Controlling the Shape of a Muscular Hydrostat: A Tongue or Tentacle^*

Abstract

A mathematical model of the human tongue, developed as part of a larger project to understand its movement, use in speech, and control, is described. The model has the mathematical form of an incompressible solid with a nonlinear, partially controllable, stress/strain relationship. The rationale for such a model, an analytic solution for a simplified version of the model, and indications of future work are included.