Auditory anatomy and uCT

As a comparison to some of our physiological and behavioral measurements, we are examining auditory anatomy of some select study animals. With Song Zhongchang and James Michaelson, we are leveraging microCT imaging technology to reconstruct the ultrafine hearing structures of snapping shrimp, puffins, black sea bass, and squid. For some of these taxa we leverage Finite Element Modeling methods to make predictions on anatomical function (such as how hearing structures may affect sensitivity). MicroCT imaging provides a billion times higher resolution of traditional CT imaging technologies, which allow us to explore new ways to model animal hearing.