Conductive Silicone Vocal Folds Reproducing Electroglottographic Signal in Pathophysiological Conditions

The development of larynx simulators as platforms for clinical investigations has been identified as a useful tool for understanding the pathophysiology of vocal folds. The primary goal of this study was the realization of electrically conductive silicone vocal folds able to replicate an electroglottography (EGG) signal under pathophysiological conditions, in order to provide a quantitative method for monitoring the vocal folds vibratory characteristics. Both simulators showed an oscillatory behavior similar to human counterpart, thanks to the materials used for their realization. In addition, the synthetic simulators are made conductive by a silicone-based conductive solution applied to the surface of the synthetic vocal folds, in order to acquire an electrical signal to be compared to an EGG signal. Results showed a direct correlation between conductance variation and the occurrence of vocal folds contact, as it happens for the real EGG signal. In addition, results suggested that both simulators are able to replicate the vibratory characteristics of healthy and pathological vocal folds and to reproduce an electrical signal that is comparable to a real EGG. This will represent a powerful tool to characterize and cluster different vocal folds pathologies, which can lead to a significant improvement of prevention programs and an early diagnosis for laryngeal diseases.