Articulatory targets for ultrasound biofeedback determined by tracking regional tongue displacements

Abstract

Ultrasound biofeedback therapy (UBT) is a significant alternative to traditional therapy for speech disorders, but some users make little progress with the standard feedback display. For segments such as American English /r/, the required tongue movements are so complex that an ultrasound image of the tongue cannot adequately guide speakers to make the right movements. We propose to develop visual display regimes for ultrasound biofeedback that maximize speaker learning. As a preliminary step, we determine displacement ranges of tongue regions (blade, root, and dorsum) known to characterize accurate /r/ production, which will ultimately be used with robust image processing techniques to drive an improved UBT feedback display. Though blade, root, and dorsum movement are known to characterize /r/ production (Boyce et al., 2011; Espy-Wilson et al., 2000; Zhou et al., 2008), excursion of these tongue parts differs across individuals. Here, regional tongue displacements were tracked based on measured motion of...