Investigating the acoustic effect of the descended larynx with articulatory models

A strongly simplified articulatory model as well as three more realistic models are investigated for the effect of larynx height on the extent of vowel signaling space The models explore a larger range of larynx positions than previous models and the use of the convex hull for measuring articulatory abilities is introduced A short study of human data is also reported It is found in all cases that a vocal tract with a vertical section that is approximately equally long or slightly shorter than the horizontal section performs best This corresponds most closely to the anatomy of the female vocal tract The findings are discussed in light of hypotheses regarding the evolutionary development of the vocal tract (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved