Quantative Study of Articulatory Dynamics and its Clinical Applications.

(1)建立了收集正常受试者生理数据的无创技术。由于膜是声道中最易移动的部分之一，我们有理由认为膜可以帮助改变语音的质量，并调节声音的鼻音。声道动态监测采用声道速度描记仪和超声层析仪。为了了解声道的声学特性，腭形是必不可少的。我们发明了一种描摹腭形轮廓的装置。这些非侵入性测量系统的结合使我们对声道动力学有了一个了解。为了比较实际声道和测量声道，我们利用MRI图像重建声道三维模型。(2)为了了解在实际话语中所看到的变化的容忍度，我们从不同的被试身上收集了生理数据，他们在不同的条件下，也在不同的发音模式下，如唱歌、耳语、快语速和/或慢语速。这些数据证实了先前的报道和关节运动的一致性。(3)为了临床应用，我们从一些病理病例中研究了关节动力学。调查对象为神经肌肉疾病、复发性神经麻痹或由中枢神经系统各种障碍引起的构音障碍患者。老年人的发音也进行了研究。这些研究的结果表明，患者的发音运动表现出太大的多样性，无法制定具体的语言训练计划。我们需要进一步调查。

(1) Non-invasive techniques to accumulate the physiological data from normal subjects have been established.Since the velum is one of the most mobile parts of the vocal tract, it is reasonable to assume that the velum can contribute to modify the quality of the speech sound as well as to regulate the nasality of the voice. The velotrace and the ultrasonic tomograph were used to monitor the vocal tract dynamics.In order to know the acoustic characteristics of the vocal tract, the palatal shape is essential. We invented a device to trace the contour of the palatal shape. The combination of these non-invasive measuring system gives us an idea of the vocal tract dynamics. To compare the actual vocal tract and the measured one, we employed the MRI images and reconstruct three dimensional model of the vocal tract. The results of the comparative study were satisfactory,(2) In order to know the allowance of the variation seen in the actual utterance, , physiological data were collected from various subjects who phonated various conditions and also in various phonatory mode, such as singing, whispering, in fast rate and/or in slow rate. These data confirmed the previous reports and consistency of articulatory movements.(3) For the clinical application, we have investigated the articulatory dynamics from some pathological cases. The subjects of the investigation consisted of the patients with neuromuscular diseases, recurrent nerve palsy or dysarthria caused by various disturbances of the central nervous system.The articulation of the aged people were also studied. The results of these studies suggest that the articulatory movements of patients showed too large variety to make a concrete program for speech training. We need further investigations.