21 November 2015

Patients Improve Speech by Watching 3D Tongue Images

A new study done by University of Texas (UT) at Dallas researchers indicates that watching 3D images of tongue movements can help individuals learn speech sounds. The findings could be especially helpful for stroke patients seeking to improve their speech articulation. Results show that individuals can be taught consonant sounds in part by watching 3D tongue images. The study was small but showed that participants became more accurate in learning new sounds when they were exposed to visual feedback training.


Technology recently allowed researchers to switch from 2D technology to the Opti-Speech technology, which shows the 3D images of the tongue. A previous UT Dallas research project determined that the Opti-Speech visual feedback system can reliably provide real-time feedback for speech learning. Part of the new study looked at an effect called compensatory articulation—when acoustics are rapidly shifted and subjects think they are making a certain sound with their mouths, but hear feedback that indicates they are making a different sound.

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