Haskins Publications

Number	1328
Year	2003
Drawer	25
Entry Date	01/24/2008
Authors	Whalen, D.H., Iskarous, K., Tiede, M.K., & Ostry, D.J.
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Publication	In S. Palethorpe & M.Tabain (Eds.), Proceedings of the 6th International Seminar on Speech Production, pp. 308-313. Sydney: Macquarie University
url	http://www.haskins.yale.edu/Reprints/HL1328.pdf
Abstract	Real-time measurement of the tongue during speech is needed for a thorough study of the speech system, yet its inaccessibility has limited our ability to image it. This paper reports on a new combination of techniques, ultrasound and an optoelectric motion measurement system. With infra-red-emitting diodes placed on the ultrasound transducer and the speaker’s head, it is possible to localize the image of the tongue within the hard structures of the vocal tract. The palate can be imaged with the ultrasound to penetrate to the palate. This palate trace can then be coregistered with the head and with a sagittal MR image of that same talker, which provides some information about the posterior structures (velum and posterior pharyngeal wall). The palate trace imaged by ultrasound and the posterior structures imaged by MRI are transferred to the ultrasound speech images, despite head movement, since such movement is tracked optically and compensated for. The result is a fairly complete view of the tongue within the vocal tract. A comparison with other systems for imaging the vocal tract is included.
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