A Silicon Model of Amplitude Modulation Detection in the Auditory Brainstem

Detection of the periodicity of amplitude modulation is a major step in the determination of the pitch of a Sound. In this article we will present a silicon model that uses synchronicity of spiking neurons to extract the fundamental frequency of a Sound. It is based on the observation that the so called 'Choppers' in the mammalian Cochlear Nucleus synchronize well for certain rates of amplitude modulation, depending on the cell's intrinsic chopping frequency. Our silicon model uses three different circuits, i.e., an artificial cochlea, an Inner Hair Cell circuit, and a spiking neuron circuit.