A cochlea that sorts pitch.

How does one membrane separate a chord?

Setting up the mechanism…

Strongest place from base: 17% of cochlear length

Relative hair-cell signal: 0.00

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

How does one membrane separate a chord?

A wave travels through the cochlea. Its strongest motion moves toward the base as pitch rises, while sensory bundles convert local motion into a nerve signal.

place = log₂(8000 / frequency) / 6

What this model simplifies

Six-octave logarithmic place map, 125–8000 Hz, with a Gaussian vibration envelope. Not audiometry or a damage model.

Read the source · nidcd.nih.gov ↗

Put it to work.

Make a low tone peak in the apical third of the cochlea.

Make it work.

Find how pitch changes the strongest cochlear vibration.

Run

Fine adjustments 2

Tone frequencyHz

Relative sound amplitude

A cochlea that sorts pitch.

How does one membrane separate a chord?

Loading the experiment…

Figuvo

Understand by doing.

Understanding is something you do.

Figuvo is a place to look inside everyday things, build a connection, and discover the idea behind them.

177 interactive experiments. Each has a working model and a challenge to test what you found.

The original inspiration

Levers & fulcrums The surprising gyroscope The field cannon Inside the human body

Original demonstrations by The Bugged Dev. The teaching models and interactions here are new implementations.

Community builds

New teaching models inspired by public builds shared around Anatomy.

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Sound and musical instruments

A cochlea that sorts pitch.

How does one membrane separate a chord?

Setting up the mechanism…

Strongest place from base: 17% of cochlear length

Relative hair-cell signal: 0.00

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

How does one membrane separate a chord?

A wave travels through the cochlea. Its strongest motion moves toward the base as pitch rises, while sensory bundles convert local motion into a nerve signal.

place = log₂(8000 / frequency) / 6

What this model simplifies

Six-octave logarithmic place map, 125–8000 Hz, with a Gaussian vibration envelope. Not audiometry or a damage model.

Read the source · nidcd.nih.gov ↗

Put it to work.

Make a low tone peak in the apical third of the cochlea.

Make it work.

Find how pitch changes the strongest cochlear vibration.

Run

Fine adjustments 2

Tone frequencyHz

Relative sound amplitude