Lecture

The Ear as an Electroacoustic Sensor

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In course

EE-348: Electroacoustics

Ce cours a pour objectif de former les étudiants de section Génie Electrique et Electronique à la conception de systèmes acoustiques, à l'aide d'un formalisme basé sur l'électrotechnique. A la fin du semestre, les étudiants seront capables de dimensionner, ...

Description

This lecture introduces the complexity of the human hearing system, focusing on the outer ear's role in capturing and transmitting sound waves. It explains the mechanisms of diffraction, resonance, and impedance matching in the ear canal, optimizing sound transmission. The lecture also covers the middle ear's function in transforming mechanical vibrations into electrical signals, involving hair cells and the basilar membrane. Additionally, it discusses the cochlea's electro-chemical transmission process and the propagation of sound waves through the ear. The presentation concludes with a simple model of the cochlea as a transmission line, highlighting its linear properties and response to different frequencies.

Instructor

Hervé Lissek

Expertise Acoustics and audio engineering, Electroacoustics.Room acoustics.Active noise control.Acoustic metamaterials.Assisted reverberation.Psychoacoustics.Sound spatialization Expertise Acoustics and audio engineering, Electroacoustics.Room acoustics.Active noise control.Acoustic metamaterials.Assisted reverberation.Psychoacoustics.Sound spatialization Mission Head of the Acoustic Group at the Laboratory of Wave Engineering LWE. Research topics :Active Electroacoustic Resonators: turning conventional lou

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Health sciences

Otorhinolaryngology: Topics in otorhinolaryngology

Related concepts (32)

Ear

An ear is the organ that enables hearing and (in mammals) body balance using the vestibular system. In mammals the ear is usually described as having three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists of the pinna and the ear canal. Since the outer ear is the only visible portion of the ear in most animals, the word "ear" often refers to the external part alone. The middle ear includes the tympanic cavity and the three ossicles.

Inner ear

The inner ear (internal ear, auris interna) is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. In vertebrates, the inner ear is mainly responsible for sound detection and balance. In mammals, it consists of the bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in the temporal bone of the skull with a system of passages comprising two main functional parts: The cochlea, dedicated to hearing; converting sound pressure patterns from the outer ear into electrochemical impulses which are passed on to the brain via the auditory nerve.

Basilar membrane

The basilar membrane is a stiff structural element within the cochlea of the inner ear which separates two liquid-filled tubes that run along the coil of the cochlea, the scala media and the scala tympani. The basilar membrane moves up and down in response to incoming sound waves, which are converted to traveling waves on the basilar membrane. The basilar membrane is a pseudo-resonant structure that, like the strings on an instrument, varies in width and stiffness.

Hearing

Hearing, or auditory perception, is the ability to perceive sounds through an organ, such as an ear, by detecting vibrations as periodic changes in the pressure of a surrounding medium. The academic field concerned with hearing is auditory science. Sound may be heard through solid, liquid, or gaseous matter. It is one of the traditional five senses. Partial or total inability to hear is called hearing loss.

Hearing aid

A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss. Hearing aids are classified as medical devices in most countries, and regulated by the respective regulations. Small audio amplifiers such as personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) or other plain sound reinforcing systems cannot be sold as "hearing aids". Early devices, such as ear trumpets or ear horns, were passive amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and direct it into the ear canal.

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