G100031 Basic Study on Modeling and Vibration Characteristics of Middle Ear Considering Pry

Sound is produced due to vibration of air and humans will recognize it by their ears. Sound pressure is amplified in the external auditory meatus (E.A.M.) and make the tympanic membrane (T.M.) vibrate. Finally, it is transmitted into the inner ear through the ossicle. Therefore, it is considered that human perception of sound is influenced by the vibration behavior of T.M. and ossicle. The purposes of this study are to establish the middle ear analytical model and to reveal the vibration characteristics of middle ear by numerical computing. In this study, we construct the simple middle ear analytical model on the assumption that the malleus and incus are rigid bodies and the stapes is one-degree-of-freedom mass. Also, above-mentioned assumption on the malleus and incus makes its rotation movement and expresses the motion of pry of the ossicle. And we entertained the vibration characteristics of middle ear for various sounds. Through this study, we evaluated the natural frequency of the middle ear. Also we estimated the frequency of sound that human can hear most easily. As a result, it is found that the present middle ear analytical model can simulate the hearing system of human.