Abstract
The function of the eardrum and the middle ear is to resolve the acoustic impedance mismatch between the air of the outside world and the fluid of the inner ear. Without an impedance matching device, very little acoustic energy would be absorbed by the inner ear and hearing would be severely limited. It remains a mystery how the eardrum accomplishes this over the audible frequency range. A computer simulation of the cat eardrum was constructed. The vibrations of the eardrum were fully coupled to the acoustics of the ear canal and the dynamics of the middle ear bones. The eardrum’s fibrous microstructure was taken into account. This model appears to be valid up to 20 kHz. This represents a significant improvement over previous modeling efforts. With this model, the following questions surrounding the evolution and design of the eardrum have been addressed: (1) Why does the eardrum have its distinctive conical and toroidal shape? (2) What is the significance of its highly organized fibrous structure? (3) What is the advantage of its angular placement in the ear canal? and (4) What is the benefit of complex vibrational modes on the eardrum? [Work supported in part by research grant R29 DC03805 from NIDCD.]
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