A hybrid vocal fold phonatory platform for pediatric phonation modeling

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Acoustics
• Pediatric Medicine

Background:

• Accurate models of pediatric phonation are crucial for understanding voice development and disorders.
• Existing synthetic vocal fold models lack biological components like hydrogels or cells, limiting their relevance.
• Studying infant vocal fold biomechanics requires models that mimic native tissue properties and dimensions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel hybrid vocal fold phonatory platform for pediatric research.
• To integrate natural hydrogels with synthetic materials for enhanced biomechanical fidelity and biological relevance.
• To create infant-scale vocal fold replicas mimicking native tissue for studying airflow-structure interactions.

Main Methods:

• Developed a hybrid platform combining natural hydrogels with a silicone-based synthetic framework.
• Adapted and downscaled a human vocal fold model (EPI) to infant vocal fold dimensions.
• Fabricated infant-scale replicas using silicone elastomers and gelatin-silicone composites.

Main Results:

• The hybrid platform demonstrated improved biomechanical fidelity and biological relevance for phonation studies.
• Material properties and geometrical scaling significantly influenced vibratory behavior and acoustic output.
• Downscaled replicas accurately mimicked native infant vocal fold tissue properties.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform offers a scalable and bio-integrative approach for studying pediatric phonation.
• This model facilitates research into voice biomechanics and developmental vocal fold pathology.
• The platform holds potential for future applications in pediatric voice tissue engineering.