Laryngeal flow-structure interaction during inspiratory phonation
Short term visitor project
Inspiratory or reverse phonation refers to the production of voice when air is inhaled from the mouth and nostrils to the lungs. This mode of phonation occurs as a transitional phenomenon during regular speech, and also naturally during laughter, sighs, and crying. It has been used to achieve special vocal effects by singers, shamans and ventriloquists, and is common also in the vocalisation of other mammals and birds. Further, it is a useful treatment exercise in voice therapy for several voice disorders, vocal fold paralysis and stuttering. However, in spite of its relevance, very few physical studies of inspiratory phonation have been done, and its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Thus, this project proposes the analysis of this phenomenon by combining physical and mathematical modeling with experimental data gathering on mechanical replicas of the vocal folds, in order to understand its dynamics, describe it with mathematical models, and explore its characteristics both in normal and disordered vocalisation.
This project involves the collaboration between the research groups of Dr. Jorge C. Lucero at University of Brasília (Brazil), and of Dr. Xavier Pelorson at LEGI.
FUNDING
Tec 21