Nonlinear bone conducted hearing

Air conduction (AC) is the typical mode of hearing used by humans. AC process follows a defined path starting at the ear canal, middle ear to the cochlea, and finally to the sensory organs of hearing. The highest frequency we can hear using AC is approximately 20 kHz. Bone conduction (BC) may offer a high-bandwidth alternative to AC, where the highest frequency is 100 KHz. BC utilizes direct stimulation of the skull, which will then vibrate the cochlea and its structures. In this presentation, nonlinear mechanisms in bone-conducted hearing is examined. Nonlinear conduction that may be used to demodulate an ultrasonic signal to yield an audible signal supplying the cochlea is of particular interest.