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Every apple has a voice: using stable isotopes to teach about food sourcing and the water cycle
Abstract. Agricultural crops such as fruits take up irrigation and meteoric water and incorporate it into their tissue ( fruit water ) during growth, and the geographic origin of a fruit may be traced by comparing the H and O stable isotope composition ( δ 2 H and δ 18 O values) of fruit water to the global geospatial distribution of H and O stable isotopes in precipitation. This connection between common fruits and the global water cycle provides an access point to connect with a variety of demographic groups to educate about isotope hydrology and the water cycle. Within the context of a 1-day outreach activity designed for a wide spectrum of participants (high school students, undergraduate students, high school science teachers) we developed introductory lecture materials, in-class participatory demonstrations of fruit water isotopic measurement in real time, and a computer lab exercise to couple actual fruit water isotope data with open-source online geospatial analysis software. We assessed learning outcomes with pre- and post-tests tied to learning objectives, as well as participant feedback surveys. Results indicate that this outreach activity provided effective lessons on the basics of stable isotope hydrology and the water cycle. However, the computer lab exercise needs to be more specifically tailored to the abilities of each participant group. This pilot study provides a foundation for further development of outreach materials that can effectively engage a range of participant groups in learning about the water cycle and the ways in which humans modify the water cycle through agricultural activity.
Prevalence of Self-Reported Voice Concerns and Associated Risk Markers in a Nonclinical Sample of Military Service Members
Introduction: Difficult communication environments are common in military settings, and effective voice use can be critical to mission success. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-reported voice disorders among U.S. military service members and to identify factors that contribute to their voice concerns. Method: A nonclinical sample of 4,123 active-duty service members was recruited across Department of Defense hearing conservation clinics. During their required annual hearing evaluation, volunteers provided responses to voice-related questions including a slightly adapted version of the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) as part of a larger survey about communication issues. Changepoint detection was applied to age and years of service to explore cohort effects in the reporting of voice concerns. Logistic regression analyses examined multiple available factors related to communication to identify factors associated with abnormal results on the VHI-10. Results: Among the respondents, 41% reported experiencing vocal hoarseness or fatigue at least several times per year, and 8.2% ( n = 336) scored above the recommended abnormal cut-point value of 11 on the VHI-10. Factors independently associated with the greatest risk for self-reported voice concerns were sex (female), cadmium exposure, vocal demands (the need for a strong, clear voice), and auditory health measures (frequency of experiencing temporary threshold shifts; self-reported hearing difficulties). Conclusions: Based on self-reported voice concerns and false negative rates reported in the literature, the prevalence of dysphonia in a large sample of active-duty service members is estimated to be 11.7%, which is higher than that in the general population. Certain predictors for voice concerns were expected based on previous literature, like female sex and voice use, but frequency of temporary threshold shifts and exposure to cadmium were surprising. The strong link between voice and auditory problems has particular implications regarding the need for effective communication in high-noise military and other occupational environments.
Automated detection of mild cognitive impairment and dementia from voice recordings: A natural language processing approach
Automated computational assessment of neuropsychological tests would enable widespread, cost-effective screening for dementia. A novel natural language processing approach is developed and validated to identify different stages of dementia based on automated transcription of digital voice recordings of subjects’ neuropsychological tests conducted by the Framingham Heart Study (n = 1084). Transcribed sentences from the test were encoded into quantitative data and several models were trained and tested using these data and the participants’ demographic characteristics. Average area under the curve (AUC) on the held-out test data reached 92.6%, 88.0%, and 74.4% for differentiating Normal cognition from Dementia, Normal or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) from Dementia, and Normal from MCI, respectively. The proposed approach offers a fully automated identification of MCI and dementia based on a recorded neuropsychological test, providing an opportunity to develop a remote screening tool that could be adapted easily to any language.
Voices of Experience: Microgrids for Resiliency
Modern attitudes around microgrids have evolved, from the idea that microgrids represent "grid defection" to perceiving them as a tool that utilities can use to solve challenges. One such challenge is improving resiliency. Faced with unpredictable, yet intensifying and dynamic weather and cyber risks, the value of resiliency is only growing for utility customers, regulators, and policymakers. Moreover, policymakers and regulators are increasingly asking utilities to accommodate the expansion and enhancement of such resiliency. The purpose of Voices of Experience: Microgrids for Resiliency is to guide discussions around this topic - everything from defining the many types of microgrids, to siting, ownership, control, and value streams. Utilities who participated in this project were generous with their time, insights, and examples of how they are using microgrids to solve one of their most urgent challenges: resiliency.
Lessons Learned From Public Outreach: Effective Incorporation of the Stakeholder Voice - 18447
The licensing process for any facility associated with nuclear power or aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle can be expected to encounter intense stakeholder interest, and often significant challenges. Over the last decade, staff of the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA{sup R}) at Southwest Research Institute{sup R} (SwRI{sup R}) provided comprehensive support to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for public outreach efforts across a wide variety of nuclear activities. Many of these projects included public involvement and consultation activities for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including scoping, public meetings, responding to public comments on draft documents, and holding small meetings with affected local, state, and tribal governments. In addition, we have supported NRC public outreach related to nuclear facility licensing activities (including the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain), rulemaking, and regulatory guidance development. This experience has offered us a broad view of the challenges faced by industry, regulators, and stakeholders. In the process, we have observed some best practices that lead to effective stakeholder communication. Communication about complex technical issues is challenging, particularly for societally controversial topics, such as civilian use of nuclear power and management of radioactive waste. Most commonly, we have observed a lack of mutual trust and respect among industry, regulators, and stakeholders that creates an atmosphere ripe for suspicion and misunderstanding. Stakeholders have, in public comments, criticized the lack of appropriate venues to raise concerns in which they feel they can get meaningful responses from the nuclear industry and regulators. Conversely, industry faces difficulty in reaching compromise with stakeholders, who sometimes misinterpret or misrepresent factual information. Within this contentious environment, regulators are constrained by their statutory framework, even as they are challenged to be more responsive, transparent, and fair to both stakeholders and industry. In spite of these obstacles, there are examples where feedback from stakeholders was heard and utilized. Because of successful collection of appropriate feedback, regulators became more adept at understanding the full range of perspectives from both industry and stakeholders, and subsequently did a better job at effectively incorporating feedback and communicating their decisions and findings in a clear and understandable way. Ultimately, the success of these examples was based on a measure of mutual respect, which was reached through effective communication and implementation of some best practices. These best practices include (i) outreach planning that is abundantly mindful of the various stakeholder points of view, site history, regional characteristics, and probable future and related actions, combined with advance identification of key stakeholders; (ii) development and distribution of information that facilitates public participation; and (iii) use of avenues by which stakeholders can provide meaningful and effective comments. Illustrative examples include (i) how concerns raised by stakeholders were heard by an applicant and resulted in a revised project proposal; (ii) use of a variety of interaction formats that incorporated input across a broad spectrum of stakeholders; (iii) utilizing stakeholder feedback received during scoping; and (iv) how a facility underestimated the impact of 'outsider' stakeholder voices that were in contrast to the known local community. By moving past the viewpoint that public outreach is a 'necessary evil' and engaging only to check a procedural box, each participant can benefit from mutually satisfactory and improved outcomes. (author)
A novel approach to voice of customer extraction using GPT-3.5 Turbo: linking advanced NLP and Lean Six Sigma 4.0
Not provided.
Strengthening Resilience: Florida Resident Voices on Resource Needs During Power Outages
Extreme weather events related to climate change, and an aging electricity infrastructure are disrupting reliable electricity services to a greater degree. Further, previous research has found that more socially vulnerable populations are more likely to live in areas with a higher probability of power outages. Here, this study examines the issues that people face during power outages and the resources that help individuals maintain resilience during power outages caused by extreme weather events in socially vulnerable communities. Using qualitative data from focus groups with 56 individuals in Central and North Florida, the research highlights lived experiences during outages and difficulties using and accessing resources during these conditions. Based on a qualitative review of the focus group discussions, this paper explores the solutions and support systems residents believe would improve their ability to cope. The findings offer insights to guide policy and strategic planning, with the goal of strengthening personal preparedness and response by focusing on the resources people consider most helpful for enduring frequent and severe outages.
FY19 Weapons Voice of the Customer with Los Alamos Field Office: Outbrief [Slides]
This report suggests opportunities for improvement at the Lost Alamos National Laboratory, based on feedback from the Federal customer.
Building Trust in Safeguards Voice User Interfaces: An Experimental Approach
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Trust in a Safeguards Voice User Interface for a Nuclear Material Measurement Task
INMM annual meeting presentation
Trust Factors in Voice User Interfaces for International Nuclear Safeguards Inspectors
SNL Human Systems Symposium presentation for UUR release. This presentation has been approved for sensitivity review and for release by the sponsor
Voices from Rural Electric Cooperatives: A Call for a DER Integration Playbook for Rural and Agricultural Income & Savings from Renewable Energy (RAISE)
Rural-serving electric utilities (RSEUs)—including electric cooperatives, municipal systems, and small investor-owned utilities—are essential players in the evolving energy landscape. These community-focused entities are increasingly being asked to consider distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop and ground-mounted solar, wind, battery storage, smart water heaters, and demand response programs (NRECA 2025; Lenhart et al. 2020). Yet the path to DER adoption is far from straightforward in the rural context. This report is based on in-depth interviews with managers of rural electric cooperatives across the United States. These conversations offer a grounded, unvarnished look at how DERs are perceived, what barriers exist, and what conditions might enable integration and adoption. While the utilities interviewed vary in geography, size, and DER experience, several clear and common themes emerged across electric cooperatives such that the report recommends the development of a DER Integration Runbook to help utilities assess readiness, define local use cases, engage stakeholders, pilot projects, and iterate, expanding over time.
The Voice of the Universe: Why more data may not help you
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Trust in a Safeguards Voice User Interface for a Nuclear Material Measurement Task
INMM paper for UUR release. This manuscript has been approved for sensitivity review and for release by the sponsor
2019 Wireless Test Bed Range Manual
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Next Generation Wireless Test Bed (NGWTB) program, is part of the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) initiative. Our nation’s reliance on wireless and Internet technology is rapidly evolving as more corporations and government agencies, employees, and handheld devices include mobile connectivity for both voice and data. The competitive advantage offered by a mobile workforce is leading many corporations to make wireless integration and convergence a top business priority. Similarly, military systems worldwide are rapidly embracing next-generation commercial technologies to accelerate network-centric capabilities and provide enhanced situational awareness. While handheld devices such as laptops, BlackBerrys, and cell phones once had limited mobility and range, they are rapidly incorporating new and multiple protocols such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Satellite, and broadband cellular (3G/4G) on a single platform to increase their effectiveness and agility. Worldwide there is exponential growth in public Wi-Fi and/or Satellite connectivity access nodes, and 3G/4G cellular continues to evolve and expand the range and speed of these devices. Additionally, critical infrastructure networks, previously isolated or connected with dedicated wireline circuits, are incorporating Zigbee for wireless sensor networks, wireless LANs for maintenance functions, and cellular or Internet based backhaul to manage control centers. Yet with all the build-up surrounding wireless technology, few understand the complexities surrounding wireless protocols and security, the risks of converged network infrastructures, need for interoperability of communication systems, or mitigation measures to safely use and improve new technologies in both commercial and military environments. With no single vendor source for all the telecommunications equipment needed for wireless infrastructure upgrades, and no one entity providing end-to-end testing or independent validation, the INL's NGWTB program fulfills a niche for facilitating integrated testing of multiple technologies, across multiple wireless domains, of next generation wireless telecommunications systems. NGWTB engineers and technicians have constructed and operate domain infrastructure in the Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMAN), and Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWAN). Advantages that make the INL's NGWTB the place to conduct project and programmatic testing include: • NTIA Experimental Station authority • Geographically isolated and low-noise radio frequency (RF) test areas located on a 890 sm DOE reservation • Access to isolated high-speed LAN and FOT networks The rollout of next-generation networks will involve deploying new technologies at every level including new: handsets, frequencies, antenna arrays, cell configurations that are optimized for both data and voice, massive upgrade of cell controllers’ “land-line” phone links from low bandwidth connections to higher capacity fiber or wireless backhaul, and integration of voice switching and Internet/data network protocols (Voice-Over-IP, Web phones). These systems are expected to greatly transform our nation's communications infrastructure and the types of services it provides.
Telecom Modeling with ChatterBell
This document provides a description and user manual for the ChatterBell voice telecom modeling and simulation capability. The intended audience consists of network planners and practitioners who wish to use the tool to model a particular voice network and analyze its behavior under varying assumptions and possible failure conditions. ChatterBell is built on top of the N-SMART voice simulation and visualization suite that was developed through collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and Bell Laboratories of Lucent Technologies. The new and improved modeling and simulation tool has been modified and modernized to incorporate the latest development in the telecom world including the widespread use of VoIP technology. In addition, ChatterBell provides new commands and modeling capabilities that were not available in the N-SMART application.
Speaker-targeted Synthetic Speech Detection
Text-to-speech technologies are evolving quickly towards realistic-sounding human-like voices. As this technology improves, so does the opportunity for malpractice in speaker identification (SID) via spoofing, the process of impersonating a voice biometric via synthesis. More data typically equates to a more realistic voice model, which poses an issue for well-known subjects, such as politicians and celebrities, who have vast amounts of multimedia available online. Detection of synthetic speech has relied on signal processing techniques that focus on the generation of new acoustic features and train deep learning models to detect when an audio file has been manipulated through the characterization of unnatural changes or artifacts. However, these techniques do not use any information from the speaker they are evaluating. This paper proposes to incorporate information from the speaker-of-interest (SoI) into the models to avoid specific spoofing attacks for certain vulnerable people. The wealth of data for well-known people can also be used to train a speaker-specific spoofing detector with a higher level of accuracy than a speaker-independent model. The paper proposes a new xResNet-PLDA system and compares it to three different baseline systems: a state-of-the-art speaker identification system, an xResNet system trained to discriminate between bona fide and fake speech, and a speaker identification system in which the PLDA and calibration models were trained with bona fide and fake speech. We evaluated the systems in two different scenarios — a cross-validation scenario and a hold-out scenario — with three different databases. We show how the proposed system outperforms dramatically the baseline systems in each scenario and for each database. Finally, we show how using a small amount of the SoI’s speech to adapt global calibration parameters improves the performance of the system, especially in unseen conditions.