Using your ear to control devices

“I found that a small, middle-ear muscle called the tensor tympani can be tensed voluntarily, otherwise known as “ear rumbling.” In studies funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), we found that about 55% of people could tense the muscle in isolation, and about 80% could do so when yawning. We believe that some people with neurological disabilities retain control over the tensor tympani, even when they’ve lost almost all other functionality. The muscle also moves physiologically as the eyes move, a fact that presents a further opportunity to track people’s intent or augment how we communicate non-verbally. The ear isn’t just an auditory input device; it also has the potential to be a complex input and output tool.”

— Nick Gompertz · Meet the Ear Muscle That Could Hold a Key to Assistive Tech (EETimes)