user.