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A new window on sound

Auditory filters must trade off frequency tuning against temporal precision. The compromise achieved by the mammalian cochlea seems well matched to the sounds of the natural environment.

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Figure 1: The time–frequency plane can be tiled in multiple ways, any of which provides a complete representation of a signal.

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Olshausen, B., O'Connor, K. A new window on sound. Nat Neurosci 5, 292–294 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0402-292

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