Decoding the Extreme Physics of Ultrasound Generation in the Bat Larynx

解码蝙蝠喉中产生超声波的极端物理原理

• 批准号: 1806689
• 负责人: Rajat Mittal
• 金额: $ 61.53万
• 依托单位: Johns Hopkins University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1806689&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Decoding; Extreme; Physics; Ultrasound; Generation; Decoding; Extreme; Physics; Ultrasound; Generation

Ultrasonic call emissions with frequencies ranging up to 40-times those produced by human vocal cords; sound intensities that exceed that of a jet engine; subglottic pressures that would shred the human larynx to pieces; the highest tissue velocities found anywhere in nature; exquisite control of intensity and tone that would be the envy of any soprano; and call rates that are double that of the fastest machine gun. These are the capabilities that make the larynx of an echolocating bat one of the most extreme acoustic "instruments" in nature. This project will develop and employ a suite of scientific tools to gain a comprehensive understanding of the extreme physics that underlies the generation of ultrasound in the bat larynx. In addition to extending our understanding of a mammal that perceives the world in a way that is fundamentally distinct from most other mammals, particularly humans, the current research will explore a rich, coupled multiphysics problem that lies at the very edge of current scientific capabilities. Beyond the scientific advancement of elucidating the physics of ultrasound generation in bats, the broader impacts of the project span the fields of computational physics, bioinspired ultrasonic technologies, assistive technologies, vocal dysfunction, animal behavior and cyber-enabled science. The coupled aerodynamics, tissue mechanics and bioacoustics computational models developed here have a wide variety of applications in biophysics and engineering. The undergraduate and graduate trainees working on this project will become part of a new generation of scientists and engineers who can apply computation, experimental methods, and data-enabled science across disciplines to solve the most complex problems.The intellectual merits of the research span the areas of acoustics, biomechanics, aerodynamics, computational physics, nonlinear dynamics, data-enabled science and organismal biology. The science in this project is driven primarily by a first-of-its-kind, image-based, coupled aero-tissue-acoustic computational model of bat laryngeal function. In addition, sophisticated experimental tools, such as nano-indentation, micro-Computed Tomography and scanning electron microscopy for model parameterization, will be employed. Novel ex-vivo experiments to support the development and testing of these models will also be conducted. The specific objectives of the projects are (1) conduct ex-vivo analysis of vocal fold dynamics and acoustics in a vocalizing excised bat larynx; (2) conduct 3D imaging and biomechanical testing of a bat larynx for model development; (3) develop and validate a coupled aero-tissue-acoustics computational model for simulation and analysis of ultrasonic vocalization in the bat larynx; and finally (4) decode the physics of ultrasound generation using the validated aero-tissue-acoustic model. The topic of the current project has inherent appeal to high-school and university students, and the group will leverage this for a broad outreach to the wider community. This project is jointly funded by the Physics of Living Systems Program in the Division of Physics and the Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program of the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

超声波呼叫排放量的频率多达40倍，而人声绳子产生的频率不等；超过喷气发动机的声音强度；将人喉将碎片切碎的压力压力；自然界中任何地方发现的最高组织速度。精美的强度和语气控制，这将是任何女高音的嫉妒；呼叫率是最快的机枪的两倍。这些是使蝙蝠的喉头成为自然界中最极端的声学“仪器”之一。该项目将开发并采用一套科学工具来获得对蝙蝠喉超声产生的极端物理学的全面理解。除了扩展我们对以与大多数其他哺乳动物（尤其是人类）不同的方式感知世界的哺乳动物的理解外，当前的研究还将探索一个富裕，耦合的多物理问题，该问题位于当前科学能力的边缘。除了阐明蝙蝠中超声产生物理学的科学进步外，项目的更广泛影响涵盖了计算物理学，生物启发的超声技术，辅助技术，人声功能障碍，动物行为和网络支持科学的领域。这里开发的耦合空气动力学，组织力学和生物声学模型在生物物理学和工程中都有多种应用。从事该项目的本科生和研究生学员将成为新一代科学家和工程师的一部分，他们可以跨学科应用计算，实验方法和基于数据的科学来解决最复杂的问题。研究的知识优点涵盖了声学，生物力学，充气动力学，非线性动力学，具有数据型动力学，生物学动力学，生物学动力学，生物学能力和机构科学和机构科学和机器人的研究领域。该项目中的科学主要由蝙蝠喉功能的首个，基于图像的，基于图像的，基于图像的耦合空气 - 气门声学计算模型。此外，将采用复杂的实验工具，例如纳米注册，微型层析成像和用于模型参数化的扫描电子显微镜。 还将进行支持这些模型开发和测试的新型前实验。项目的具体目标是（1）在发声的蝙蝠母乳中对声带动力学和声学的实行分析； （2）进行模型开发的蝙蝠喉进行3D成像和生物力学测试； （3）开发和验证一个耦合的空气组织听觉计算模型，以模拟和分析蝙蝠喉的超声声音；最后（4）使用经过验证的空气组织声学模型来解码超声生成的物理。当前项目的主题对高中生和大学生具有固有的吸引力，该小组将利用这一点向更广泛的社区进行广泛的宣传。 该项目由综合有机系统部的物理学和生理机制和生物力学计划中的生命系统计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来支持的。