The long-term goal of this research is to investigate and model possible strategies that a speaker might employ controlling the acoustic eigenmodes (formants) of the vocal tract during dynamic speech. A second set of eigenmodes, which are geometric rather than acoustic. The geometric eigenmodes are considerable to be a limited set of canonical movement patterns, representing coordinated actions of the tongue, jaw, lips, velum, and larynx. Dynamic speech is assumed to be carried out by superimposing the geometric eigenmodes on a neutral vocal tract shape. It is further hypothesized that the shape of the geometric eigenmodes is at least similar across speakers; and that the speaker-specific vocal tract characteristics are embedded in the neutral state of speech airway system. Eigenmodes are assumed to be recoverable from either static or dynamic image data. To test these hypotheses the following specific aims are proposed: (1) to develop area function and midsagittal width inventories of vocal tract shapes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on each of six subjects; (2) to develop a kinetic vocal tract model based on geometric eigenmodes; (3) to develop a strategy for kinematic vocal tract control of formant trajectories based on recorded vowel-vowel transitions, vowel-consonant-vowel utterances, and sentences; (4) to study the vocal tract scaling factors between males, females, and children; (5) to interpret midsagittal speech movement, observable. From x-ray microbeam data, in terms of geometric eigenmodes; and (6) to conduct perceptual experiments that assess the intelligibility of the speech stimulated by the kinematic vocal tract model. The outcome of this research will extend our current knowledge about the relationship between articulation and acoustics, particularly with regard to dynamic aspects. The ideas developed may have eventual application to the development of speech synthesis and recognition systems, for understanding articulation disorders, and possibly influencing speech training and rehabilitation programs.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC004789-02
Application #
6379597
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-7 (01))
Program Officer
Shekim, Lana O
Project Start
2000-09-01
Project End
2005-08-31
Budget Start
2001-09-01
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$221,808
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Arizona
Department
Otolaryngology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Tucson
State
AZ
Country
United States
Zip Code
85721
Bunton, Kate (2015) Effects of nasal port area on perception of nasality and measures of nasalance based on computational modeling. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 52:110-4
Samlan, Robin A; Story, Brad H; Bunton, Kate (2013) Relation of perceived breathiness to laryngeal kinematics and acoustic measures based on computational modeling. J Speech Lang Hear Res 56:1209-23
Story, Brad H (2013) Phrase-level speech simulation with an airway modulation model of speech production. Comput Speech Lang 27:989-1010
Bunton, Kate; Story, Brad H (2012) The relation of nasality and nasalance to nasal port area based on a computational model. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 49:741-9
Bunton, Kate; Leddy, Mark (2011) An evaluation of articulatory working space area in vowel production of adults with Down syndrome. Clin Linguist Phon 25:321-34
Samlan, Robin A; Story, Brad H (2011) Relation of structural and vibratory kinematics of the vocal folds to two acoustic measures of breathy voice based on computational modeling. J Speech Lang Hear Res 54:1267-83
Story, Brad H; Bunton, Kate (2010) Relation of vocal tract shape, formant transitions, and stop consonant identification. J Speech Lang Hear Res 53:1514-28
Bunton, Kate; Story, Brad H (2010) Identification of synthetic vowels based on a time-varying model of the vocal tract area function. J Acoust Soc Am 127:EL146-52
Story, Brad H (2009) Vowel and consonant contributions to vocal tract shape. J Acoust Soc Am 126:825-36
Story, Brad H (2009) Vocal tract modes based on multiple area function sets from one speaker. J Acoust Soc Am 125:EL141-7

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