Dynamical model parameters from ultrasound tongue kinematics
This work addresses the need for accessible methods to model speech articulation, though it is incremental as it validates an existing approach with new data.
The study tackled the problem of evaluating speech control models by comparing dynamical parameters estimated from ultrasound tongue kinematics with those from electromagnetic articulography (EMA), finding that both methods yield comparable parameters and supporting ultrasound as a reliable alternative.
The control of speech can be modelled as a dynamical system in which articulators are driven toward target positions. These models are typically evaluated using fleshpoint data, such as electromagnetic articulography (EMA), but recent methodological advances make ultrasound imaging a promising alternative. We evaluate whether the parameters of a linear harmonic oscillator can be reliably estimated from ultrasound tongue kinematics and compare these with parameters estimated from simultaneously-recorded EMA data. We find that ultrasound and EMA yield comparable dynamical parameters, while mandibular short tendon tracking also adequately captures jaw motion. This supports using ultrasound kinematics to evaluate dynamical articulatory models.