A hydro-mechanical, biomimetic cochlea: Experiments and models

The mammalian cochlea performs a remarkable signal processing function that maps the frequency of the incoming signal into different spatial locations along its length. A hydromechanical model was built to mimic the biological cochlea. Companion computational models of the mechanical devices were also implemented. The measured results from the artificial cochlea (ACochlea) demonstrate the cochlear-like features. Experimental data were compared with simulation results. The simulation results from both artificial basilar membrane (ABM) and ACochlear computational models exhibit the same trends as their experimental counterpart. Using the model as an analytic tool, the behavior of the devices was investigated. We determined that the ABM is under high tension, which degrades the frequency response of both ABM and ACochlea.