Artificial Tongue Research Articles

舌筋配置を模した三角要素分割による人工舌用要素の機構設計―機械式音声合成装置の構成要素のデザイン―

In this research, we developed an element of mechanical speech synthesizer to study how human speech works. Following a concept of biomimetics, artificial tongue constitutes elements taking finite triangle elements which imitated arrangement of a human lingual muscle. And each element transforms under constant volume, because some branches of that triangle shrink actively, some, the branches become longer passively. These triangular elements are located in the shapes of a mesh, and form lingual shape. At first, we consider a mechanism which can transform a few elements with experimentation and simulation

Visual Artificial Tongue for Quantitative Metal‐Cation Analysis by an Off‐the‐Shelf Dye Array

A chemical-probe array composed of 47 off-the-shelf dyes was prepared in solution format (New York Tongue 1: NYT-1) and was tested in the identification and quantitation of 47 cation analytes, including 44 metal ions, in addition to H(+), NH(4) (+), and tetrabutylammonium (TBA). The cation solutions were tested in a series of concentrations and the fold-change in effective absorbance was analyzed by principal-component analysis (PCA), hierarchical-cluster analysis (HCA), and nearest-neighbor decision to determine both identity and quantity of the analytes. Apart from alkali-metal ions (Na(+), K(+), Li(+), Cs(+), and Rb(+)), which behave very similarly to each other due mainly to their low response, most of the cations were clearly distinguishable at 10 mM concentration. The practical detection limit of each analyte was also determined by a sequential dilution and the nearest-neighbor decision method. In the finalized working analyte concentration range (approximately 10 mM down to 0.33 microM), by considering alkali metals as one analyte group, most of the analytes were correctly identified (99.4 %). Furthermore, the success rate at which the concentration of each analyte was correctly determined was also high (96.8 %).

Wine classification by taste sensors made from ultra-thin films and using neural networks

This paper reports on a sensor array able to distinguish tastes and used to classify red wines. The array comprises sensing units made from Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of conducting polymers and lipids and layer-by-layer (LBL) films from chitosan deposited onto gold interdigitated electrodes. Using impedance spectroscopy as the principle of detection, we show that distinct clusters can be identified in principal component analysis (PCA) plots for six types of red wine. Distinction can be made with regard to vintage, vineyard and brands of the red wine. Furthermore, if the data are treated with artificial neural networks (ANNs), this “artificial tongue” can identify wine samples stored under different conditions. This is illustrated by considering 900 wine samples, obtained with 30 measurements for each of the five bottles of the six wines, which could be recognised with 100% accuracy using the algorithms Standard Backpropagation and Backpropagation momentum in the ANNs.

舌筋配置を模した三角要素分割による人工舌用要素の機構設計 : 機械式音声合成装置の構成要素のデザイン(バイオメカトロニクス/ミメティクス)

舌筋配置を模した三角要素分割による人工舌用要素の機構設計 : 機械式音声合成装置の構成要素のデザイン(バイオメカトロニクス/ミメティクス)

Artificial Taste Sensor: Efficient Combination of Sensors Made from Langmuir−Blodgett Films of Conducting Polymers and a Ruthenium Complex and Self-Assembled Films of an Azobenzene-Containing Polymer

An artificial tongue composed of four sensors made from ultrathin films deposited onto gold interdigitated electrodes has been able to distinguish easily the four basic tastes (salty, sour, sweet, and bitter), in addition to detecting inorganic contaminants in ultrapure water and identifying different brands of coconut water. Some tastants were detected below the human threshold values, for example, 5 mM of NaCl or sucrose. Suppression of quinine by sucrose was also detected. The high sensitivity may be partially attributed to the ultrathin nature of the films as the sensors were produced with Langmuir−Blodgett films of the 16-mer polyaniline oligomer, polypyrrole, and a ruthenium complex and with self-assembled films of an azobenzene-containing polymer. The sensor response was evaluated with ac measurements taken at various frequencies, with the admittance being treated theoretically with an equivalent circuit representing the sensor immersed in a polyelectrolyte solution.

Sequence Heterogeneity in Parkinsonian Speech

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder primarily due to basal ganglia dysfunction. While much research has been conducted on Parkinsonian deficits in the traditional arena of musculoskeletal limb movement, research in other functional motor tasks is lacking. The present study examined articulation in PD with increasingly complex sequences of articulatory movement. Of interest was whether dysfunction would affect articulation in the same manner as in limb-movement impairment. In particular, since very similar (homogeneous)articulatorysequences (the tongue twister effect) are more difficult for healthy individuals to achieve than dissimilar (heterogeneous) gestures, while the reverse may apply forskeletalmovements in PD, we asked which factor would dominate when PD patients articulated various grades of artificial tongue twisters: the influence of disease or a possible difference between the two motor systems. Execution was especially impaired when articulation involved a sequence of motor program heterogeneous in terms of place of articulation. The results are suggestive of a hypokinesic tendency in complex sequential articulatory movement as in limb movement. It appears that PD patients do show abnormalities in articulatory movement which are similar to those of the musculoskeletal system. The present study suggests that an underlying disease effect modulates movement impairment across different functional motor systems.

An “artificial tongue” for calibrating solution flow characteristics of taste stimulus delivery systems

An “artificial tongue” for calibrating solution flow characteristics of taste stimulus delivery systems

Swallowing and speech after radical total glossectomy with tongue prosthesis

Radical total glossectomy is now accepted as a useful procedure for the management of advanced cancer of the tongue. This article records our study of speech and swallowing without the tongue. An artificial tongue prosthesis has been developed and found to greatly improve these functions after total glossectomy. The special operative factors to be considered in order to permit a smooth and rapid rehabilitation regarding speech and swallowing have been stressed.

Letters to the Editor

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to reply to Dr. Ward's letter to you on the treatment of the Pierre Robin syndrome. We abandoned the "method" of Dr. Oeconomopoulos in 1953 as we found that in patients with true glossoptosis the heavy silk suture through the base of the tongue and through the alveolus cut through the tongue within a week. We then created an artificial tongue tie as recommended by Du Hamel and others—raised the under surface of the tongue and attached it to the floor of the mouth, the lower alveolus, and the inner aspect of the lower lip.