Daniel Aalto, DSc, MSc
/'dɑniel 'ɑ:lto/
Pronouns: He/him
Contact
Associate Professor, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine - Communication Sciences & Disorders
- aalto@ualberta.ca
- Phone
- (780) 492-8938
- Address
-
6-129 Clinical Sciences Building
11304 83 Ave NWEdmonton ABT6G 2G3
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
speech production virtual surgical planning head and neck cancer stuttering oral motor control
About
Credentials
DSc - Mathematics - Aalto University, Finland, 2010
Lic. Sc (Tech.) - Engineering Mathematics - Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, 2008
MSc (Tech.) - Engineering Physics and Mathematics - Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, 2005
Areas of interest
Oral sensorimotor system; computer modelling of head and neck functions including speech, swallowing, chewing, breathing; development of assistive technology to improve the predictability of surgical treatments; experimental validation of computer models of speech, swallowing, and chewing; adoption of advanced simulation techniques to surgical planning workflows.
Memberships
Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute
Research
My research uses modelling to understand the oral motor system, in particular speech production. I apply the models to virtual surgical planning. I supervise Neuro 451/452 and Neuro 498/499 projects, CSD900 projects, MSc and PhD theses. If you are interested in a research experience in my lab, please mention the research course code in your email subject line.
Teaching
Fall 2025: CSD502
Winter 2026: CSD505
Announcements
Submit an abstract to Methods and Techniques in Phonetic Sciences (MaTiPS) meeting that will take place in Edmonton, October 17-19, 2025. The majority of the events will be on Saturday, October 18.
Courses
CSD 502 - Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
Lectures and laboratories provide a systematic study of the gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and physiology of the respiratory, phonatory, resonatory, and articulatory subsystems as related to speech production and swallowing. (Restricted to MScSLP students only.) Not open to students with credit in SPA 502.
Featured Publications
Al-Zanoon, N., Cummine, J., Jeffery, CC, Aalto, D
Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering. 2025 March; 10.1080/10255842.2025.2482128
Al-Zanoon, N., Cummine, J., Jeffery, CC, Westover, L., Aalto, D.
Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology. 2024 June; 10.1007/s10237-024-01860-4
Kieran Armstrong, Carolyn Kincade, Martin Osswald, Jana Rieger, Daniel Aalto
Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering: Imaging & Visualization. 2024 January; 10.1080/21681163.2023.2264402
Amir Reza Isazadeh, Hadi Seikaly, Lindsey Westover, Daniel Aalto
International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery. 2024 January; 10.1007/s11548-024-03062-w
American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery. 2022 January; 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103327
Lingbo Cheng, Jay Carriere, Jakub Piwowarczyk, Daniel Aalto, Nabil Zemiti, Marie de Boutray, Mahdi Tavakoli
Advanced Intelligent Systems. 2021 January; 10.1002/aisy.202000158
Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. 2021 January; 10.1080/10255842.2020.1870965
Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. 2021 January; 10.1016/j.prosdent.2020.01.045
E Robertson, P Boulanger, P Kwan, G Louie, D Aalto
2020 March; 13 (2):122-129
Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. 2020 January; 10.1080/10255842.2020.1795143
J. Wang, AK Ho, G. Papadopoulos-Nydam, JM Rieger, Y. Inamoto, S. Fels, E. Saitoh, C. Guo, D. Aalto
Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering: imaging & visualization. 2018 March; 7 (4):389-395
D. Aalto, O. Aaltonen, R-P. Happonen, P. Jääsaari, A. Kivelä, J. Kuortti, JM Luukinen, J. Malinen, T. Murtola, R. Parkkola, J. Saunavaara, T. Soukka, and M. Vainio
Applied Acoustics. 2014 January; 83
View additional publications
Research Students
Currently accepting undergraduate students for research project supervision.
If you are interested in a research opportunity, include a course code (e.g., NEURO452) in the subject line.