Fluid-structure interaction acoustic analysis of vibrating basilar membrane within the cochlea of inner ears

초록

This paper presents the preliminary study on the dynamic characteristics of the basilar membrane (BM) within the cochlea of inner ear. The BM is a vibrating element that varies in width and stiffness like a string on an instrument. While low frequency sounds vibrate near the apex (at the maximum length), high frequency sounds vibrate near the base of the cochlea (near the round and oval windows). Over the last decades, this frequency selectivity has been utilized for acoustic transducers by mimicking the cochlea tonotopy: passive frequency selectivity and transform from acoustic sound into frequency signal of hair cells in the organ of Corti. In previously reported studies, the frequency selectivity was simply achieved by physical parameters, such as length and thickness of beam array although the motion of the BM is generally described as a traveling wave. In this study, fluid-structure coupled acoustic analysis of vibrating BM within the cochlea of inner ear is performed to describe the actual motion of BM. The new approach different from the cantilever beam array -based approach will be then investigated for improved frequency selectivity.

키워드