The social dynamics of language: a study of phonological variation and change in West Australian English. This project studies the role of pronunciation as a marker of individual and community identity. As the first systematic study of accent variability in Perth, it focusses on how, across different contexts, speakers from older and younger generations and different backgrounds deploy speech as a means of projecting social affiliation and difference.
Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic ....Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic, physiological, and acoustic concomitants of each component distribution and by investigating the impact of selected variables on the shape and location of each. The project has important implications for models of language production and applied problems involving automatic speech recognition, forensic speaker identification, and human communication disorders.Read moreRead less
A Cross-National and Cross-Cultural Study of Global Translation Industry. This project aims to tackle the pressing issue of the social invisibility of the translation profession, a persistent social problem that threatens to hinder the development of a critical knowledge-based industry in Australia within a rapidly changing international social, economic and cultural context. The project is expected to offer insights into the emerging international translation system and inform policy makers an ....A Cross-National and Cross-Cultural Study of Global Translation Industry. This project aims to tackle the pressing issue of the social invisibility of the translation profession, a persistent social problem that threatens to hinder the development of a critical knowledge-based industry in Australia within a rapidly changing international social, economic and cultural context. The project is expected to offer insights into the emerging international translation system and inform policy makers and the general public about the challenges and opportunities of developing this profitable and resilient service industry.Read moreRead less
ARC Research Network for Enabling Human Communication. The Human Communication Network promotes interdisciplinary research in speech, language, and sound by and between humans and machines. The network connects leading and emerging researchers across disciplines, exploits previously unrecognised intersections, supports interdisciplinary graduate training and exchanges, provides database storage infrastructure, and consults with industry and government to set, not follow, research agendas. By ge ....ARC Research Network for Enabling Human Communication. The Human Communication Network promotes interdisciplinary research in speech, language, and sound by and between humans and machines. The network connects leading and emerging researchers across disciplines, exploits previously unrecognised intersections, supports interdisciplinary graduate training and exchanges, provides database storage infrastructure, and consults with industry and government to set, not follow, research agendas. By generating an explosion of new approaches and knowledge, the network will build Australia's reputation as a leader in communication science and technology via advances in automatic speech recognition, distress call monitoring, hearing prostheses, web interfaces, and data retrieval and data mining systems.Read moreRead less
Using advertising to negatively reconstruct memories of risky and high-risk drinking amongst Australia's youth : a new intervention strategy. The NHMRC recognises alcohol-related problems as one of Australia's most serious health problems. Binge-drinking in particular is endemic amongst the population, especially youth, with such behaviour resulting in enormous economic, social and emotional costs to our nation. This study works towards reducing binge drinking amongst youth by assisting the de ....Using advertising to negatively reconstruct memories of risky and high-risk drinking amongst Australia's youth : a new intervention strategy. The NHMRC recognises alcohol-related problems as one of Australia's most serious health problems. Binge-drinking in particular is endemic amongst the population, especially youth, with such behaviour resulting in enormous economic, social and emotional costs to our nation. This study works towards reducing binge drinking amongst youth by assisting the development of more effective counter-advertising campaigns that make young people's memories of binge-drinking less enjoyable & more unpleasant. It also assists relevant advertising regulators & key decision-makers to take action to ensure that alcohol ads do not spawn primarily attractive memories of binge-drinking experiences.Read moreRead less
Facilitating the Lifelong Learning Needs of the Mature Age Community through Learning Object Technology. By understanding learner preferences, needs and requirements, it could be possible to provide opportunities in an online learning environment that will improve the quality, variety and relevance of learning for all. There could be particular benefits for mature-age learners. Curtin has begun to explore the benefits of reusable learning objects with current online learning management systems. ....Facilitating the Lifelong Learning Needs of the Mature Age Community through Learning Object Technology. By understanding learner preferences, needs and requirements, it could be possible to provide opportunities in an online learning environment that will improve the quality, variety and relevance of learning for all. There could be particular benefits for mature-age learners. Curtin has begun to explore the benefits of reusable learning objects with current online learning management systems. This project aims to define the use and application of learning object technology and applies a meta-model of pedagogical design to online learning environments. Outcomes will allow the applications of new methodologies for the effective implementation of complex, intelligent learning environments.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100320
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,371.00
Summary
Understanding cone photoreceptor migration and cell death mechanisms . Normal vision requires functional and correctly located cone photoreceptor cells. Many genetic mutations, however, impair the correct migration of these cells during development and ultimately cause cell death. This project will investigate, for the first time, the casual link between the migration of cone cells and activation of cell death mechanisms. A coordinated approach, using a range of molecular techniques, will be use ....Understanding cone photoreceptor migration and cell death mechanisms . Normal vision requires functional and correctly located cone photoreceptor cells. Many genetic mutations, however, impair the correct migration of these cells during development and ultimately cause cell death. This project will investigate, for the first time, the casual link between the migration of cone cells and activation of cell death mechanisms. A coordinated approach, using a range of molecular techniques, will be used to determine which factors are essential for normal development, correct spatial location and survival of cone photoreceptors within the mammalian retina. This will provide a major step forward in our knowledge of the processes involved in the spatial deployment of cones and the developmental organisation of the retina.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100211
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,000.00
Summary
The Big Australian Speech Corpus: An audio-visual speech corpus of Australian English. Contemporary speech science and technology are driven by the availability of large speech corpora. While audio databases exist for languages spoken in America, Europe and Japan, there is currently no large auditory-visual database of spoken language, and certainly not one for Australian English. Here we will establish the Big Australian Speech Corpus, which will support a speech science research and developmen ....The Big Australian Speech Corpus: An audio-visual speech corpus of Australian English. Contemporary speech science and technology are driven by the availability of large speech corpora. While audio databases exist for languages spoken in America, Europe and Japan, there is currently no large auditory-visual database of spoken language, and certainly not one for Australian English. Here we will establish the Big Australian Speech Corpus, which will support a speech science research and development using Australian English and facilitate the development of Australian speech technology applications from automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis used in taxi and other ordering services, to hearing prostheses and talking head aids for learning-impaired children, and a range of security and forensic applications.Read moreRead less
Integrating Models of Memory for Serial Order. This research aims to compare and integrate computational models of memory for serial order. The applicants have independently developed theoretically novel models, and this collaboration will enable them to combine and strengthen their complementary perspectives.
Much psychologically important processing, for example speech perception and spelling, requires the representation and reproduction of serial order information. Existing models account ....Integrating Models of Memory for Serial Order. This research aims to compare and integrate computational models of memory for serial order. The applicants have independently developed theoretically novel models, and this collaboration will enable them to combine and strengthen their complementary perspectives.
Much psychologically important processing, for example speech perception and spelling, requires the representation and reproduction of serial order information. Existing models account for a wide range of data and collectively represent exciting progress in the understanding of basic mechanisms of memory. Can these models be unified and reconciled? To date, detailed comparisons of models are lacking. This proposal is for the applicants to elaborate and unify their contrasting theoretical approaches.
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The role of time and similarity in short-term memory. The project examines the role of time and similarity in memory for serial order, with the long-term goal to construct a new computational model of short-term memory. The investigators are internationally known for their models, and the collaboration will enable them to combine their complementary perspectives into a unifying theory. Theory construction will be guided by two sets of studies: The first will delineate the circumstances, if any, ....The role of time and similarity in short-term memory. The project examines the role of time and similarity in memory for serial order, with the long-term goal to construct a new computational model of short-term memory. The investigators are internationally known for their models, and the collaboration will enable them to combine their complementary perspectives into a unifying theory. Theory construction will be guided by two sets of studies: The first will delineate the circumstances, if any, under which temporal separation at encoding affects memory. So far, we have shown that temporal distinctiveness has no effect on memory, unless people use temporal gaps to 'chunk' the list. The second set of studies will examine whether phonological similarity determines the strength of encoding.Read moreRead less