Page 72 - 2018Fall

Book Reviews
order to solve the complex biosonar problem. Dynamic and sophisticated signal processing is required along with fine neural control of simultaneous fine flight dynamics and the biosonar function. Most of the insect eating bats use some type of frequency modulated pulses and the bat’s receiving system including its auditory cortex has a fine tonal topic mapping for multi-frequency processing. However, some species of bat emit long duration tonal-like signals. There is even a section on olfaction which has little or nothing to do with acoustics but may involve fruit eating bats. It is suf- ficient to state that the acoustic system of bats is extremely complex and any book that seeks to cover the topic in depth will also be complex. Some relatively new topics discussed in the book are the molecular basis of hearing from a candidate gene approach and a genomic approach.
Researchers have taken good advantage of the technological revolution in electronics and microelectronics and micro- controllers. Faster and smaller computers with high speed multichannel simultaneous digital acquisition instruments allowing for the use of up to 16 or more microphones to re- cord the biosonar signals as the bats homed in on dangling or flying prey have been used in bat flight rooms. These systems also include the acquisition of simultaneous video images. The results of recording inflight dynamics of the biosonar process have expanded the understanding of the “auditory scene” in the bat’s world. A chapter is devoted to this topic. Another chapter reviewed how the continual development of miniaturizing electronic circuitry has allowed for devel- oping electronic packages that can be attached to the head of flying bats as they forage for prey. The book also consid- ers topics as diverse as acoustic communications in different species, the role of temporal resolution in echolocation and the corresponding neural coding associated with temporal and spectral resolution. Neural adaption for processing of specialized signals used by many bats is also discussed.
In closing, it is my opinion that this book is a “must have” for anyone interested in learning and understanding the process involved with the biology of bats and their sensory system.
Review by:
WHITLOW W. L. AU, PhD
Emeritus Research Professor
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
University of Hawaii
PO Box 1346, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
USA
[Published online July 11, 2017, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 142 (116)]
Finite Element and Boundary Methods in Structural Acoustics and Vibration
70 | Acoustics Today | Fall 2017
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plied to vibroacoustics problems. Both authors have had a long research history in the fields of propagation in complex environments and fluid-structure interaction. The book is divided into eight chapters.
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Authors: Noureddine Atalla
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The book closes with a chapter titled “Perspective and Chal- lenges for Future Research in Bat Hearing.” Here, we have three proven, world class, long time bat researchers sharing their thoughts on future directions in research. This is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that any bat researcher would be glad to have. Some may not agree with the three authors of this chapter, Lutz Wiegrebe, Alan Grinnel, and Brook Fenton, but the material in this chapter gives much food for thought. Nine specific areas are mentioned with fruitful discussion on some of the major issues and ques- tions that need to be addressed in future work.
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and Franck Sgard
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Publisher: CRC Press, Tay-
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2015, 470 pp.
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Price: $169.95 (hardcover)
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ISBN: 978-1-4665-9287-2
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This book concisely de-
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Chapter 1, Introduction, describes the fluid-structure prob- lem in the context of scattering theory and its classification into interior, exterior and interior/exterior problems, ac- companied by examples.
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