Re: mechanical cochlear model

[Dana Massie <dmassie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Look at the marvelous exhibit from the San Francisco Exploratorium:

Visible Effects of The Invisible:

http://exs.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/visible-effects-of-the-invisible/

This is the most vivid example I have seen of standing waves in a tube. I
wonder how differently this tube would behave if it were conical.

Dana Massie

>From the web site:

Visible Effects of the Invisible graphically demonstrates resonant
frequencies. A horizontal, clear glass tube is partially with clear fluid.
Sound generated by a speaker housed at one end of the tube causes the air in
the tube to vibrate and geysers appear in the fluid where the motion of air
is greatest. The geysers are generated at various sections of the tube by
the adjusting the resonant frequency of the speaker which causes pressure
differentials.



On 3/2/10 5:41 AM, "Christian Kaernbach" <auditorylist@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi everybody,
> 
> I ponder whether I should have our workshop build a mechanical cochlear
> model, filled with water, made from acrylic glass, in a simple box-like
> arrangement (no coil, rectangular cross section), with oval and round
> windows covered with latex foil (such as the middle division screen,
> i.e. the "basilar membrane") and some crank lever and maybe a gear
> transmission that would allow to enter mechanical waves at different
> frequencies. I would use it in the lecture room to illustrate the
> Békésy's travelling wave model. (I realize that he had build such a
> model himself, which was not meant for class room use as I understood it.)
> 
> Is there anybody out there who has / knows such a model and could give
> advice as to dimensions and material?
> 
> Best,
> Chris
> ------
> Christian Kaernbach
> Allgemeine Psychologie
> Institut für Psychologie
> Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
> Olshausenstr. 62
> D-24098 Kiel
> Germany
> www.kaernbach.de

--
Dana Massie
Director of DSP Architecture
Audience, Inc.
+1 (831) 295-0079 mobile
dmassie@xxxxxxxxxxxx