Abstract: Provided is a portable telephone or an earphone or an electromagnetic-type vibration unit that comprises an electromagnetic-type vibrator including two mutually relatively moving portions supported via an elastic body, and that is configured to produce vibrations from at least one of the two portions for cartilage conduction. The elastic body provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage. The elastic body is disposed on or in the vicinity of an upper corner portion of a housing. One of the two portions is supported on a housing structure with the elastic body supported by the housing structure, and the other of the two portions is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one with a greater weight is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one or a portion connected thereto provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage, with the elastic body disposed between the two portions.

Abstract: This hearing device, for example, includes a vibrator for transmitting vibration corresponding to a voice signal to the nasal bone of a user to let the user hear sound. The hearing device may further preferably include an eyeglass-type housing for carrying the vibrator in a position at which a nose pad is provided. The hearing device may also preferably incorporate a voice signal reception unit for receiving, wirelessly or by wire, a voice signal generated by an external sound source, or an internal sound source for self-generating a voice signal. When implementation as a hearing aid or a sound collector is contemplated, the external sound source or the internal sound source may preferably be a microphone for collecting ambient sound.

Abstract: This hearing device, for example, includes a vibrator for transmitting vibration corresponding to a voice signal to the nasal bone of a user to let the user hear sound. The hearing device may further preferably include an eyeglass-type housing for carrying the vibrator in a position at which a nose pad is provided. The hearing device may also preferably incorporate a voice signal reception unit for receiving, wirelessly or by wire, a voice signal generated by an external sound source, or an internal sound source for self-generating a voice signal. When implementation as a hearing aid or a sound collector is contemplated, the external sound source or the internal sound source may preferably be a microphone for collecting ambient sound.

Abstract: Provided is a robot to which is disposed a cartilage vibration-transmission source, the robot being configured so that both hands of the robot are lain onto the face of a person or hold the back of the head, or so that one hand touches the cartilage of the ear. The relative positions of both hands touching the cartilage of both ears are maintained, but movement of the face is not restricted. The hands of the robot extend in the line-of-sight direction of the robot. The mouth of the robot is caused to move in conjunction with cartilage transmission audio. A limiter is applied to the touch pressure of the hands. Permission is sought before touching. Safety is confirmed before touching. When a malfunction occurs, touching with the hands is cancelled. The hands are warmed to the temperature of the human body.

Abstract: Provided is a portable telephone or an earphone or an electromagnetic-type vibration unit that comprises an electromagnetic-type vibrator including two mutually relatively moving portions supported via an elastic body, and that is configured to produce vibrations from at least one of the two portions for cartilage conduction. The elastic body provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage. The elastic body is disposed on or in the vicinity of an upper corner portion of a housing. One of the two portions is supported on a housing structure with the elastic body supported by the housing structure, and the other of the two portions is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one with a greater weight is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one or a portion connected thereto provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage, with the elastic body disposed between the two portions.

Abstract: A cycling hearing device has: a stereo sound source unit; left and right vibration sources which conduct a stereo sound source from the stereo sound source unit to the left and right ears respectively without closing either of the left and right external auditory meatus; a notifier that notifies publicly that the left and right external auditory meatus are not closed; a helmet part; and a chin strap part fitted to the helmet part. The left and right vibration sources are cartilage conduction vibration sources respectively. The vibration sources are provided in the chin strap part, and the notifier is an external appearance structure in which the vibration sources conduct vibration to the ear cartilage without closing the external auditory meatus.

Abstract: There is provided is a stereo headphone provided with a pair of earphones having a cartilage conduction unit, a sheath unit connected to the cartilage conduction unit, and a piezoelectric bimorph of a vibration source connected to the cartilage conduction unit covered by the sheath unit without making contact with the inner wall thereof. The cartilage conduction unit is an elastic body. The cartilage conduction unit is in contact with the entrance to the external auditory meatus and has a passage hole in communication with the external auditory meatus. The vibration source is supported by a thick portion on the tragus side at the periphery of the passage hole. In accordance with a more specific feature, the thick portion is provided. The outer shape of the sheath has a thickness in the direction of the earhole that is less than the thickness in the direction orthogonal thereto. A guide part for directing the sheath to the intertragic notch is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a wristwatch provided with a display unit with which the top and bottom of a display can be inverted when being observed, and vibration transferring units for cartilage conduction provided respectively in the vicinity of the distal end of the radius and in a part in contact with the distal end of the ulna when being worn. The wristwatch is provided with an operating portion which is located at the back of the hand when being worn. The orientation whereby the top and bottom of the display unit are in an upright condition is determined on the basis of an acceleration detected by an acceleration detecting unit, and a determination is performed on the basis of a mean value of gravitational acceleration to determine whether the wristwatch is being worn with the operating portion facing up or down.

Abstract: A pen-type handset has a clip portion as a cartilage conduction unit. The clip portion, of an elastic body, is supported on a main body with no direct contact of a cartilage-conduction vibration source in the clip portion with the main body. The clip portion supporting the cartilage-conduction vibration source is supported on the main body via a vibration isolating material. With the clip portion closed, vibration of the cartilage-conduction vibration source is not conducted to the main body; with the clip portion open, vibration of the cartilage-conduction vibration source is conducted to the main body. With the clip portion open, operation of an incoming-call display unit is prohibited. With the clip portion open, operation on an operation unit is invalidated. An incoming call is responded to by closing the open clip portion.

Abstract: The present specification discloses an incoming/outgoing-talk unit having an ear-hook unit, a cartilage conduction vibration unit that makes contact with ear cartilage in a state where the hook unit is hooked to the ear, an outgoing-talk unit, and a unit for performing short-range wireless communication with the mobile telephone. Further disclosed is an incoming-talk unit having an ear-hook unit, and a cartilage conduction vibration unit for transmitting cartilage conduction from outside of ear cartilage in a state where the hook unit is hooked to the ear. Also disclosed is an incoming-talk unit having a three-dimensional viewing adjustment unit, a temple having a unit for adjusting contact of eyesight-adjusting eyeglasses with the temple when the unit is superposedly mounted on the eyesight-adjusting eyeglasses; and an audio information output unit provided to the temple.

Abstract: A mobile telephone in accordance with some implementations has a mobile telephone upper edge unit including a right-ear cartilage conduction unit, a left-ear cartilage conduction unit, and a linking unit linking the right-ear cartilage conduction unit and the left-ear cartilage conduction unit, the units being exposed at the mobile telephone surface; and a cartilage-conduction vibration source for transmitting vibration to the mobile telephone upper edge unit. The mobile telephone can include: a sound source unit for outputting a sound signal; an acoustic processing unit for applying correction to the sound signal output from the sound source unit, doing so on the basis of the vibration frequency characteristics of ear cartilage; a cartilage-conduction vibration source vibrated by the sound signal corrected by the acoustic processing unit; and a detection unit for detecting pressing of the mobile telephone against the ear cartilage.

Abstract: There is provided is a stereo headphone provided with a pair of earphones having a cartilage conduction unit, a sheath unit connected to the cartilage conduction unit, and a piezoelectric bimorph of a vibration source connected to the cartilage conduction unit covered by the sheath unit without making contact with the inner wall thereof. The cartilage conduction unit is an elastic body. The cartilage conduction unit is in contact with the entrance to the external auditory meatus and has a passage hole in communication with the external auditory meatus. The vibration source is supported by a thick portion on the tragus side at the periphery of the passage hole. In accordance with a more specific feature, the thick portion is provided. The outer shape of the sheath has a thickness in the direction of the earhole that is less than the thickness in the direction orthogonal thereto. A guide part for directing the sheath to the intertragic notch is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a robot to which is disposed a cartilage vibration-transmission source, the robot being configured so that both hands of the robot are lain onto the face of a person or hold the back of the head, or so that one hand touches the cartilage of the ear. The relative positions of both hands touching the cartilage of both ears are maintained, but movement of the face is not restricted. The hands of the robot extend in the line-of-sight direction of the robot. The mouth of the robot is caused to move in conjunction with cartilage transmission audio. A limiter is applied to the touch pressure of the hands. Permission is sought before touching. Safety is confirmed before touching. When a malfunction occurs, touching with the hands is cancelled. The hands are warmed to the temperature of the human body.

Abstract: An earphone has a vibration conductor and a vibration source for the vibration conductor. The vibration conductor fits in a cavum conchae to make contact with an ear cartilage having an external auditory meatus in an open state, and conducts vibration to a contact part of the ear cartilage.

Abstract: Provided is a portable telephone or an earphone or an electromagnetic-type vibration unit that comprises an electromagnetic-type vibrator including two mutually relatively moving portions supported via an elastic body, and that is configured to produce vibrations from at least one of the two portions for cartilage conduction. The elastic body provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage. The elastic body is disposed on or in the vicinity of an upper corner portion of a housing. One of the two portions is supported on a housing structure with the elastic body supported by the housing structure, and the other of the two portions is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one with a greater weight is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one or a portion connected thereto provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage, with the elastic body disposed between the two portions.

Abstract: This watching system is provided with: a watching detection device that is provided with a cartilage conduction vibration source, a mastication sensor, and a bone conduction microphone and that is configured to be mounted on an ear such that the entry of the ear canal is opened; and a mobile phone or an in-home monitoring unit that receives watching detection signals from the mastication sensor and the bone conduction microphone by means of short-range communication and issues a notification to the outside. The watching detection device has an air conduction microphone and also functions as a hearing aid. When detection signals cannot be received from the mastication sensor or the bone conduction microphone for a predetermined time period, a notification is issued. The mobile phone and the in-home monitoring unit crosscheck watching detection information. The mobile phone also issues a notification of information indicating that there is no abnormality.

Abstract: Provided is a portable telephone or an earphone or an electromagnetic-type vibration unit that comprises an electromagnetic-type vibrator including two mutually relatively moving portions supported via an elastic body, and that is configured to produce vibrations from at least one of the two portions for cartilage conduction. The elastic body provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage. The elastic body is disposed on or in the vicinity of an upper corner portion of a housing. One of the two portions is supported on a housing structure with the elastic body supported by the housing structure, and the other of the two portions is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one with a greater weight is supported by the elastic body.

Abstract: A mobile telephone has a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall partly continuous with a side face, and a side wall, and includes a vibration-absorbing member between the top wall and each of the rear wall and the side wall, and a cartilage conduction vibration source on the inner side of the top wall. Opposite corner parts of the top wall partly continuous with the side face each serve as a cartilage conduction unit. Or a mobile telephone has a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a side wall, and includes a cartilage conduction vibration source that has a thin shape, that vibrates in a direction perpendicular to the thin shape, and that is affixed to the middle, in the left/right direction, of the inner side of the top wall in a direction parallel to the thin shape.

Abstract: A pen-type handset has a clip portion as a cartilage conduction unit. The clip portion, of an elastic body, is supported on a main body with no direct contact of a cartilage-conduction vibration source in the clip portion with the main body. The clip portion supporting the cartilage-conduction vibration source is supported on the main body via a vibration isolating material. With the clip portion closed, vibration of the cartilage-conduction vibration source is not conducted to the main body; with the clip portion open, vibration of the cartilage-conduction vibration source is conducted to the main body. With the clip portion open, operation of an incoming-call display unit is prohibited. With the clip portion open, operation on an operation unit is invalidated. An incoming call is responded to by closing the open clip portion.

Abstract: There is provided is a stereo headphone provided with a pair of earphones having a cartilage conduction unit, a sheath unit connected to the cartilage conduction unit, and a piezoelectric bimorph of a vibration source connected to the cartilage conduction unit covered by the sheath unit without making contact with the inner wall thereof. The cartilage conduction unit is an elastic body. The cartilage conduction unit is in contact with the entrance to the external auditory meatus and has a passage hole in communication with the external auditory meatus. The vibration source is supported by a thick portion on the tragus side at the periphery of the passage hole. In accordance with a more specific feature, the thick portion is provided. The outer shape of the sheath has a thickness in the direction of the earhole that is less than the thickness in the direction orthogonal thereto.