Subject: Re: Form follows function? From: Ranjit Randhawa <rsran@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 13:58:01 -0500 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------060108040309090202060105 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Iftikhar, Thanks for the paper by LePage. My initial quick look supported the idea that the cochlea shape is closely related to a log spiral and so the frequency distribution results as described in the paper make a lot of sense. Still studying it though. The next step to consider is how this shape helps in frequency analysis as some have already pointed out the benefit of curved surfaces in frequency separation and the increased pressure due to curvature. I for one think it is associated with considering the analysis of a pure sinusoid as a series function (preferably log) rather than a single magnitude as would be provided with present Fourier analysis, or using filters in the practical sense. When a sinusoid is considered as a series function, many questions become easier to answer such as, combination tones, missing fundamental and maybe the traveling wave, if it could be accepted that BM movement is due to motility of the hair cells rather than other mechanisms discussed in the forum. But that is a stretch, what! Thanks and cheers, Randy On 1/20/2014 11:56 AM, Iftikhar Nizami wrote: > Is the attached paper by LePage any use? I admit that I have not read > it myself. - Lance Nizami > > *From:* Ranjit Randhawa <rsran@xxxxxxxx> > *To:* AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx > *Sent:* Sunday, January 19, 2014 12:12 PM > *Subject:* [AUDITORY] Form follows function? > > Dear List, > In the end it seems that either the well known dictum "form > follows function" is irrelevant to the auditory sciences, > considering the minimal response that I got for my question asking > if anyone knew why the cochlea has a spiral shape or, there is > really is no relevant answer to give. This then leads me to > conclude that theories proposed, starting from Helmholtz till now, > have no relevance to reality and can therefore be safely ignored > leaving the field wide open to new approaches to frequency > analysis rather then sticking with Fourier analysis and its higher > derivatives. > Thank you, sincerely > Randy Randhawa > > --------------060108040309090202060105 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <html> <head> <meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Hi Iftikhar,<br> Thanks for the paper by LePage. My initial quick look supported the idea that the cochlea shape is closely related to a log spiral and so the frequency distribution results as described in the paper make a lot of sense. Still studying it though. <br> The next step to consider is how this shape helps in frequency analysis as some have already pointed out the benefit of curved surfaces in frequency separation and the increased pressure due to curvature. I for one think it is associated with considering the analysis of a pure sinusoid as a series function (preferably log) rather than a single magnitude as would be provided with present Fourier analysis, or using filters in the practical sense. <br> When a sinusoid is considered as a series function, many questions become easier to answer such as, combination tones, missing fundamental and maybe the traveling wave, if it could be accepted that BM movement is due to motility of the hair cells rather than other mechanisms discussed in the forum. But that is a stretch, what!<br> Thanks and cheers,<br> Randy<br> <br> <br> <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 1/20/2014 11:56 AM, Iftikhar Nizami wrote:<br> </div> <blockquote cite="mid:1390237016.87133.YahooMailNeo@xxxxxxxx" type="cite"> <div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"> <div style="RIGHT: auto"><span style="RIGHT: auto">Is the attached paper by LePage any use? I admit that I have not read it myself. - <var id="yui-ie-cursor"></var>Lance Nizami<br style="RIGHT: auto" class="yui-cursor"> </span></div> <div style="RIGHT: auto"><br> <blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; MARGIN-TOP: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; RIGHT: auto"> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <div style="RIGHT: auto" dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial" size="2"><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</span></b> Ranjit Randhawa <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:rsran@xxxxxxxx"><rsran@xxxxxxxx></a><br> <b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</span></b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx">AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx</a> <br> <b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</span></b> Sunday, January 19, 2014 12:12 PM<br> <b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</span></b> [AUDITORY] Form follows function?<br> </font></div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br> Dear List,<br> In the end it seems that either the well known dictum "form follows function" is irrelevant to the auditory sciences, considering the minimal response that I got for my question asking if anyone knew why the cochlea has a spiral shape or, there is really is no relevant answer to give. This then leads me to conclude that theories proposed, starting from Helmholtz till now, have no relevance to reality and can therefore be safely ignored leaving the field wide open to new approaches to frequency analysis rather then sticking with Fourier analysis and its higher derivatives.<br> Thank you, sincerely<br> Randy Randhawa<br> <br> <br> </div> </div> </div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html> --------------060108040309090202060105--