Computer Models of Vocal Tract Evolution: An Overview and Critique

Human speech has been investigated with computer models since the invention of digital computers, and models of the evolution of speech first appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Speech science and computer models have a long shared history because speech is a physical signal and can be modeled accurately. This article gives a brief overview of the use of computer models in the study of the evolution of the vocal tract. We also present a critical case study of one model that has been used to study the vocal abilities of Neanderthals. We argue that this study contains subtle but fatal flaws which invalidate the conclusions drawn from the model, illustrating the dangers of applying computer models outside the area for which they have been developed. Future models need to make use of a broader database of anatomical and physiological data from other animals, especially nonhuman primates, to understand the path leading to modern Homo sapiens.