Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/10/2013
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Title: The Fire Within the Ear

Speaker: Dr. Christopher Bergevin

Institute: York University

Location: ABB 102

Description:

In being both highly sensitive and selective, the ear not only detects sound but also generates and subsequently emits it as well. Known as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), these sounds are measurable in the ear canal and are generally thought to be a by-product of an underlying amplification mechanism at work in the inner ear. Given the difficulty associated with cochlear physiology, OAEs have provided a valuable and non-invasive window into auditory biomechanics. For example, OAEs have had a significant clinical impact (e.g., newborn audiological screening). However, answers to many questions regarding the iophysical origins of OAE generation have remained elusive. Comparative studies provide a valuable opportunity towards this end: Non-mammals have relatively ‘simpler’ ears in terms of morphology and mechanics that can serve as an important foundation for understanding the more complex human cochlea. This talk will examine both empirical and theoretical approaches, combined with neurophysiological data, that indicate that the ear can be well described by a network of coupled, active oscillators.