Introduction to audio and speech signal processing

The development of very efficient digital signal processors has allowed the implementation of high performance signal processing algorithms to solve an important amount of practical problems in several engineering fields, such as telecommunications, in which very efficient algorithms have been developed to storage, transmission, and interference reductions; in the audio field, where signal processing algorithms have been developed to enhancement, restoration, copy right protection of audio materials; in the medical field, where signal processing algorithms have been efficiently used to develop hearing aids systems and speech restoration systems for alaryngeal speech signals. This chapter presents an overview of some successful audio and speech signal processing algorithms, providing to the reader an overview of this important technology, some of which will be analyzed with more detail in the accompanying chapters of this book.