Alessandro Altoè | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

Suppressing spectral edge effects in Schroeder Harmonic Complex

Schroeder's harmonic complexes are periodic, band-limited signals that are analogous to tones whose frequency increases or decreases over time. As such, they have been widely employed to study phenomena related to frequency-dispersion and frequency-modulation sensitivity in the auditory system. However, Schroeder's complexes also embed two steady ``frequency-fixed'' components. Because these components are easily audible, they may complicate interpretation of behavioral experiments. Here I present a variation of Schroeder's harmonic complex that largely suppresses these undesired steady components.

eess.AS↗

arXiv2023

The Noise Within: Signal-to-Noise Enhancement via Coherent Wave Amplification in the Mammalian Cochlea

The extraordinary sensitivity of the mammalian inner ear has captivated scientists for decades, largely due to the crucial role played by the outer hair cells (OHCs) and their unique electromotile properties. Typically arranged in three rows along the sensory epithelium, the OHCs work in concert via mechanisms collectively referred to as the "cochlear amplifier" to boost the cochlear response to faint sounds. While simplistic views attribute this enhancement solely to the OHC-based increase in cochlear gain, the inevitable presence of internal noise requires a more rigorous analysis. Achieving a genuine boost in sensitivity through amplification requires that signals be amplified more than internal noise, and this requirement presents the cochlea with an intriguing challenge. Here, we analyze the effects of spatially distributed cochlear-like amplification on both signals and internal noise.

physics.bio-ph↗