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Anatomy of the Ear

Anatomy of the Ear

Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...

The Cochlea

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.

Hearing

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.

Auditory Pathway

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...

Hair Cells

Hair Cells

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.

Auditory Perception

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds

A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds

Published on: November 26, 2012

Analytical model of internally coupled ears.

Christine Vossen¹, Jakob Christensen-Dalsgaard, J Leo van Hemmen

¹Physik Department T35, TU München, 85747 Garching bei Munchen, Germany. cvossen@ph.tum.de

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

|August 17, 2010

Summary

Internally coupled ears in lizards and birds enhance directional hearing by creating differences in sound vibration timing and amplitude. This study models this unique auditory system to explain vibration patterns and improve directional sound detection.

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Area of Science:

Bioacoustics
Auditory Neuroscience
Comparative Anatomy

Background:

Many birds and lizards feature internally coupled ears, where the tympanic membranes interact via the mouth cavity.
This interaction enhances auditory directional cues like phase and amplitude differences.

Purpose of the Study:

To derive a 3D analytical model for internally coupled ears.
To analyze the influence of the columella's asymmetrical attachment on membrane vibration modes.
To explain observed vibrational patterns in lizard tympanic membranes.

Main Methods:

Development of a 3D analytical model for internally coupled ears.
Incorporation of the asymmetrically attached columella's effect on vibration modes.
Numerical simulations of eigenfunctions in a reconstructed mouth cavity.

Main Results:

The model accurately predicts asymmetrical spatial patterns of tympanic membrane vibration.
Internally coupled ears significantly increase directional responses through internal amplitude differences (iAD) and internal time differences (iTD).
Complex mouth cavity geometry influences the directional hearing capabilities.

Conclusions:

The analytical model provides a comprehensive understanding of internally coupled ear function.
The model explains how asymmetrical columella attachment activates higher vibration modes, impacting directional hearing.
This research elucidates the biomechanical basis of enhanced directional hearing in these animals.