Cartilage conduction efficiently generates airborne sound in the ear canal. Issue 1 (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nishimura, Tadashi; Hosoi, Hiroshi; Saito, Osamu; Miyamae, Ryosuke; Shimokura, Ryota; Matsui, Toshie; Yamanaka, Toshiaki; Kitahara, Tadashi; Levitt, Harry
• Is Part Of: Auris nasus larynx. Volume 42:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 15
• Page End: 19
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2014.08.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0385-8146

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objective</title> <p id="spar0005">By attaching a transducer to the aural cartilage, a relatively loud sound is audible even with a negligibly small fixation force. Previous study has identified several pathways for sound transmission by means of cartilage conduction. This investigation focused on the relative contribution of direct vibration of the aural cartilage to sound transmission in an open and in an occluded ear.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Methods</title> <p id="spar0010">Thresholds with and without an earplug were compared for three experimental conditions: the transducer being placed on the tragus, pretragus, and mastoid. Eight volunteers with normal hearing participated.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Results</title> <p id="spar0015">The thresholds increased with distance of the transducer from the ear canal (tragus, pretragus, mastoid, in that order). The differences were statistically significant for all conditions except for the occluded ear at 4 kHz. With the earplug inserted, the thresholds for the tragus condition were most sensitive below 2 kHz, indicating a significant contribution of direct vibration of the aural cartilage.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Conclusion</title> <p id="spar0020">Direct vibration of the aural cartilage can enhance sound transmission. At low frequencies, cartilage conduction can deliver sound efficiently across a blockage in the ear canal. Stray airborne sound radiating from the transducer dominates cartilage conduction in the open ear at high frequencies.</p> </sec> </abstract>