Estimation of vocal fold vibrations using image segmentation

A new high speed system for recording, processing, and analysis of vocal fold vibrations has been developed. Results obtained with this system will be discussed from the technical as well as the medical viewpoint. By using a digital high speed camera, the laryngeal movement can be recorded with a maximum speed of about 5600 frames per second and a sequence length of up to 8192 single frames. For examination purposes the recorded sequences can be viewed bidirectionally in different slow motion rates. An application-specific written adaptive semi automatic motion analysis software is used to calculate and plot the glottograms for selected points on each vocal cord. From the obtained data, statistical measures like speed, acceleration rates, the fundamental frequency, amplitudes and perturbation parameters can be calculated. Based on the digital films, motion plots and characteristic statistics, this approach of laryngeal examination is a practicable method which supports the possibilitie s of quantitative and graphical analysis of the moving vocal folds and overcomes the disadvantages of the presently common examination methods.