Segments in animal vocalizations: A novel approach to understanding non- human vocal behavior

Project Information

SEGVOC

Grant agreement ID: 101028815

DOI

10.3030/101028815

Project terminated on 11 February 2023

EC signature date 26 April 2021

Start date 1 February 2022

End date 30 January 2026

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 186 167,04

EU contribution

€ 186 167,04

Coordinated by

OESTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEGVOC (Segments in animal vocalizations: A novel approach to understanding non- human vocal behavior)

Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2024-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The primary goal of the SEGVOC project is to explore the level of the segment in non-human animals. Because segment research is central to our understanding of human language, any comparative claims about the uniqueness of humans must, at least, consider this unit level in non-humans. Because segments have been largely ignored in animal acoustic communication, the SEGVOC project has great potential for novel research insights and projects. Within this project, the vocalizations of multiple species will be analyzed in order to assess how well segmental models fit animal communication systems. We will also delve deeper into the vocalizations of the budgerigar – a species where we have already fit a segmental model – in order to assess how much explanatory power we have gained and to address questions related to non-human animal phonology (the rules, patterns, production, and perception of segments).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The segmentation algorithm has been converted to python code and a python application implementing the code is near completion. The equipmental setup for the habituation-dishabituation experiments is in its final stages of development and the experimental protocol is complete. Two manuscripts have been written, submitted, and accepted for publication, one of which has already been published.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Due to personal reasons, the SEGVOC project will have to be terminated, so any further results are unlikely before the project end date. Though, several sub-projects were in the final stages of development or were close to generating data. As such, the project may still generate results. In particular, one the software is released, other labs should be able to implement our methods on any number of species. In doing so, we expect a great amount of novel research in non-human animal acoustic communication.

a budgerigar looking at the camera with other budgerigars in the background