About Bone Conduction Headphones

We all might have glanced through articles in the newspapers regarding accidents caused due to the victim not being able to hear the warning call of a speeding vehicle and being too careless (happens a lot in India). Well, there must be some way that a person can enjoy the sound of a blaring drum, a blazing guitar solo, or the simple sounds of a sitar or table, without being completely oblivious of the surroundings. Worry not, the bone conduction headphones are hear (see what I did there!!), although they are still a work in progress. There have been a few companies that have brought out headphones using this technology, including Bose and Aftershokz, which was an early starter. However, this technology is still finding its way through the masses, and hence a little knowledge is necessary as to how exactly these things work.

So how exactly does this futuristic technology work? Bear with me, while I go into deep science and human anatomy to explain this. We know that sound travels in the form of waves when there is a disturbance in the physical world. These waves reach our ears, and are converted into electric impulses, which are then sent to our brain, and congrats, you heard something! Well, this may have been deemed too mainstream by the makers of bone conduction headphones. Instead, how about if the sound goes directly through your jawbones, into your ears and then finally the brain? This is how the technology has been brought about. The earliest adapter was a Chinese company Aftershokz, which had started to make these headphones for military purposes, but then branched out to mainstream sales.

Of course, these headphones are not designed to provide the best music experience possible, which is the reason why people might not go for it. However, this can be a good little gadget for joggers and morning walkers, people who love listening to music, while at the same time they will be able to hear the sweet sounds of birds chirping, and generally any sound in a normal way. The obvious downsides are weak bass and generally low volume, and you would have to turn it up fully to have a decent listening experience. Aftershokz is marketing these headphones under sports products, which is a great idea, with the headphones also being flexible, sweat resistant, and people who love cycling or trekking can greatly enjoy both inside and outside sounds. An issue with these headphones is that of ‘sound leakage’, which means that other people will be able to hear what you listen to in a closed or crowded environment, which makes it inferior to normal headphones. However, this is a technology that still provides a unique experience, while also keeping people out of harm’s way.

P.S: A PATENT FOR BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE WAS FIRST REGISTERED IN 1924 BY HUGO GERNSBACK, A SCIENCE FICTION AUTHOR.