Modeling of the vocal tract in three dimensions
Olov Engwall · 1999
This paper describes the development of a threedimensional articulatory vocal tract model at KTH. The model represents vocal and nasal tract walls, lips, teeth and tongue as parameterised polygon surfaces. This allows the geometry of the vocal tract to be set with a small number of articulatory parameters. As the crosssectional areas in addition are given directly from the vocal tract geometry, the model is suitable for articulatory synthesis in 3D. The second field of application is pronunciation training, where the model can provide visual feedback to heating-impaired children and adult second language learners. A 3D model can improve both articulatory and visual speech synthesis as it provides information lacking in the 2D models traditionally used. Correctness of the model will increase with the amount of articulatory data incorporated, as exemplified by this paper's description of the method to improve the tongue model.