Auditory evoked potentials in cetaceans

Due to the increasing demand of information on cetacean auditory sensitivity and the absolute necessity to perform a proper auditory screening of stranded and/or rehabilitated animals, the LAB, MAREXI and SARTI (Centro de Desarrollo Tecnológico de Sistemas de Adquisición Remota y Tratamiento de la Información, UPC) have developed and are improving an auditory screening system adapted to cetaceans. Inspired from the ultimate advances in human auditory screening methods, it can be used for humans as well.

Amongst its most innovative characteristics stand:

• Rapid measurement: based on multi-tone stimuli, it permits a diagnosis of various frequencies from the same stimulus.
• Portability. Light and designed to work outdoors with an autonomy of several hours.
• Wideband. Acoustic waves of 10 Hz to 200 kHz can be generated, which include the human auditory band and the ultrasonic band of small cetaceans, by one decade greater than that of humans.