Modelling the malleus vibration as a rigid body motion with one rotational and one translational degree of freedom

• Published in: Hearing research Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Decraemer, Willem F., Khanna, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1994; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cat; Cats; Cochlea - physiology; Ear and associated structures. Auditory pathways and centers. Hearing. Vocal organ. Phonation. Sound production. Echolocation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Interferometer; Malleus; Malleus - physiology; Manubrium - physiology; Mathematics; Models, Biological; Motion; Rigid body; Rotation; Tympanic Membrane - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vibration; Vibration mode; Vibration mode; Rigid body; Malleus; Interferometer; Cat; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Translation; Vibration; Mechanical properties; Rotation; Organ of hearing; Sound pressure; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Ear ossicles; Models; Middle ear; Interferometry
• ISSN: 0378-5955; 1878-5891
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-5955(94)90199-6

Vibration of a set of points distributed along the manubrium of cat was measured with a heterodyne interferometer in response to sinusoidal acoustic signals. The observed motion did not fit pure rotation of the malleus around a fixed axis coinciding with the anterior mallar and posterior incudal ligament as is classically assumed. As a first approximation a model of motion consisting of a rotational and a translational component was used. At low frequencies the rotation is mostly predominant, but the situation may be entirely reversed at mid and high frequencies. The presence of a translation besides rotation was also found at some frequencies in the motion of the human malleus.