Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hearing01:31

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
Sound Intensity Level00:53

Sound Intensity Level

Humans perceive sound by hearing. The human ear helps sound waves reach the brain, which then interprets the waves and creates the perception of hearing. The loudness of the environment in which a person is located determines whether they can distinguish between different sound sources.
The human ear can perceive an extensive range of sound intensity, necessitating the use of the logarithmic scale to define a physical quantity—the intensity level. It is a ratio of two intensities and hence a...
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
Auditory Perception01:17

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location01:21

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Advancing outcome measure development and analytical approaches: Pain in Animals Workshop 2023.

Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Outcome assessment in veterinary pain studies: a pain in animals workshop (PAW) perspective.

Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Measurement of chronic pain in companion animals: Priorities for future research and development based on discussions from the Pain in Animals Workshop (PAW) 2017.

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2019
Same author

Measurement of chronic pain in companion animals: Discussions from the Pain in Animals Workshop (PAW) 2017.

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2019
Same author

The cost of assuming the life history of a host: acoustic startle in the parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea.

The Journal of experimental biology·2009
Same author

Headwear in laminar flow operating theatres.

The Journal of hospital infection·2009
Same journal

Daily briefing: 'Cyborg' cockroaches breathe underwater with printed suit.

Nature·2026
Same journal

China boosts prestigious grants for young scientists - will it ease competition?

Nature·2026
Same journal

Incoming US science academy chief vows to 'double down' on research.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Author Correction: Synthesis of enantioenriched atropisomers by biocatalytic deracemization.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Electrodeposited self-assembled molecules for perovskite photovoltaics.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Neutrino's nursery found: the 'Shadow Blaster'.

Nature·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
09:54

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

Published on: May 10, 2019

Hyperacute directional hearing in a microscale auditory system.

A C Mason1, M L Oshinsky, R R Hoy

  • 1Division of Life Sciences, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada. amason@scar.utoronto.ca

Nature
|April 5, 2001
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The fly Ormia ochracea achieves human-level sound localization using its unique ears. This biological model inspires nanoscale microphones with precise directional sensitivity, overcoming physical limitations.

More Related Videos

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention
04:32

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Published on: December 20, 2024

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners
07:52

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners

Published on: March 13, 2026

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
09:54

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

Published on: May 10, 2019

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention
04:32

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Published on: December 20, 2024

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners
07:52

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners

Published on: March 13, 2026

Area of Science:

  • Bioacoustics
  • Auditory Neuroscience
  • Biomimetics

Background:

  • Sound localization faces physical constraints, especially for small receivers.
  • The fly Ormia ochracea exhibits exceptional sound localization despite its size.
  • Current research aims to apply O. ochracea's principles to enhance hearing aid technology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the behavioral sound localization capabilities of Ormia ochracea.
  • To explore the neural mechanisms underlying the fly's hyperacute auditory system.
  • To assess the potential of O. ochracea-inspired designs for nanoscale directional microphones.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral experiments measuring sound source localization accuracy in O. ochracea.
  • Analysis of interaural time differences (ITDs) and neural response timing.
  • Investigation of neural coding strategies in the fly's auditory system.

Main Results:

  • O. ochracea localizes sound sources with an accuracy of ~2 degrees azimuth, comparable to humans.
  • The fly utilizes minuscule interaural cues (~50 ns) derived from its small ear separation.
  • Hyperacute timecoding is achieved through low-jitter, phasic receptor responses.

Conclusions:

  • Ormia ochracea demonstrates remarkable sound localization performance, challenging physical limitations.
  • The fly's auditory system employs specific neural coding strategies for precise timecoding.
  • Biomimetic nanoscale directional microphones based on O. ochracea show potential for high accuracy, irrespective of size.