Power Efficiency of Outer Hair Cell Somatic Electromotility
Figure 6
Normalized force, power, and efficiency vs. velocity.
Maximum force is predicted to occur under isometric conditions (zero velocity), and maximum velocity is predicted to occur under zero load – both extremes require MET electrical power input but result in zero mechanical power output. The mechanical power output is shown as a function of velocity (solid parabolic curve) along with the electrical power input via the MET (solid red line). Efficiency is the ratio of the two curves (dotted curve) and peaks (*) at a force slightly lower that half of the isometric force and at the impedance-matched load corresponding to a velocity slightly higher than half of the zero-load velocity. This peak occurs at the “impedance matched” load.