Finite Element Dynamics of Human Ear System Comprising Middle Ear and Cochlea in Inner Ear

Abstract

A human middle ear consists of an eardrum and three ossicles which are linked by each other, and connect with the eardrum and an inner ear. The inner ear consists of a cochlea and a vestibular system. An abnormality of the human middle ear such as ossicular dislocation may cause conductive hearing loss. The conductive hearing loss is generally treated by surgery using artificial ossicles. The treatments of conductive hearing loss require a better understanding of characteristics and dynamic behaviors of the human middle ear when the sounds transmit from outer inner to inner ear. The purpose of this research is to simulate the dynamic behaviors of a human ear system comprising the middle ear and the cochlea in the inner ear using the finite element method (FEM). Firstly, the eigen-value analysis was performed to obtain the natural frequencies and vibration modes of the total ear system. Secondly, the frequency response analysis was carried out. Thirdly, the time history response analyses were performed using human voices as the external forces. In the time history response analyses, the sounds created as input sound pressures were used. Human voices, for example vowels “ I ”, “ u ” and “ e ” as input sound pressures were created by using the sound pressures downloaded from the opening samples of human voices as wav files in a website. Then it was clarified that the high frequency components of sounds are reduced by the middle ear system.