Mapping palatal shape to electromagnetic articulography data: An approach using 3D scanning and sensor matching

A method for superimposing the shape of the palate on three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic articulography (EMA) data is proposed. A biteplate with a dental impression tray and EMA sensors is used to obtain the palatal shape and record the sensor positions. The biteplate is then 3D scanned, and the scanned palate is mapped to the EMA data by matching the sensor positions on the scanned image with those in the EMA readings. The average distance between the mapped palate and the EMA palate traces is roughly 1 mm for nine speakers and is comparable to the measurement error of the EMA.