A MODEL OF THE INTRA-AURAL REFLEX.

The intra-aural reflex is a protective mechanism of the middle ear. It behaves in much the same manner as a feedback control system, and can be measured indirectly by measuring the excursions of one eardrum resulting from high intensity sounds impinging upon only the opposite eardrum. In this study, the response of the intra-aural reflex to audio frequency sounds with defined amplitude envelopes was measured and recorded. Based upon these data, as well as upon a block diagram consideration of the linear and non-linear physiological aspects of the intra aural reflex, an analog computer circuit was developed to model the reflex. The model was subjected to the same stimulus shapes and the response was recorded. Comparison of the response of the reflex and the response of the model revealed a high degree of correlation, and validated the choice of building blocks used for the simulation. Author