Quantative Study of Articulatory Dynamics and its Clinical Applications.

(1)建立了非侵入性的采集正常受试者生理数据的技术。由于声带是声道中最活跃的部分之一，因此可以合理地假设声膜对改善语音质量以及调节声音的鼻音有重要作用。声道声道动态监测采用声速线和超声层析术，为了了解声道的声学特性，腭部形状是必不可少的。我们发明了一种设备来追踪腭部形状的轮廓。这些非侵入性测量系统的结合让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，我们使用了MRI图像，重建了声道的三维模型。对比研究的结果令人满意。(2)为了了解实际发声中的变异程度，收集了不同发声条件以及不同发声方式的受试者的生理数据，如唱歌、窃窃私语、快速和/或慢速。这些数据证实了前人关于关节运动的报道和一致性。(3)为了临床应用，我们对一些病理病例的关节动力学进行了研究。调查对象包括各种中枢神经系统紊乱所致的神经肌肉疾病、复发性神经性瘫痪或构音障碍患者，并对老年人的发音进行了研究。这些研究的结果表明，患者的发音动作变化太大，无法制定具体的语音训练计划。我们需要进一步的调查。

(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.