The 2D+ Dynamic Articulatory Model DYNARTmo: Tongue-Palate Contact Area Estimation

TL;DR

This paper extends a 2D dynamic articulatory model by integrating a 3D palatal dome to estimate tongue-palate contact areas, enabling realistic visualizations for speech science and therapy.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel integration of 3D palatal geometry into a 2D articulatory model, allowing for detailed contact area estimation and enhanced visualization capabilities.

Findings

Enables electropalatography-like contact visualization.

Supports synchronized multi-view static and dynamic articulations.

Provides a foundation for future articulatory-to-acoustic synthesis.

Abstract

This paper describes an extension of the two-dimensional dynamic articulatory model DYNARTmo by integrating an internal three-dimensional representation of the palatal dome to estimate tongue-palate contact areas from midsagittal tongue contours. Two alternative dome geometries - a half-ellipse and a cosine based profile - are implemented to model lateral curvature in the coronal plane. Using these geometries, lateral contact points are analytically computed for each anterior-posterior position, enabling the generation of electropalatography-like visualizations within the 2D+ framework. The enhanced model supports three synchronized views (sagittal, glottal, and palatal) for static and dynamic (animated) articulation displays, suitable for speech science education and speech therapy. Future work includes adding a facial (lip) view and implementing articulatory-to-acoustic synthesis to quantitatively evaluate model realism.