Recent trends in articulatory studies in Japan

Abstract

Ultrasonic measurement, which at present appears to be the most convenient method for recording tongue contour, lacks an effective means of visualizing the hard palate. Techniques have been developed both at the Research Institute of Logopedics and Phoniatrics and at NTT Research Laboratories to mark position of the cranium by monitoring the relative position of the head and an ultrasonic probe. Other techniques employing magnetic or optoelectric devices are also being used for recording articulatory movements. It is expected that a new high‐performance magnetic system will enable recording of positions of several magnetic pellets simultaneously through multipoint field recording and analysis. In addition to progress in articulatory measurements, new studies are emerging on the detailed measurements of acoustic effects of several articulatory factors, such as vocal tract wall radiation, the shape of the lip opening and dental structures. A compact, high‐speed digital image recording system, developed and now being used at the Research Institutes of Logopedics and Phoniatrics, is also expected to be useful for the analysis of the relationship between vocal cord vibration and the acoustic characteristics of speech output.