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Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters
Published on: February 4, 2018
Tuning of human modulation filters is carrier-frequency dependent
Andrew J R Simpson1, Joshua D Reiss, David McAlpine
1Centre for Digital Music, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom. andy.simpson@eecs.qmul.ac.uk
Plos One
|September 7, 2013
Summary
Human auditory system filters speech modulations based on sound frequency. Rapid phonemic modulations are tracked at high frequencies, while slower syllabic modulations are processed at low frequencies.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Psychoacoustics
Background:
- Cortical activity tracks speech modulations at syllabic (5 Hz) and phonemic (20 Hz) rates.
- Cortical modulation filters (CMFs) may separate speech from noise based on frequency channels.
Purpose of the Study:
- Characterize human auditory modulation filters behaviorally.
- Investigate the tonotopic organization of modulation filters.
Main Methods:
- Used an 'inverted' adaptive forced-choice increment detection task.
- Varied listening level while keeping contrast constant for ramped increments.
- Tested modulation rates from 0.5 to 33 Hz.
Main Results:
- Modulation filters are tonotopically organized, varying with sound frequency.
- Human auditory system shows frequency-dependent tracking of speech modulations.
Conclusions:
- The auditory system optimizes rapid phonemic tracking at high frequencies.
- Slow prosodic/syllabic tracking is optimized at low frequencies.
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