Computational model of the tongue

A computer program for simulation of the tongue as a three‐dimensional static elastic system has been written for studying the physiological functions of certain extrinsic and intrinsic muscles in speech production. Forty‐four tetrahedra are employed to represent one‐half of the tongue, assuming symmetry in respect to the midsagittal plane. Uniform stress and strain distribution is assumed in each tetrahedron, with elastic constants representing an approximate volume incompressibility, and displacements of the nodal points (vertices) are calculated by the finite‐element method. The entire set of tetrahedra are grouped into 14 functional units, each of which can be given independently specified uniform stress in any direction representing an independent muscle contraction. In addition, specific node points can be pulled by an external force. Computation is made iteratively a few times for a given set of muscle contractions deriving a deformation consistent with palatal and other boundary constraints. The r...