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Assessing ultrasound probe stabilization for quantifying speech production contrasts using the Adjustable Laboratory
Wei-Rong Chen1, Michael C Stern2, D H Whalen1,3
1Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, 06511, CT, USA.
Journal of Phonetics
|July 29, 2024
Summary
Ultrasound tongue imaging is improved by the ALPHUS stabilizer, which restricts unwanted probe movements. This allows for more accurate tongue position data crucial for understanding speech production.
Area of Science:
- Speech Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Acoustics
Background:
- Ultrasound tongue imaging is susceptible to probe movement artifacts relative to the speaker's head.
- Existing methods to correct probe movement include restricting motion or algorithmic compensation, each presenting unique challenges.
- Accurate tongue articulation data is vital for speech research and clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of an open-source, adjustable probe stabilizer for ultrasound (ALPHUS) in mitigating probe movement artifacts during tongue imaging.
- To assess the impact of probe stabilization on the reliability of ultrasound tongue position data.
- To differentiate between correctable and uncorrectable probe movements for natural speech articulation.
Main Methods:
- Development and evaluation of the ALPHUS system, a modular and adaptable ultrasound probe stabilizer.
- Experimental validation through three studies measuring probe movements and their impact on tongue imaging.
- Analysis of probe displacement effects on phonemic contrasts and tongue position accuracy.
Main Results:
- ALPHUS effectively minimized probe movements in uncorrectable degrees of freedom, while allowing controlled movement in correctable degrees of freedom.
- Significant probe movements (as little as 5 mm or 2 degrees) were shown to distort phonemic contrasts in ultrasound tongue imaging.
- Stabilized but uncorrected imaging reliably captures tongue shape (e.g., curvature) but requires post-processing correction for accurate tongue position (e.g., height).
Conclusions:
- The ALPHUS stabilizer enhances the reliability of ultrasound tongue imaging by reducing critical probe movements.
- Accurate tongue position relative to vocal tract structures necessitates correction for residual probe displacement, even with stabilization.
- This technology offers a flexible solution for improving ultrasound tongue imaging in diverse research and clinical settings.
