Functionality-Listening

Listening to the human body is complex and one of the most important sensory organs.

“Do not see people separated from things. Not hearing man separated from man. ”

This citation from the philosopher Emmanuel Kant shows us more and more often how true this is. Many people with hearing impairment often withdraw from the society over time. This shouldn’t happen and we’re doing our best to help people with a hearing impairment so as to give them a better quality of life again.

Hearing starts with our outer ear (auricle/pinna). The outer ear acts as a funnel capable of absorbing and concentrating the sound. This makes it easier for us to listen to the direction. The recorded sound waves are directed to the ear canal towards the eardrum. The sound waves vibrates the eardrum. These vibrations are transmitted to our auditory ossicles.

Due to their leverage effect and the transformation from the eardrum and footrest (energy from a larger area to a smaller area), we have a natural sound amplification. This physical reinforcement is very important because the impedance adjustment of air to the liquid must be overcome. Now, the sound reaches fluid-filled system of the inner ear. The inner ear has hair cells that absorb the sound energy and transmit it via electrochemical signals via the auditory nerve to the central nervous system. Our brain sorts, orders, etc., and we hear these signals.