Abstract
The military is interested in ways to increase soldier effectiveness by improving radio communication. Bone conduction (BC) radio communication is attractive because the lightweight, compact design of BC vibrators offers the ability to receive radio communication without compromising situation awareness. Several companies are attempting to accommodate the needs of the military by creating communication devices incorporating BC technologies. However, the effectiveness of these devices differs in many respects. One factor that affects the detectability of signals received via bone conduction is the location of the vibrator on the skull. The intent of this study was to identify optimum locations for the placement of BC vibrators based on hearing threshold levels of various signals. Eleven signals were transmitted via bone conduction to 11 skull locations of 12 volunteers. Results of the study indicate that the condyle might be the most appropriate location because it resulted in the lowest overall threshold level.
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