title: Instrumentation for studies of cochlear mechanics: from von Békésy forward.
abstract: Georg von Békésy designed the instruments needed for his research. He also created physical models of the cochlea allowing him to manipulate the parameters (such as volume elasticity) that could be involved in controlling traveling waves. This review is about the specific devices that he used to study the motion of the basilar membrane thus allowing the analysis that lead to his Nobel Prize Award. The review moves forward in time mentioning the subsequent use of von Békésy's methods and later technologies important for motion studies of the organ of Corti. Some of the seminal findings and the controversies of cochlear mechanics are mentioned in relation to the technical developments.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Hearing Research Center, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR, USA. nuttall@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Alfred L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nuttall
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fridberger
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001298:Audiology / Q000266:history / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D001489:Basilar Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003051:Cochlea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D004548:Elasticity; D004867:Equipment Design; D006309:Hearing; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D007834:Lasers; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008954:Models, Biological; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000502:physiology; D049489:Stroboscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D014732:Vibration