Optoreflectometry Determination of the Resonance Properties of a Vocal Fold

A new method of measuring the resonance properties of a vocal fold using electromagnetic excitation and laser optoreflectometry for response monitoring is described. Two resonance peaks were experimentally identified with one magnet stuck on the vocal fold at frequencies F01m = 54.7 Hz and F0′1m = 35.8 Hz. The addition of a second magnet allowed calculation of the actual viscoelastic properties of the vocal fold: F0 = 71.8 Hz; quality factor Q = 8.03; mass m = 0.057 g; stiffness k = 11.6 N m; and damping ζ = 0.0032 Nm−1. A numerical simulation of a two-layered model verified the experimental data.