Bone conduction has rapidly become a critical asset for treatment of hearing loss.
This process extends the miracle of restored hearing to victims of such conditions as microtia or atresia, where the ear or canal is closed or deformed.
"It's the natural spectrum of sound compared with traditional hearing", says Brian Walshe, spokesperson of hearing treatment company Cochlear.
The company recently launched a wireless Baha set, an indication of the technology's progress and growing popularity.
Implants have become smaller and less invasive, while cosmetics have improved so that the system can be worn without advertising it.
Ludwig Van Beethoven overcame deafness by biting a metal rod attached to his piano to hear his work.
Google Glass are using bone conduction rather than ear buds for their speaker system, although there have been teething problems. »