2026-09-18T22:20:48Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/331142022-01-13T07:54:29Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
William T. Peake an John J. Rosowski.
Chan, Howard F
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
2006-06-19T17:41:55Z
2006-06-19T17:41:55Z
2005
2005
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33114
62233282
Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2005.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-82).
The sand cat, one species of the cat family, is found only in deserts and has unusually large ear canals and middle-ear air cavities. Recent work has shown that sand cat ears absorb acoustic power at low frequencies (<1 kHz) better than those of domestic cats (Huang et al. 2002). In this thesis, we test this hypothesis by comparing acoustic input- admittance, which determines acoustic power absorption, and thresholds of auditory- brainstem responses. In a zoo, measurements were made in 37 ears of 23 anesthetized specimens, including sand cats and five other felid species. Sand cats have lower mean thresholds at frequencies between 0.25 and 5 kHz by 6-9 dB than other felid species measured. However, the mean power absorption does not differ significantly. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that sand-cat hearing is unusually sensitive, but this specialization is not associated with increased power absorbed at the tympanic membrane.
by Howard F. Chan.
M.Eng.
82 leaves
3531194 bytes
3533557 bytes
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eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Auditory system comparisons between sand cats and other felid species : acoustic input admittance of ears and auditory brainstem responses
Thesis
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Publication
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<Abstract>The sand cat, one species of the cat family, is found only in deserts and has unusually large ear canals and middle-ear air cavities. Recent work has shown that sand cat ears absorb acoustic power at low frequencies (<1 kHz) better than those of domestic cats (Huang et al. 2002). In this thesis, we test this hypothesis by comparing acoustic input- admittance, which determines acoustic power absorption, and thresholds of auditory- brainstem responses. In a zoo, measurements were made in 37 ears of 23 anesthetized specimens, including sand cats and five other felid species. Sand cats have lower mean thresholds at frequencies between 0.25 and 5 kHz by 6-9 dB than other felid species measured. However, the mean power absorption does not differ significantly. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that sand-cat hearing is unusually sensitive, but this specialization is not associated with increased power absorbed at the tympanic membrane.</Abstract>
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