An evaluation of an alternating magnetic field device for monitoring articulator movements

Abstract

The understanding of articulator coordination during speech has been limited by the type of data that can be safely gathered. Specifically, noninvasive methods of monitoring tongue motions are still not widely available. One promising method is an alternating magnetic field device to track movements of multiple articulators in the midsagittal plane. This report concerns one such commercially available device, the Articulograph AG‐100. The principles of system design and operation have been reported previously by P. Schonle and colleagues, in Germany, who developed the system's prototype. Here, an intensive evaluation of system accuracy, repeatability, and linearity, as well as measurements of tongue positioning during speech will be presented. These results indicate that with proper precautions in transducer calibration and placement, the Articulograph can be a useful tool in speech production research. [Work supported by NIH and NIMH.]