AfterShokz

We hear primarily through air conduction, but our hearing also uses bone conduction. Have you ever listened to a recording of your voice and wondered why it sounded so different? That’s because we’re used to hearing our own voice through a combination of air and bone conduction. Have you ever covered your ears and hummed, wondering how you can still hear a melody? Yes, that’s bone conduction too. Our bones are another pathway through which sound travels.

When audiology, the study of hearing and balance, became an established science in the 1940s, the principles of bone conduction came into widespread use and continue to be used today to help identify or rule out a variety of hearing disorders.

BAHA 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.

AfterShokz discovered the benefits of bone conduction for the athletic community and brought the technology to the masses. Runners can use these “headphones” to stay aware of their surroundings. Cyclists feel more comfortable and safe on the road. But bone conduction headphones are finding more and more use every day in a variety of fields, from education to law enforcement to manufacturing and construction.