A finite element model integrating the ear canal, middle ear and cochlea is established and applied to simulate the process of the sound transmission from ear canal to the cochlea, and the cochlear fluid driving the basilar membrane to vibrate. The cochlear model includes an orthotropic basilar membrane with dimensional material property variation along its length. Based on the micro-mechanics analysis of the organ of Corti, a feed-forward mechanism is used to accomplish the cochlear active amplifier features. A numerical method, combining ear canal stimuli and cochlea active mechanism, is developed to compute the responses in the middle ear and active cochlea. The present results show that the model achieved basilar membrane response level compression and frequency selectivity characteristics with respect to ear canal sound stimuli.
WANG Xue-lin;ZHOU Jian-jun;LING Ling;HU Yu-jin.
FEM simulation of sound transmission in human ear with active cochlear model[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2012, 31(21): 41-45