Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Studies on Speech Production
Abstract
Speech is a unique communication medium which involves a set of organs that work synchronously for sound production. The mechanisms involved are complex, and there are several techniques for speech study, from the acoustic point of view or from the morphological point of view. For the vocal tract study, magnetic resonance imaging has shown benefits, which are highlighted here. Presenting this imaging technique and demonstrating its use and contribution for speech production study, in particular for the European Portuguese Language, is the main goal of this work. Through the collection and analysis of images it was possible to obtain and build three-dimensional models of the vocal tract in various articulatory positions. Combining a synchronization technique using cardiac monitoring and with ultra-fast imaging acquisition we could also capture the undersampled dynamics and study the articulatory movements involved in the production of three syllables. The morphological and dynamic vocal tract imaging based on magnetic resonance is, given the results obtained, reliable and very important for the understanding of the speech mechanism. Additionally, this information has a multidisciplinary interest and allows various applications with great potential compared to the expected technological advances of this imaging technique.
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