Bone conduction -- can the sound be heard in the inner ear?

  • #1
Sibilo
53
2
good morning gentlemen, while wandering around the internet I came across bone conduction. most devices use a piezoelectric near the ear. Long story short, is it possible to place the piezo on your shoulder or hand instead to hear the sound? the distance is better, can the sound be heard in the inner ear?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #2
Sibilo said:
good morning gentlemen
and Ladies... :wink:

Sibilo said:
while wandering around the internet I came across bone conduction. most devices use a piezoelectric near the ear. Long story short, is it possible to place the piezo on your shoulder or hand instead to hear the sound? the distance is better, can the sound be heard in the inner ear?
Could you give some links to sources of information on this, to save us searching and trying to figure out what test you are referring to? Thanks.
 
  • Like
Likes Vanadium 50 and Sibilo
  • #3
berkeman said:
and Ladies... :wink:Could you give some links to sources of information on this, to save us searching and trying to figure out what test you are referring to? Thanks.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_conduction
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoundBite_Hearing_System
the usual bone conduction systems use a piezoelectric near the ear or even a bracelet to put on the wrist and then always bring it close to the ear with a finger. But I want to know if it was possible to attach a piezoelectric device to the hand or shoulder and feel the sound via bone conduction
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F1T3GDY/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
  • #4
I once was tasked with developing a device to "listen" for and locate turbulent flow from occluded cardiac arteries using the transverse acoustic waves ("jello waves"generated). It was interesting but not successful.
Sound does not transmit that well through the body because it is made of many distinct structures with boundaries. Bones, by their nature and function, are good conductors of sound and usually solidly connected to each other and hence to the cochlea which does the detection and and spectral analysis of the sound
The purpose of the outer and middle (tympanic membrane- malleus- incus- stapes) ear is to amplify and provide a "sound impedance" match into the cochlear fluid. That is what the bone conduction device replaces.
 
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #5
hutchphd said:
I once was tasked with developing a device to "listen" for and locate turbulent flow from occluded cardiac arteries using the transverse acoustic waves ("jello waves"generated). It was interesting but not successful.
Sound does not transmit that well through the body because it is made of many distinct structures with boundaries. Bones, by their nature and function, are good conductors of sound and usually solidly connected to each other and hence to the cochlea which does the detection and and spectral analysis of the sound
The purpose of the outer and middle (tympanic membrane- malleus- incus- stapes) ear is to amplify and provide a "sound impedance" match into the cochlear fluid. That is what the bone conduction device replaces.
yes, in fact, I chose the hand and shoulder precisely because they have more bony protuberances so I would place my piezoelectric speaker there. so even using a 10W piezoelectric I wouldn't be able to hear anything?
 
  • #6
I think this would be easy to test. With enough power you should be able to hear something. Whether the signal would be recognizeable is another question.
 
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #7
hutchphd said:
I think this would be easy to test. With enough power you should be able to hear something. Whether the signal would be recognizeable is another question.
to be able to transmit the sound in the body starting from the shoulder up to the cochlea I have to use a lot of bass, and therefore I don't think the sentences are understandable, but it's enough for me to hear some noises/knocks
 
  • #8
Remember that the thorax/lungs are a resonant chamber. Why not attach the piezo to the usual mastoid bone? Cosmetic reasons? What is your purpose here?
 
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #9
hutchphd said:
Remember that the thorax/lungs are a resonant chamber. Why not attach the piezo to the usual mastoid bone? Cosmetic reasons? What is your purpose here?
simple curiosity, I had seen some bone conduction bracelets but then you had to put your finger close to your ear, so I thought if putting the piezo on your shoulder could make you feel something
 
  • #10
Sibilo said:
so even using a 10W piezoelectric I wouldn't be able to hear anything?
... Well, I'm pretty sure you would hear many interesting things (for example, it's easy to learn about opinions of others and new colorful words this way o0) ) with a 10W speaker sitting on your wrist, but the very point of bone conduction is that it can bypass outer ear without excess sound volume.

Sure, some (not much!) sound may travel through the bones, but how can you tell it apart?
 
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #11
Rive said:
... Well, I'm pretty sure you would hear many interesting things (for example, it's easy to learn about opinions of others and new colorful words this way o0) ) with a 10W speaker sitting on your wrist, but the very point of bone conduction is that it can bypass outer ear without excess sound volume.

Sure, some (not much!) sound may travel through the bones, but how can you tell it apart?
no but I have already said that even monotonous sounds such as bangs or beats are fine with me, also because the frequency is very low and there will be dampening in the body due to the different composition of the tissues. so are you sure that with a 10W piezo placed on my wrist I can feel something? I can also place it on my shoulder
 
  • #12
Sibilo said:
are you sure that with a 10W piezo placed on my wrist I can feel something?
You would feel your wrist shaking, and that's the best.
Worst case, we are talking about various tissue and (blood) circulation damages (10W is lot!).

As sound (though bones), within bearable and safe boundaries - nothing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #13
Rive said:
You would feel your wrist shaking, and that's the best.
Worst case, we are talking about various tissue and (blood) circulation damages (10W is lot!).

As sound (though bones), within bearable and safe boundaries - nothing.
earlier you said that by placing the piezo on your wrist you could hear something in the cochlea, I'm confused, for me it's enough that you hear bangs or beats and not complex sounds. on the shoulder?
 
  • #14
Sibilo said:
earlier you said that by placing the piezo on your wrist you could hear something in the cochlea,
I said some (not much!) may travel through.
Since the body parts are connected, it's unavoidable.
I also hinted that you won't be able to tell apart what's coming through your body and through your ear.
 
  • Like
Likes Sibilo
  • #15
Rive said:
I said some (not much!) may travel through.
Since the body parts are connected, it's unavoidable.
I also hinted that you won't be able to tell apart what's coming through your body and through your ear.
ah ok ok I misunderstood the translation. yes, in fact, many frequencies will be suppressed, especially the highest ones, and in fact this is why I want to place it on the shoulder. I saw a video on YouTube where a 15W speaker could make a 5-story building vibrate so they are very powerful. the important thing is also to create an effective sounding board to better convey and multiply the waves.
 

1. What is bone conduction?

Bone conduction is a way of hearing sound through the vibration of bones in the skull. These vibrations are transmitted directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. This method allows individuals with certain types of hearing loss to still perceive sound.

2. How does bone conduction allow sound to be heard in the inner ear?

In bone conduction, sound waves are converted into vibrations by a device that is typically positioned on the skull near the ear. These vibrations pass through the bones of the skull to the cochlea in the inner ear, which then processes these vibrations as sound. This is different from traditional hearing where air-conducted sound waves travel through the ear canal to the eardrum.

3. Can anyone use bone conduction devices?

While bone conduction devices can be used by most people, they are especially beneficial for those who have conductive hearing loss, where the outer or middle ear is blocked or damaged. These devices are also useful for individuals who want to remain aware of their surroundings, as they do not obstruct the ear canal.

4. Are there any limitations to hearing via bone conduction?

While bone conduction is effective, it may not provide as rich a sound quality as traditional air conduction methods, particularly in the lower frequencies. Some users might experience discomfort with the vibration on their head, especially at higher volumes. Additionally, bone conduction devices might be less effective for those with severe inner ear damage.

5. Is bone conduction technology used in everyday products?

Yes, bone conduction technology has been implemented in various consumer products, including headphones and hearing aids. These products are particularly popular among athletes who wish to listen to music without blocking out environmental sounds, and among individuals who require hearing assistance but cannot use traditional hearing aids due to ear canal issues.

Similar threads

  • General Engineering
Replies
12
Views
3K
Replies
10
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
677
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Art, Music, History, and Linguistics
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Mechanics
Replies
5
Views
21K
Back
Top