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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication
Published on: December 2, 2011
How can vocal folds oscillate with a limited mucosal wave?
1Utah Center for Vocology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA ingo.titze@utah.edu.
Abstract:
Self-sustained vocal fold vibration is possible with either or both of two mechanisms: (1) a mucosal wave propagating along the medial surface of the vocal folds and (2) a vocal tract that offers inertive reactance. A quantitative comparison shows the mucosal wave mechanism has a lower threshold pressure and a higher glottal efficiency, but the supraglottal inertance mechanism can assist in the oscillation and is effective in optimizing the two mechanisms. It is concluded that optimal parameters are a mucosal wave velocity on the order of 1 m/s and a diameter of the larynx canal (epilarynx tube) on the order of 0.8 cm.
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