Mechanical and electro-mechanical box cochlea model

Abstract

The cochlea is the most important part of the hearing system, due to the fact that it receives sound in the form of vibrations and converts these vibrations into nerve impulses in the organ of Corti that sends information about sounds to the brain. Functioning of the cochlea components and behavior is still not investigated completely because of its complex structure. Human live cochlea is placed in almost inaccessible place. Because of that it is hard to collect experimental measurement. Cochlea works as an electro-mechanical system and it is important to investigate both electrical and mechanical behavior of the cochlea in order to improve treatment of hearing disorders. This study presents a mechanical model of the uncoiled cochlea using full 3D 8-noded finite elements, as well the electro-mechanical 1D state-space model of the cochlea. The results obtained from these two cochlea models show good matching with Greenwood function and properly simulate the behavior of the cochlea.