Accurate tuning curves in a cochlear model

Most practical models of cochlear mechanics are based on approximations to the wave equation in the cochlea. These approximations engender compromises in the accuracy with which the cochlear motion can be reproduced. Tuning curves are compared here for two cochlear models, one based on a cascade of low-pass filter sections and the other based on a cascade of filter sections derived from a one-dimensional transmission line. The filters in the two simulations are designed to give comparable latency in the neural response to inputs at different frequencies, and the simulations include an active gain-control mechanism to adjust the characteristics of each section with changes in the input signal level. The resultant simulated tuning curves and neural outputs indicate that the modified transmission-line approximation yields a more accurate cochlear model