Re: Enquiry about the work on computational auditory model.

[Richard Lyon <lyon@xxxxxxxxx>]

>To my best knowledge, almost all of work in this field focuses in the
>peripheral auditory model. Little work on the central auditory, auditory
>path and auditory cortex has already been reported. As a result, I want
>to investigate aforementioned work and conduct my research. I would appreciate
>it if anyone could give me pointers.

Dr. Ke Chen,

It's true that the modeling work gets thinner, harder to find, and harder
to understand, assess, and apply, as you move more centrally into the
auditory system.  But there is a substantial body of work out there if you
look hard enough.

Of course, it depends on what you mean by central, too.  Are pitch and
binaural mechanisms central?  The auditory pathway has many levels, and
these are probably more peripheral than central, but are not as peripheral
and cochlea and cochlear nucleus.  The correlation models of Licklider
(1951, for pitch) and Jeffress (1948, for binaural) have spawned a lot
of work in the last decade, my own included.  Neurophysiologists have
confirmed the existence of binaural cross-correlation circuits (e.g. TC
Yin in cats, Konishi Knudsen Sullivan in barn owls) and of delay-tuned
correlators for pitch-like operations (N. Suga in bats).

Knudsen's and Konishi's groups continue to do lots of studies and models
of primarily spatial processing through I.C. and tectum, including learning.
Cortical modeling is in a more primitive state, but some attempts are
being made (e.g. by Shamma) to understand and model the physiology.
The are numerous other groups active in auditory physiology and modeling,
and I apologize for not having time to give a more balanced account.

Let us know what you intend to do with modeling, and maybe we can make
more specific suggestions.  Do you have an application in mind, or a
particular level you want to model?

\Dick Lyon (408)974-4245
 Apple/ATG/InteractiveMedia/PerceptionSystems