KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Management information system (MIS)

HEARING THROUGH BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Sunim Mainali Ajit Paudel

BBA (hons/emphasis), Section A BBA (hons/emphasis), Section A
157056 157072
Sanjay Pudasaini

Faculty: Managerial information system

KUSOM
Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Introduction

Bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull. We all hear
sounds through both our bones (bone-conducted or bone-transmitted) and our eardrums (air-
conducted or air-transmitted). Most sounds are heard by our eardrums. The eardrum converts the
sound waves to vibrations and transmits them to the cochlea (or inner ear). However in some cases
vibrations are heard directly by the inner ear bypassing your eardrums. In fact, this is one of the ways
you hear your own voice. This is also how whales hear.

How it works

First of all to know how bone conduction works, we must

know how we hear. The sound that we hear travels in waves
through the air. The waves enters the big flappy outer part
of our ear. From there the sound travels to the middle air,
which includes auditory canal and eardrums. The vibration
of eardrums transfer the sound to the cochlea, a fluid filled
structure in the inner ear helps in transmitting the sound
waves to process in brain through the sensory nerves. But
the bone conduction technology cuts out the process into
half as it directly transfers the sound beyond the eardrums
shortening the process and conducting the sound.

Normal headphones contain a thin film that produces sound by creating air vibrations. Bone conduction
earphones, rather, utilize an electro mechanical transducer that assumes a similar part of our eardrum.
It gets the sound signs, it changes it into vibrations reasonable to be spread through the bone and, by
being situated adjoining the center and inward ear, it passes the vibrations on to the bones, and
afterward the sound proceeds with its normal course through the sound-related framework.

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Why the topic is selected

Bone conduction technology is pretty much as insane and futuristic as it sounds: instead of having sound
waves travel through our ear the boring way, bone-conduction headphones send vibrations to the top of
our jaw and then through our inner ear and brain. That means they’ll still sit comfortably on the back of
our head, but there won’t be buds in our ears. This is exactly what we want when we need to be aware
of the outside world while we’re listening to music.

The usefulness of this type of headphones increases exponentially, particularly for blind and visually
impaired users, when they are combined with a Smartphone, giving access to important sources of real-
time information like: navigation services, the status of public transport lines, the weather, news and
music, just to name a few.

In a nutshell, this is one of the best technology to have emerged in the recent time which is known by
very few. So, the main reason for us to select the topic is to make everyone aware about this incredible
technology

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

History and development

The discovery of bone conduction

The “phenomenon” of bone conduction is generally credited as being discovered in the 1500s (though
some say it can be traced back to around 2AD). A physician, mathematician, philosopher and all-around
by the name of Girolamo Cardano noticed that it was possible to hear through a rod or spear when
placed between the teeth. He detailed his findings in his controversial publication De Subtilitate, but the
information hadn’t really been applied to anything, let alone to help the deaf or hearing-impaired, until
later.

The first hearing aids

Fast-forward several hundred years, when Cardano’s controversial findings weren't so controversial,
a number of devices were fashioned throughout Europe that tapped into this bone conduction
phenomenon as a way to improve hearing. It’s been theorized that Beethoven had created his own
version of a rod which, with one end between his teeth and the other against his piano, allowed him to
faintly hear the notes that he composed.

Bone conduction & audiology

When audiology, the study of hearing and balance, became recognized as a science in the 1940s, the
principles of bone conduction were used, and continue to be used today, to help identify or rule out
different hearing disorders.

BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid) hearing aids, or bone anchored hearing aids, were first introduced in
the 1970s. Unlike in-the-ear hearing aids, BAHAs are surgical implants that allow users to hear primarily
through bone conduction.

Bone conduction - not just for hearing impaired

While bone conduction technology is a life-changer for many hearing-impaired and partially deaf
individuals, its applications are limitless. The military has incorporated bone conduction technology in its
missions, and it was featured in Google Glass.

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Business benefits
Bone-conduction innovation is frequently utilized by the military with the goal that officers can get
summons through headsets while as yet having the capacity to hear what's happening around them,
which is clearly of basic significance in battle. That same theory of security is one of the essential
showcasing approaches for shopper situated BC earphones. Bone conduction is basically the inverse of
commotion cancelation. These earphones are intended for individuals who need to have the capacity to
tune in to music while as yet hearing the sounds around them: joggers, bikers, climbers and other
outside aficionados who should know about their environment and to hear autos, sirens, and other
capable of being heard threats.

Since the headphones act as our eardrums themselves, we free up our eardrums to vibrate separately.
That means while you’re listening to (insert latest and coolest track here) you can still hear what’s going
on around you. This comes in great use during certain activities that will be pointed out later.

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Success Stories

1) Sky Deutschland: German media company Sky Deutschland uses bone conduction technology
for the purpose of advertising. They target the train commuters through talking windows. A
transmitter is placed on the window and when the commuters rest their head against the glass,
they hear sounds through bone conduction technology. The transmitter emits high frequencies
that brain processes into words. The company uses the talking windows not just to transmit ads,
but also to transmit music and weather to the travelers.

2) AfterShokz headphones: Aftershokz offer a total scope of earphones giving a definitive open ear
listening background for each circumstance. All Aftershokz earphones have been composed in
view of wellbeing and solace. They give surrounding sound and situational mindfulness with
nothing sitting inside or covering the ears guaranteeing the clients have the most ideal listening
knowledge without influencing security or shutting out the world around.

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Challenges

Throughout the paper we have been showing Bone Conduction Technology in a really good light but like
any other technology, it too isn’t free from constraints, challenges and drawbacks. Mentioned below are
few challenges faced by the realm of Bone Conduction Technology.

1) Audio Quality: The disappointments of unraveling the earphones after they've been in a sack
throughout the day will be a thing of past. The main thing that concerns the bone conduction
headphones is its audio quality which is inferior as compared to the regular headphones. Sound
is transmitted through the skin, bone skull and then conduction takes place through to the ear
bone. The degree of separation and reduction is more than the traditional headphones. As a
result, the audio quality is not so good. The companies willing to adopt this technology in future
must try and exploit this weakness in order to gain a huge market share and popularity.

2) Upfront Costs: While new innovation can bring about reserve funds over the long haul, it now
and then outcomes in a critical upfront cost. In the event that the new buy doesn't expand
creation or lessen costs as time goes on, it could cripplingly affect the long haul reasonability of
the operation. When talking about the bone conduction headphones, it is expensive as
compared to the regular headphones and it does not have a good audio quality as the regular
ones. So people will obviously think twice before investing in the device. Next is the advertising
through bone conduction. It is an expensive way of advertisement. It can amaze the people like
pulling out the rabbit from a hat but it is way more expensive than the traditional mode of
advertisement.

3) Maintaining the enthusiasm: The concept of bone conduction technology is not new. It was used
since the time of Beethoven. But why is it not able to take over the market till now? Most tech
companies have new technologies and initiatives every year, but they lose sight of their existing
goals. When the company has a successful first year, they fail to plan to expand and improve in
year two. This concept of bone conduction has a huge potential to revolutionize the market. The
only factor that is pulling the companies backwards is maintaining consistency and enthusiasm.

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Running head: BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Recommendation and Conclusion

Bone Conduction Technology has many limitations and challenges, but when we come to think of it, it
would be almost impossible to find a technology that is completely free from constraints. The
advantages offered by this technology in the various fields far outweigh the drawbacks. Bone
conduction innovation has truly taken off and enhanced in the course of the last 7-10 years and we
expect that it will keep on doing the same as there is a wide group of onlookers for this kind of
innovation.

Bone conduction innovation has enormously extended in its employments. Presently coming to a long
ways past the listening device showcase it was initially expected for; earphones that assistance
guarantee security, and cushions that play noiseless music to enable the client to nod off. It has
enormously risen above the PDA organization advertise by offering better approaches to add clarity and
efficiency to calls. Bone conduction has even achieved the combat zone, by being executed into military
caps. Warriors would now be able to unmistakably get and comprehend orders from their authority over
the shooting hints of guns, firearms, tanks, or air ships. It has likewise turned out to be extraordinarily
helpful in mystery operations. By having a thin bone conduction piece connected to the arm, operators
can impart noiselessly in the most physically unobvious path: with no headpiece or perceptible sound.
Also, after guard, bone conduction has been fantastic in helping the hard of hearing hear.

In the context of Nepal, the technology can obviously be used. The Bakery Café, located in various cities,
employs employees with hearing disabilities. This is one of the noble deeds that they are doing but this
can further be improved with the use of bone conduction technology. Through the bone conduction, the
employees with hearing disabilities can more or less gain their hearing abilities back. This would help
them to take the orders of the customers in an easy and effective manner.

Seeing the measure of things it can do and achieve, the various developments made, we have trust that
the fate of bone conduction innovation is promising. The potential uses bone conduction innovation has
are limitless, and we accept will be imperative in the advancement of future creations and disclosures.