A new
patented device designed to provide voice therapy and vocal humidification. This device is easy to carry and is safe to be used anywhere. It is intended to assist voice therapy and to serve as a supporting device for professional voice users. doctorVOX is designed to help to motor learning and cognitive processes involved in voice therapy and vocal training. doctorVOX provides instant humidification of the vocal folds. Additionally, herbal and medical products can also be used for inhalation.
doctorVOX uses the mechanisms of DoctorVox Voice Therapy Technique for voice therapy and professional voice development. The main mechanism involves artificial elongation of the vocal tract and a secondary vibrating resistance (i.e. water bubbles) for vocal tract inertance. The artificial elongation is provided by a built-in tube which is designed nearly the same length with the human vocal tract. It is designed for rehabilitation of dysphonic patients and habilitation of the professional voice users.
There are two tube openings on the top. The swan-neck like tube indicates the breathing outlet from the container. The phonation inlet is the opening of the inner tube from which the user can blow voice into water. The upper part of the device is formed by two tubes mounted one inside the other. The inner tube is for blowing and phonation. The active length of the inner tube is an out the same length with the human vocal tract so that standing waves form in a natural way. The bottom part of the device which is named the container is filled with water for voice therapy exercises. Maximum water height is designed to be below a phonation threshold pressure. Water spillage during blowing and aspiration of water during inhalation, are prevented by two main mechanisms. The first resistance to keep water in a container during bubbling is the circle fold (like an inkstand) at the roof of the container. The second resistance is the enlargement in the neck part of the device.
doctorVOX can also be used as an instant vocal fold humidifier. The user can humidify the vocal folds by inhaling water vapor (40-45°C) through the swan-neck shaped breathing tube. Herbal/medical products are able to be vaporized through the bubbling and can be inhaled from the breathing tube. During vocal exercise, the user blows air/voice through the inner tube and takes the advantages of DoctorVox technique. During inhalation from the breathing outlet, air enters from the phonation inlet and passes through water to be humidified. The humidified air directly affects vocal fold mucosa.