Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
10:16
Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication
Published on: December 2, 2011
Education in acoustics and speech science using vocal-tract models
1Department of Information and Communication Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo, 102-8554 Japan. arai@sophia.ac.jp
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|March 20, 2012
Summary
The sliding vocal-tract model effectively teaches acoustics and speech science. This adaptable tool engages students from elementary to university levels, fostering a deeper understanding of sound production.
Area of Science:
- Acoustics
- Speech Science Education
Background:
- Review of various vocal-tract models, highlighting the sliding vocal-tract model.
- The sliding three-tube model is derived from Fant's model, incorporating a slider for tongue constriction simulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the design of the sliding vocal-tract model.
- To discuss its application in a science workshop for children.
- To compare its educational utility across different student levels.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing vocal-tract models.
- Design analysis of the sliding vocal-tract model.
- Description of a hands-on science workshop activity.
Main Results:
- Vocal-tract models are effective educational tools for acoustics and speech science.
- The sliding vocal-tract model is suitable for teaching students from elementary to graduate levels.
- Hands-on model creation enhances student engagement and learning.
Conclusions:
- The sliding vocal-tract model is a versatile and powerful tool for acoustics and speech science education.
- It effectively bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and practical understanding for all age groups.
- Educational applications span from elementary science workshops to advanced university courses.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Larynx
The human larynx, often referred to as the voice box, is an intricate organ located in the neck. It serves as a pathway for air to enter the lungs during respiration and is an essential component of voice production.
Anatomy of the Larynx
The larynx consists of various components, including cartilage, muscles, and vocal cords. Its structure includes three large unpaired cartilages—the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottis—and three smaller paired cartilages—the arytenoids, corniculates, and...
Anatomy of the Larynx
The larynx consists of various components, including cartilage, muscles, and vocal cords. Its structure includes three large unpaired cartilages—the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottis—and three smaller paired cartilages—the arytenoids, corniculates, and...
01:28Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract IV: Auscultation
Auscultation is a crucial component of the physical assessment of the respiratory tract. It offers valuable insights into airflow through the bronchial tree and potential lung obstructions. This process involves careful listening to breath, voice, and adventitious sounds, which can reveal a wealth of information about a patient's respiratory health.
Breath Sounds
Breath sounds are categorized into vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial.
Breath Sounds
Breath sounds are categorized into vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial.
01:01Perception of Sound Waves
The human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies in the audible range. It may perceive sound waves with the same pressure but different frequencies as having different loudness. Moreover, the perception of sound waves depends on the health of an individual's ears, which decays with age. The health of one's ears may also be affected by regular exposure to loud noises.
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same frequency...
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same frequency...
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
01:01Sound Waves
Sound waves can be thought of as fluctuations in the pressure of a medium through which they propagate. Since the pressure also makes the medium's particles vibrate along its direction of motion, the waves can be modeled as the displacement of the medium's particles from their mean position.
Sound waves are longitudinal in most fluids because fluids cannot sustain any lateral pressure. In solids, however, shear forces help in propagating the disturbance in the lateral direction as well. Hence,...
Sound waves are longitudinal in most fluids because fluids cannot sustain any lateral pressure. In solids, however, shear forces help in propagating the disturbance in the lateral direction as well. Hence,...
01:06Echo
The human ear cannot distinguish between two sources of sound if they happen to reach within a specific time interval, typically 0.1 seconds apart. More than this, and they are perceived as separate sources.
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...