Synchronous Recording of Speech with Associated Physiological and Pressure-Flow Dynamics: Instrumentation and Procedure

Abstract

The coordination involved in speech production determines the phys— ical properties of the vocal tract as a modifiable sound—generating and transmitting apparatus. Physiological events are responsible for rapid modifications in the pressure—flow dynamics of the breath stream during speech. The manner in which air pressure and flow are controlled, di— rected, and emitted determines to a great extent the spectral features of the output and perceptual response. For these reasons, pressure-flow data may be related in a meaningful manner to acoustical features of the output and thereby contribute to understanding the multiple articula-tory movements responsible for discrete features of speech. Within this broad reference, cineradiographic study combined with a study of pressure—flow dynamics of the breath stream and speech output was undertaken to gain a better comprehension of the total speech process. Specifically, pressure-flow dynamics were studied to facilitate the understanding of the palatOpharyngeal mechanism which serves to control and direct the breath stream and to modify intraoral pressure during speech. The instrumentation and procedures described here were developed to study normal and abnormal palatopharyngeal valving and the associated physical and perceptual parameters of speech. It is emphasized , however, that the equipment and procedures used in data ac— cumulation and reduction are applicable to a broad variety of research projects.