Techniquest

Exhibit: Vocal Vowels

Press a giant rubber bulb and a ‘quack’ can be heard from the tube.  There are five different voice boxes each shaped  for a unique vowel sound.  When the tube is placed into the different voice boxes, the visitor hears the vowel sound rather than the quack.  The exhibit mimics what you do with your mouth and throat when you make the vowel sounds. The ‘quacker’ represents the vocal cords and the ‘voice boxes’ are straightened out versions of the shapes of the mouth and throat openings when you produce each vowel.