User tests with the multi-mode compression architecture.

The Multi-Mode Compression (MMC) architecture is a new system for better speech understanding, listening comfort and user acceptance. This study reports on the user tests that have been performed to verify the benefits of the concept and the quality of the fitting process for the individual hearing impaired. The study concentrates on the 4-channel version of a new series of digital instruments with this MMC architecture.

Studies on the mechanics of the reconstructed human middle ear.

Using a laser-Doppler interferometer the influence of different positions of an incus prosthesis on hearing performance was examined in human temporal bone preparations. The influence of position and tension of a malleus to footplate prosthesis (columella) was studied in the same way. It is concluded that an incus prosthesis should be placed along an imaginary line through the centre of the footplate and the head of the stapes. With a malleus to footplate prosthesis the position on the footplate is relatively unimportant. Tension between the malleus, prosthesis and footplate, however, is quite important and should be as low as possible, and compatible with a stable situation. The malleus to footplate prosthesis provides a columella type of prosthesis which for lower frequencies works better than an incus prosthesis, and occasionally even better than the normal ear.

Studies on the mechanics of the normal human middle ear.

The middle ear was studied in temporal bone preparations using a laser-Doppler interferometer. For measurements at a sound level of 80 dB SPL this method proved to be very reliable, as was shown by good reproducibility of results in experiments over more than 6 hours. The vibrations of the tympanic membrane and stapes footplate were studied from 200 Hz to 10 KHz and the results demonstrate a piston-like movement of the stapes footplate up to 120 dB SPL. The damping effect of the normal ear is located mainly at the footplate/cochlea level and the middle ear cavity per se does not contribute significantly to the stiffness of the middle ear system.

Directional hearing in the grassfrog (Rana temporaria L.). II. Acoustics and modelling of the auditory periphery.

In an earlier paper (Vlaming et al., 1984) we reported on optical measurements (laser-doppler interferometry) of the vibrations characteristics of the grassfrog's tympanic membrane. In the present paper these measurements were extended to include acoustic measurements concerning the functional role of the mouth cavity in frog hearing. Based on these measurements a model of the frog's acoustic periphery, consisting of three coupled linear oscillators with three entrance ports for sound, was developed and analyzed mathematically to give the various relevant transfer functions. The model is characterized by six parameters, all of which could be estimated from the available experimental data. For frequencies up to some 1500 Hz the model adequately describes the experimental data, both our own and earlier, seemingly conflicting data in the literature. For higher frequencies deviations occur, possibly due to nonuniform vibrations of the membranes. The model was used to evaluate the monaural directional sensitivity of the frog under free-field stimulation. Essentially it behaves as a combined pressure-gradient receiver, with highly frequency-dependent directional sensitivity. Directional sensitivity of the tympanic membrane could be modulated drastically by changing the resonance properties of the mouth cavity, without affecting the intrinsic membrane properties. This, theoretically, allows the frog to manipulate its direction sensitivity by actively tuning the volume of its mouth cavity. In order to account for discrepancies with known properties of low-frequency auditory nerve fibers an additional, extra-tympanic channel was included into the model. The extended model, the second-channel possibly involving the opercularis complex, provides a good quantitative fit to the available data on tympanic membrane movement as well as auditory nerve activity. Finally, the model enables to simulate a (moving) sound source in space, while stimulating the frog via closed couplers.

Directional hearing in the grass frog (Rana temporaria L.): I. Mechanical vibrations of tympanic membrane.

The vibration characteristics (amplitude and phase as a function of frequency) of the tympanic membrane in the grass frog were measured using a laser-doppler velocity meter. It was tested to what extent the frog's acoustic system behaves as a pressure gradient receiver. This might clarify how the frog localizes sound. Using a closed sound system the membrane was stimulated at three different entrances: in front of the membrane, at the contralateral ear and from inside the mouth. A combination of these can describe the motion of the membrane under free field conditions. It is found that the sound entrance from inside the mouth will give almost identical vibration characteristics as stimulation in front of the membrane. This can yield a perfect gradient receiver mechanism, when the frog opens its mouth. It is doubted however whether the frog in nature needs to open its mouth for localization of sound. With mouth closed the effectiveness of the gradient receiver will be determined by the transmission characteristics of sound across the tissues of the mouth. The entrance of sound via the contralateral ear is only effective at frequencies between 800 and 1600 Hz. At those frequencies crosstalk between the membranes is however not more than -4 to -8 dB. This is subject to changes in the acoustic properties of the mouth cavity and can possibly be altered by the frog in free nature.

Laser--Doppler velocity meter applied to tympanic membrane vibrations in cat.

This paper describes a simple interferometer that can be used for the measurement of extremely small vibrations (down to 0.01 nm) in biological preparations. Instead of amplitudes it measures velocities by detecting the Doppler--shift in the frequency of light diffusely scattered by a vibrating object. It has been applied to the measurement of malleus vibrations in cat. The malleus itself scatters sufficient light for the interferometer to operate so that no mirror is needed that might load the malleus. Since the instrument measures velocities it is very well suited for this application because the velocity of the malleus vibrations is much less dependent on the signal frequency than is its amplitude. The method is very insensitive to background noises or vibrations so that no special precautions for isolation need to be taken. The vibrations of the malleus measured with this instrument turn out to be in excellent agreement with data by previous workers. The effect of underpressure in middle ear cavities on the transfer function was measured and appears to be rather severe (11 dB sensitivity decrease) for frequencies below 1500 Hz only. The linearity of the malleus vibration ws checked for sound pressures of 30 dB SPL up to 110 dB SPL.

Digital A-scan ultrasonography used to measure ocular distances.

Digital A-scan ultrasonography provided a digital display of intraocular distances with an overall accuracy of 0.05 mm. Since the control setting was easy and calibration was unnecessary, the time of measurement is reduced and hence the apparatus is useful in clinical practice.