Computational Maps for Articulatory Speech Synthesis

Abstract

A computational model for bi-directional coordinate transformations is demonstrated, which is based on two topologically organized computational maps and exploits their intra- and cross-connections for generating smooth trajectories. The model has been applied to speech motor control in order to study the linkage between vocal tract geometry and sound. It can simultaneously fit experimental trajectories in the formant and articulator spaces, respectively, and it is shown that in the generation of continuous sequences of vowels, the computed trajectories of the vocal tract can account for redundancy resolution, and accommodate different speaking rates and levels of stress.