A new approach to the study of impedance characteristics of tympanic membrane.

A new approach to studying the tympanic membrane impedance characteristics, based on the analysis of polyharmonic acoustic signals reflected by the tympanic membrane, is described. For this purpose, the acoustic pressure and the phase difference between the acoustic vibrations in two sections of a waveguide sealingly connecting the external auditory meatus and a generator of polyharmonic audio signals is measured. By processing the results of measurements, the estimates of the frequency-dependent reflection coefficients, absorption coefficients, and components of the acoustic impedance of the tympanic membrane are calculated. The features that principally distinguish the developed approach from other approaches are the absence of the necessity to create a positive pressure in the external auditory meatus, the absence of ultrasonic radiation into the external auditory meatus and a high-intensity sound, and the possibility of direct measurement of the tympanic membrane impedance in the audio frequency range with any step.