If you’ve never tried bone-conduction headphones, you’re in for a unique experience. They silently vibrate your skull without you even realizing it. How can one hear anything if sound waves are unable to penetrate the skull? Bone-conduction headphones have rapidly gained in popularity during the last several years. Bone conduction headphones are superior to traditional headphones because they transmit sound waves directly to your skull through the bones.
In this post, we’ll take a close look at bone-conduction headphones, answering some of the most common questions about them and coming to some final conclusions on their usefulness and efficiency. bone conduction headphones: a technical overview – by directing the vibrations of sound waves along your cheekbones rather than into the air, Keep reading to find out
The operation of a pair of bone conduction headphones.
The skull bones in bone conduction headphones serve as a conduit for the vibrations of the sound source to reach the inner ear. The cochlea is the organ of hearing, and it is responsible for converting these vibrations into sound. This technique may assist people with some forms of hearing loss continue to enjoy listening to music and other sounds by bypassing the outer and middle ear entirely.
You may do this using bone conduction headphones by inserting small transducers on your cheekbones or temples, which then sends the sound waves straight into your skull. These transducers vibrate when an electrical signal is applied, creating the sound waves that are picked up by the cochlea in your ear. The outcome is a one-of-a-kind listening experience in which you can fully immerse yourself in the music while also observing your immediate surroundings.
All Noise Is Just Vibrations
Let’s take a look at the physics of hearing as a foundation for our investigation of bone conduction. In the same way that light travels in waves across space, so does sound. Sound, however, can travel across spaces that light cannot. This explains why we usually refer to the sounds we experience as “pressure waves.” The vibrations they cause in immaterial objects may be sensed.
There are several sensitive hair cells in each ear canal. To put it another way, they make great vibrations. The small flap of skin in your eardrum, which vibrates like the diaphragm of a microphone or the head of a drum, is the actual show stopper. The tiny ear bones and other auditory organs are stimulated into vibration. (In a similar vein, looking up pictures of the eardrum on Google is probably not the best idea. (This is quite disappointing.)
When an earthquake occurs, your cochlea automatically scans the surrounding area and makes a mental note of what’s going on. A signal is then transmitted to the brain, which processes it as the sounds you hear.
The process of hearing seems to be a simple one. Besides, what do you know? Bone conduction is no different in its basic nature.
Your Eardrums Are Ignored By Bone Conduction.
Hence, the function of the eardrum in healthy hearing is to cause vibrations in the complex network of small bones and organs located deep inside the ear. Although though it’s possible to hear without an eardrum, the bones and organs of the inner ear wouldn’t function properly if they weren’t there.
Are you able to foresee the result? Without the eardrum in the way, sound waves may go straight to the inner ear thanks to bone conduction. The movement of the many small bones and organs in your inner ear is what alerts your cochlea to the difference. Sounds such as music, podcasts, or those irritating autoplay videos on news websites are received by the ear and sent to the brain through vibrations.
Although this may be true, it certainly doesn’t mean that the sound coming from bone-conduction headphones is completely inaudible. Even though they are designed to transmit sound waves through your skull rather than into your ear canal, they are nevertheless audible (albeit substantially quieter than earbuds).
What are the benefits of using bone-conduction headphones?
As bone conduction headphones circumvent the eardrum and don’t leak much sound, they may be used for a variety of purposes. Wearing them may help you concentrate on your workout, your conversation, or even your drive without being distracted by outside sounds. Use these to protect your hearing when the volume on your headphones is too high. They contradict noise-canceling headphones in many ways.
Those who suffer from conductive hearing loss, like me, may find bone-conduction headphones to be a promising solution. Because of how well it works, some hearing aids use bone conduction technology. Beethoven, who was severely deaf, is said to have written music by inserting a rod between his teeth and the piano and playing by feeling alone.
Bypassing the middle ear, which is often afflicted by conductive hearing loss, bone-conduction headphones send vibrations straight to the inner ear. Naturally, the degree of your hearing loss will determine how well bone-conduction headphones work for you. Those who suffer from inner ear issues may not get the best results from using bone-conduction headphones (such as those involving the nerves or the cochlea).
Are My Bones Capable of Transmitting Sound?
While on the market for a new pair of bone-conduction headphones, it’s important to first consider how you want to put them to use. Whether you have problems hearing or if you want to be aware of your surroundings at all times, bone-conduction headphones are the way to go. (We’re not joking around; many brands of bone-conduction headphones are awful. Spend your money on a good pair, otherwise, you could be disappointed.
If the only thing that matters to you is the highest quality, then you should stick with what you know. Even the best bone-conduction headphones can’t compare to the “sound” of a good pair of headphones. Bone conduction has a variety of benefits, however, the sound quality is compromised.
Conclusion
Bone conduction headphones are safe and multifunctional. They are ideal for outdoor activities, hearing problems, and circumstances where standard headphones are impractical. These may not be ideal for audiophiles or loud locations, but they are worth considering if you need new headphones.
Bone conduction headphones transmit music via your cheekbones instead of the air. Bone-conduction headphones let you enjoy outdoor activities without affecting your hearing. Since sound waves go through the bone instead of the eardrums, conduction phones may benefit hearing-impaired patients. Before headphones, hearing aids employed the approach. Enjoy music and fresh air.