Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Throughout these pages, we have analyzed birdsong in this light. Neural
instructions drive a highly nonlinear physical system, the syrinx, capable of
generating sounds ranging from simple tones to very complex sounds. Inter-
estingly enough, the complex sounds could be the result of simple instruc-
tions, owing to the richness of responses that a nonlinear system can display
under forcing. We have described some of the neural processes involved in
the song motor pathway. This is a field which is growing rapidly. However,
much work needs to be done. Some of the muscle instructions in charge of
controlling the vocal organ also emerge from a complex interaction between
the body and the neural circuits. Birdsong is becoming a beautiful field for
exploring some of these problems, providing biology, physics and dynamics
with exciting challenges.
