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I wear cheap bone conduction headphones constantly. So I think I'm getting a lot of exposure. I think I'm going to find some kind of bandage or tape which doesn

by maxbond 7mo ago

I wear cheap bone conduction headphones constantly. So I think I'm getting a lot of exposure. I think I'm going to find some kind of bandage or tape which doesn't have this problem, and put it on the headphones. And I'll try to wear them less often, and try especially to avoid sweating in them. Does anyone have any other ideas to mitigate exposure?

terribleperson 7mo ago
My immediate idea was to cover contact surfaces. My first thought of what to cover them with was more plastic... I guess the proper thing to do would be to use big over-the-ear headphones and cover the cushions with fabric.
- freehorse 7mo ago
  > My first thought of what to cover them with was more plastic Tinfoil is a good alternative, with the added benefit that it can also protect from other things /s
booleandilemma 7mo ago
Is bone conduction itself safe for long-term usage? I feel like we're taking advantage of a quirk and using the body in a way it's not meant to be used, kind of like smoking or vaping.
- maxbond 7mo ago
  It definitely isn't comparable to smoking or vaping. Those introduces a lot of material to your body that's well established as harmful. To name just a few, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, even radioactive polonium (for tobacco specifically). The problem with smoking isn't that we're misusing our lungs, it's that we're bringing a fairly large amount of toxic material into our bodies. I'm not worried about bone conduction, I feel that open ear is much safer than closed ear because I can eg hear a smoke alarm or hear a housemate fall and cry out for help. If there were evidence it caused brain damage or something then I would stop using them but I don't think there is. I try to regularly turn my volume down below where I can hear it and then turn it one click up to mitigate damage to my hearing. That's definitely a real risk but that's not specific to bone conduction.
- ffsm8 7mo ago
  Huh, why? You're just sending the sound waves through the bone instead of the air into the ear canal It's also not a new technology you know, it has been used for decades in hearing aids

by maxbond 7mo ago

terribleperson 7mo ago

My immediate idea was to cover contact surfaces. My first thought of what to cover them with was more plastic... I guess the proper thing to do would be to use big over-the-ear headphones and cover the cushions with fabric.

freehorse 7mo ago
> My first thought of what to cover them with was more plastic Tinfoil is a good alternative, with the added benefit that it can also protect from other things /s

booleandilemma 7mo ago

Is bone conduction itself safe for long-term usage? I feel like we're taking advantage of a quirk and using the body in a way it's not meant to be used, kind of like smoking or vaping.

maxbond 7mo ago
It definitely isn't comparable to smoking or vaping. Those introduces a lot of material to your body that's well established as harmful. To name just a few, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, even radioactive polonium (for tobacco specifically). The problem with smoking isn't that we're misusing our lungs, it's that we're bringing a fairly large amount of toxic material into our bodies. I'm not worried about bone conduction, I feel that open ear is much safer than closed ear because I can eg hear a smoke alarm or hear a housemate fall and cry out for help. If there were evidence it caused brain damage or something then I would stop using them but I don't think there is. I try to regularly turn my volume down below where I can hear it and then turn it one click up to mitigate damage to my hearing. That's definitely a real risk but that's not specific to bone conduction.
ffsm8 7mo ago
Huh, why? You're just sending the sound waves through the bone instead of the air into the ear canal It's also not a new technology you know, it has been used for decades in hearing aids