Bone conduction headphones are a type of headphones that transmit sound vibrations through the bones of your skull, specifically your cheekbones, directly to the inner ear (cochlea), bypassing the eardrum entirely
. Unlike traditional headphones that deliver sound through air conduction via the ear canal and eardrum, bone conduction headphones rest on the bones near your ears and use vibrations to send audio signals through your skull bones to the inner ear
. This technology allows you to hear audio clearly while keeping your ear canals open, which means you can still be aware of your surroundings, making them popular for outdoor activities like running and cycling
. They are also beneficial for people with certain types of hearing impairments or those who cannot use conventional headphones due to physical reasons
. The concept of bone conduction is not new; it was famously used by Beethoven, who transmitted sound vibrations through a rod held in his teeth to hear music despite his hearing loss
. Bone conduction headphones typically have transducers that convert audio signals into vibrations that travel through the bones of the face to the cochlea, where the brain interprets them as sound
. In summary, bone conduction headphones:
- Sit on your cheekbones, not inside or over your ears
- Transmit sound via vibrations through skull bones directly to the inner ear, bypassing the eardrum
- Allow you to hear audio while remaining aware of ambient sounds
- Are useful for people with hearing difficulties or those needing situational awareness
This technology offers a hygienic, comfortable alternative to traditional headphones without blocking the ear canal
