The upper panel of the figure (“Simulated Stages”) illustrates the “hardware components” of the different stages, and the lower panel (“Model Framework”) presents the corresponding modules along the processing chain in the current model framework. (A) The parameter settings encompass default values for the model, with provisions for user-defined settings. (B) The “Input Signals” stage incorporates functions for generating binaural signals, with or without head-related impulse responses (HRIRs). (C) The “CI Processing” stage comprises a general pre-emphasis high-pass filter, automatic gain controls (AGCs), filter banks, and coding strategies. Note that this block can be bypassed by providing pulse trains directly from the signal generator block. (D) The “Processing Model” includes an electrode-neuron interface (ENI), an auditory nerve (AN) periphery model, and an excitation-inhibition (EI) binaural interaction model. (E) The “Decision Model” maps the spiking rate to psychoacoustic behavioral data. Abbreviations: continuous interleaved sampling (CIS); N-of-M channel selection (NofM); with x-channel fine structure processing (FSx); peak picking (PP).