Subject: Re: The ear dynamically adapting frequency response From: Eric Jacobs <EricJ@xxxxxxxx> Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 09:16:55 -0800 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_1039_01C98772.7D81CD50 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is completely anecdotal... As you know, kids like to put high frequency (16 kHz) ring tones on their cell phones so that adults (ie. authority figures) with compromised hearing cannot hear the phone ring. Yesterday, my son asked "why is it that I can hear the first ring loudly, but by the third or fourth ring I cannot hear it anymore?" I didn't have an answer, of course. But if you'd like me to investigate the phenomenon further with him, I can do that. This isn't horribly scientific, of course, but maybe useful. Eric -----Original Message----- From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception [mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Behalf Of Mark Fletcher Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 3:48 AM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Subject: The ear dynamically adapting frequency response Dear List I am investigating the possibility that the ear dynamically adapts its frequency response dependant on environment, for example, to suppress noise. My current thinking is that the mechanism for this adaptation is in the expanding and contracting of the outer hair cells, restricting or exaggerating movement of the inner hair cells at different frequencies depending on the stimuli. I would be grateful for any input anyone may have regarding this idea. Thanks, Mark ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Windows Live Hotmail just got better. Find out more! ------=_NextPart_000_1039_01C98772.7D81CD50 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns:o =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <STYLE>.hmmessage P { PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: = 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } BODY.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana } </STYLE> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.5726" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY class=3Dhmmessage> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial = color=3D#0000ff>This is=20 completely anecdotal...</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial=20 color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial = color=3D#0000ff>As you know,=20 kids like to put high frequency (16 kHz) ring tones on their cell phones = so that=20 adults (ie. authority figures) with compromised hearing cannot hear the = phone=20 ring.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial=20 color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial = color=3D#0000ff>Yesterday, my=20 son asked "why is it that I can hear the first ring loudly, but by the = third or=20 fourth ring I cannot hear it anymore?"</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial=20 color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial = color=3D#0000ff>I didn't have=20 an answer, of course. But if you'd like me to investigate the = phenomenon=20 further with him, I can do that. This isn't horribly scientific, = of=20 course, but maybe useful.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial=20 color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=3D994450817-05022009><FONT face=3DArial=20 color=3D#0000ff>Eric</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT=20 face=3DTahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> AUDITORY - = Research in=20 Auditory Perception [mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx<B>On Behalf Of = </B>Mark=20 Fletcher<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 05, 2009 3:48 = AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20 AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx<BR><B>Subject:</B> The ear dynamically = adapting=20 frequency response<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT size=3D3><FONT = color=3D#000000><o:p> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT = size=3D3><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman">Dear List<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT = size=3D3><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman">I am investigating the possibility that the = ear=20 dynamically adapts its frequency response dependant on environment, = for=20 example, to suppress noise. My current thinking is that the mechanism = for this=20 adaptation is in the expanding and contracting of the outer hair = cells,=20 restricting or exaggerating movement of the inner hair cells at = different=20 frequencies depending on the stimuli. I would be grateful for any = input anyone=20 may have regarding this idea.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT = size=3D3><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT = size=3D3><FONT=20 face=3D"Times New = Roman">Mark</FONT></FONT></o:p></FONT></FONT></P><RTE_TEXT></RTE_TEXT><BR= > <HR> Windows Live Hotmail just got better. <A=20 = href=3D"http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/windowslive/products/hotmail.= aspx"=20 target=3D_new>Find out more!</A> </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_1039_01C98772.7D81CD50--