Blueprint of a biomechanical model of vocal tract structures
F. Reiner Wilhelms-Tricarico · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1999
A new biomechanical model of the vocal tract is under construction. Structures of the tract will be represented in a three-dimensional finite-element model. In contrast to a previous pilot project [see Wilhelms–Tricarico, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 3085–3098 (1995)], this model will make use of tri-quadratic finite elements and uses implicit time stepping methods. The new model comprises the entire oral floor and the tongue as a system consisting of a small number of finite elements. It will incorporate modeling of collision and sliding between the tongue and the teeth and the hard palate, as well as a moving mandible and hyoid bone. Algorithmic and implementation details will be presented.