Project 37: RoBotic Tongue

Sponsor: Jeff Mielke

Mentor(s):

Jeff Mielke jimielke@ncsu.edu

Project Folder

Project Background and Need:

The human tongue is made up of several distinct intrinsic and extrinsic muscles that are used to control its motion in such actions as speaking and swallowing. Low-level control of tongue motion is largely subconscious. A robot tongue would complement existing software-based biomechanical models to aid in testing models of tongue motion and in teaching future speech-language pathologists how the tongue works.

Problem Description/requirements (List of high-level functionality you expect to see in the end product):

• Build a tongue that approximates real tongue motion, with components corresponding to muscles and other tissues of the human tongue and the ability to be controlled to produce gestures used in speech and swallowing.

Required Skills / Desired Competencies (in order of importance):

• Interest in learning about speech

• Robotics/mechatronics

• Programming experience

• Analog circuit design

• Embedded hardware and programming

• PCB design and layout

• MATLAB and Simulink

• Power electronics and systems

How often and how would you be available to meet/chat with the team (Zoom, Hangout, Skype, Phone)?

Weekly via Zoom (for now).

Will the students be required to sign any of the following before they start with the project? NDA / CDA / IP assignment / IP protection form

No.