The transfer function of the cochlea

Abstract

A sinusoidal signal is generally considered the simplest auditory signal. It is, indeed, a simple signal. However, it does not follow that a complex analysing device, like the cochlea, should treat a simple signal in a simple way. Indeed, a simple signal may appear to be complex when viewed from the standpoint of the device considered. Such an observation becomes cogent when one is attempting to discover the analysing capabilities of a device such as the cochlea, which appears designed to handle signals more complex than a sinusoid or multiple sinusoids.