Introduction
Welcome to this rudimentary website. The previous website has been removed because it was very out of date. Time constraints mean that this site will be even less elaborate! Apologies.
DSAM departed
A major development is that Dr. Lowel O’Mard, the author of the DSAM auditory modelling software, has moved from Essex to Cambridge University. If you would like to use this software, you should now use the following site.
HEARING RESEARCH LABORATORY
Auditory modelling at Essex University
Figure 1. MAP response to speech input
MATLAB model of the auditory periphery (MAP)
New software for modelling the auditory periphery has been written in MATLAB code. If you are interested in using this software, you should download it and read its associated manual. If you need any help with it, please contact me at rmeddis@essex.ac.uk.
The figure shows an example of the model response to a speech input. It computes the response at a succession of levels of the auditory system; stapes, basilar membrane (DRNL), IHC receptor potential, vesicular release at the synapse and auditory nerve spike activity.
The package features ready-made test programs to show the model in operation. A substantial manual is provided to assist programmers who wish to use the code for their own projects.
The system is modular with separate code for each stage of auditory processing.
‘Hearing Dummy’ project
Our interests at Essex have shifted towards the modelling of hearing impairment in our ‘Hearing Dummy’ project. As part of this project we have developed software (MultiThreshold) for testing our patients. This software allows us to measure a range of thresholds, psychophysical tuning curves and compression functions.
We aim to generate individualised models of impairment for each patient that we study. The models and the patients are tested on the same MultiThreshold software so as to better evaluate the models. For this reason, the assessment software and the modelling software are integrated into the same package. However, the two types of software can be used completely independently.
Figure 2. MultiThreshold psychometric assessment tool A:operator console B: subject response bar.
For publication go to Ray Meddis webpage