Case Study: University of Maine improves vocal disorder research with Tecplot 360

Tecplot 360 Helps Improve Care for Patients in the Area of Speech

The University of Maine needed a better way to study human phonation and voice disorders, especially vocal fold paralysis, which can make surgery difficult and often requires repeat procedures. Tecplot, Inc.’s Tecplot 360 software was used to support patient-specific computational modeling of speech and laryngeal flow dynamics.

Using Tecplot 360, researchers reconstructed models from CT scans, checked mesh quality, visualized simulation results, and created figures and animations to analyze glottal airflow, vortex structure, and vocal fold motion. Tecplot, Inc. helped the team better understand the mechanics of voice production and move toward more accurate prediction of vocal implant size and configuration, with the potential to reduce uncomfortable repeat surgeries; the case study notes up to 25% of implants currently require repositioning.

University of Maine

Xudong Zheng

Assistant Professor