Research on Cerebellar Contributions to Speech Acquisition and Production Based on DIVA Model

Abstract

DIVA (Directions Into Velocities of Articulators) is a mathematical model of the processes behind speech acquisition and production, supposed to achieve a functional representation of areas in the brain that are involved in speech production and speech perception. Owing to its especial structure and roles, introducing cerebellum control modules into the model plays a significant role in improving the mechanism of speech acquisition and production based on DIVA model. To solve this problem, the paper studies its learning process, and explores cerebellar contributions to the model, that is feedforward learning, sensory predictions, feedback command production and the timing of delays, and then adds the corresponding cerebellum modules into the feedback control subsystem on the basis of the current model. Simulation results show that the improved DIVA model can produce more clear and explicit speech sounds, and is more close to human-like pronunciation system.