title: An in-vitro test set-up for evaluation of a voice-producing element under physiologic acoustic conditions.
abstract: To improve the voice quality of laryngectomised patients, a voice-producing element has been developed. Prior to in vivo testing we constructed and validated an in-vitro test set-up, consisting of a physical model of the subglottal tract and three physical models of the vocal tract, for the vowels /a/, /i/ and /u/ to evaluate the voice-producing element under physiologic acoustic conditions. To meet acoustic conditions described in the literature, we determined the appropriate dimensions of these physical models, using a numerical model of the pressure perturbation in rigid tubes. The numerical model showed that an acoustic equivalent of the subglottal tract could be obtained with a three-tube system and an end impedance. Vocal tract models could be constructed using two- and four-resonator tubes. The physical models were built and successfully validated according to the human acoustic properties. The developed in-vitro set-up can now be applied to test voice-producing elements or vocal fold models under physiologic acoustic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Plaats
authors.forename: Harm K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Schutte
authors.forename: Frits J M
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van der Eerden
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Hans F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mahieu
authors.forename: Gijsbertus J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Verkerke
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005931:Glottis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007831:Larynx, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D010827:Physiology / Q000379:methods; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000379:methods*