Course detail

Biomechanics IV - Bioacoustics

FSI-RBKAcad. year: 2025/2026

Bioacoustics deals with human organs and organs of other living creatures whose function is in some way tied to the use of sound waves, collectively to the use of acoustics. Bioacoustics deals mainly with human speech generation and hearing perception. The source voice is generated by vocal folds and is further acoustically modified by passing through the vocal tract. The auditory organ captures acoustic waves from the surrounding environment and processes them by means of complicated electro-mechanical systems into the signals, which are then supplied to the brain.
The course is also devoted to computational models of vibroacoustic systems - deterministic models (finite element method FEM, boundary element method BEM), statistical models (statistical energy analysis SEA), hybrid models (FEM + SEA).

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Pavel Švancara, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Solid Mechanics, Mechatronics and Biomechanics (ÚMTMB)

Entry knowledge

The student must know fundamentals of acoustics, matrix calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, fundamentals of the finite element method.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Course-unit credit requirements: Active participation in seminars and elaboration of required number of partial tasks and their presentation. Attendance at seminars is obligatory. In case of the orderly excused absence is necessary to solve a substitute problem.
Final examination: The examination is carried out in the form of a cross-sectional written test. Making the correct answer to less than half of the questions is a reason not to pass the exam. The final qualification of the exam takes into account the quality of elaboration of partial tasks from exercises.
The specific form of the exam, types, number of questions or examples and details of the assessment will be given by the lecturer during the semester.
The inspection of the education is carried out systematically, on the exercises the presence will be written in the student’s list. Unexcused absence is the reason for not granting the credit. A student’s readines for the education is carried out continuously for individual students, or by the short test. In case of orderly excused missing presence it is necessary to fulfil the missing items and optionally to solve some compensatory examples. The missing experimental exercise must be replaced by another date.

Aims

The aim of the course is to acquire knowledge of the human vocal tract and auditory organ. The functions of both devices will be analyzed theoretically, by computer modeling and will also be analyzed experimentally. The course will also include the introduction to computational models of vibroacoustic systems - FEM finite element method FEM, boundary element method BEM, statistical energy analysis SEA, hybrid models (FEM + SEA).
Students will learn valuable information about the two very important human organs important for life. The first is the vocal tract, the second is the auditory organ, which is one of the basic sensory organs. Students will learn about the proper functioning of both organs and some of their disorders and defects. In addition, students will learn computational models of vibroacoustic systems.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Damaske, P.: Acoustics and Hearing, Springer-Verlag, Berlin- Heidelberg, 2008 (EN)
I. R. Titze: Principles of Voice Production, Prentice Hall, 1994 (EN)
Nový, R.: Hluk a chvění, České vysoké učení technické, Praha, 2009 (CS)

Recommended reading

Beer, G., Smith, I., Duenser, Ch.: The Boundary Element Method with Proramming, Springer-Verlag, 2008 (EN)
Lyon, R. H., DeJong, R.G: Theory and Application of Statistical Energy Analysis, Butterwortth-Heinemann, Boston, 1995 (EN)
Ohayon, R., Soize, C.: Structural Acoustic and Vibration, Academic Press, London, 1998
Rossin, T. D., editor: Springer Handbook of Acoustics, Springer, Würzburg, 2007 (EN)
Titze, I. R. , Alipour, F.: The Myoelastic Aerodynamic Theory of Phonation, National Center for Voice and Speech, Denver and Iowa City, 2006 (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-IMB-P Master's

    specialization BIO , 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Pavel Švancara, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM) in acoustics
  • Acoustic properties of open and closed spaces, spectra
  • Psychoacoustic noise kriteria
  • Biomechanics of human voice formativ
  • Vocal tract - its spectral and modal properties, vowel formants
  • Vocal folds - their functions and computational models, alternative sources of voice
  • Methods for experimental voice analysis
  • Biomechanics of human hearing
  • Cochlea and its function, some defects of auditory organ
  • Voice disorders

Computer-assisted exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Pavel Švancara, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Acoustic quantities and conversions between them, band spectra, decibel scales
  • Spectral and modal properties of cavities
  • Acoustic wave propagation in free space, acoustic sources
  • Transmission of acoustic waves across different types of walls
  • Vocal tract, its spectral and modal properties
  • Vocal folds and their functions
  • Computational models of vocal folds fiction
  • Experimental voice analysis, vowel formants
  • Computational models of human ear
  • Modeling of cochlea function