N.N. Lebedeva, O.A. Sidorova, A.V. Vekhov, A.N. Kotrovskaya

The problem of recognition of different types of human emotions on the basis of speech signal character-istics is of interest both in the theoretical aspect and for solution of different applied tasks. It is especially important for the objective definition of a human state under extreme conditions when a speaker is beyond the visibility range. The authors of the article developed the software for the analysis of emotionally colored speech signals, which makes it possible to calculate spectral speech characteristics, such as peak frequencies (formants, overtones) and the spectral power density, and to plot the noise approximant of a spectrum for determination of the fractal dimension of speech signal. The fractal analysis was applied to volunteers - speech signal in simulated emotional states. Significant differences in fractal dimension were revealed between the simulated states of fear, joy, and anger as compared to a neutral state. For hole volunteers group the most prominent changes in the parameter under study were observed during simulation of anger (an increase of 24,1 %) and joy (an increase of 19,2 %); simulation of fear decreased the dimension by 8,4 %. These data are similar data obtained (in our latest experiments) for actors - in the same simulated emotional states (these data were assumed as standard). Taking into account that the growth of the fractal dimension increases "the diversity" within the respective process, i.e., its intonational modulation, which brings the process under study closer to random processes, whereas the fall of this parameter, on the contrary, increases its similarity with determinate (fully defined) processes, it can be suggested that fear is associated with speech monotony, and more active emotional states involve an increase in intonation diversity. Analysis of the fractal dimension of a speech signal on the basis of its acoustic characteristics suggests that the emotions directed "outward" (for communication) are accompanied by greater intonation variety, i.e., by an increase in the fractal dimension of emotionally colored speech. Fear is a negative emotion directed "inward". It is thought to be opposed to joy, one of the main positive reactions directed "outward", from oneself. Anger, though being a negative reaction, is bright and active and also directed outward (from oneself). Variation cardio measure indices show cardiovascular regulation changes at simulated emotional states. The application of the fractal analysis to the estimation of experimental results not only supplements them but may be valuable for the construction of operative express methods of the estimation of the human functional state.