<p>No there isn't any output for these bones other than mechanically pushing against the oval window.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ydkSp.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ydkSp.jpg" alt="An illustration of our ear"></a></p>

<p>In short:</p>

<ul>
<li>Sound waves travel through the ear canal.</li>
<li>They hit the ear drum (Tympanic membrane).</li>
<li>The three bones (ossicles) in our middle ear are simply an impedance matching device (very much like gears on bicycles). They amplify the ear drum movement with the Stapes pushing against the oval window (part of the inner ear).</li>
<li>The mechanical movement of the stapes against the oval window causes liquid within the Cochlea to oscillate.</li>
<li>Within the Cochlea there are tiny hair cells that discharge (snap) in response to a specific frequency/amplitude (See <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/15275/11318">this answer</a>).</li>
<li>When discharge, a nerve pulse is sent to our brain. </li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-02T04:14:19.353Z
I am not sure how the cochlear microphonic fits in here. All the depolarization of the hear cells results in an electric signal you can pick up in the middle ear.
StrongBad
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-08T22:15:51.747Z
This answer is incorrect. Look up OAEs. -1
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-08T23:12:52.653Z
@Christiaan. While completely acknowledging OAEs, I suspect this isn't the type of output the OP is after. There's also nothing in my answer that rules out OAEs.
Izhaki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T06:11:30.020Z
The first sentence is incorrect. And the question is indeed vague.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T09:47:14.090Z
Maybe, Izhaki, you can edit the answer by mentioning that while the main function of the ossicles is to mediate the oscillations of the tympanic membrane to the inner ear by effectively doing impedance matching and then pushing against the oval window, there is also the phenomenon of OAE's where it goes the other way, namely from inner ear oscillations to outer ear. I found [this article](http://bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/1/223.full) which describes the mechanism in great detail. Otherwise I think your answer is a good summary.
awakenting
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-30T13:33:35.567Z
2016-06-30T15:43:45.547Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.167Z
Izhaki
<p>I'm thinking in terms of the middle ear and the very intricate and tiny bones that process a "sound wave" into "what we hear." Is there an output to the middle ear ossicle chain bones such that a signal is being sent from the ears to outside of our body too? If so what is that frequency?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-28T19:50:34.240Z
Not that I know does the middle ear, however, there are [otoacoustic emissions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otoacoustic_emission), sounds that originate from the inner ear and can actually be picked up with microphones.
huh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-29T04:31:05.937Z
Read this: [How does the inner ear encode sound intensity?](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/15274/how-does-the-inner-ear-encode-sound-intensity). Doesn't seem to be electric, per se.
user3169
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-29T07:49:34.687Z
@huh - that's a great answer! I was about writing an answer along those lines, but I'll leave that up to you if you wish.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-29T13:25:38.383Z
@Christiaan – Well it sure isn't quite along the specific lines of the question, but I think it's relevant and might well be a pleasing answer for the OP, so I will flesh it out a bit as soon as I have the time.
huh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-29T13:42:52.647Z
@huh - the middle ear does not generate anything, the inner ear does - OAE. And these happen to have very specific frequencies. So it's spot on.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-02T04:15:37.360Z
@huh I think the cochlear microphonic might be closer to what the OP is looking for.
StrongBad
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-08T22:08:51.663Z
Can you update the question? The question title does not match the body. Given the comments above it is unclear what you are after. The title warrants an electrophysiological answer (CM, CAP, SP), the body warrants a more clinical answer (OAEs). All these phenomena apply to your question as of now. What do you wish to know?
AliceD
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-24T22:00:18.637Z
This is not a sound caused by hearing, it's just a normal muscle vibration but interesting nonetheless: [What causes “ear rumbling”?](https://biology.stackexchange.com/q/80419/27918)
uhoh
<hearing>
Does "hearing" give off an electronic signal?
Doctor Zhivago
# Does "hearing" give off an electronic signal?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-28)

I'm thinking in terms of the middle ear and the very intricate and tiny bones that process a "sound wave" into "what we hear." Is there an output to the middle ear ossicle chain bones such that a signal is being sent from the ears to outside of our body too? If so what is that frequency?

**Tags:** hearing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not that I know does the middle ear, however, there are [otoacoustic emissions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otoacoustic_emission), sounds that originate from the inner ear and can actually be picked up with microphones.  
> **username_2**: Read this: [How does the inner ear encode sound intensity?](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/15274/how-does-the-inner-ear-encode-sound-intensity). Doesn't seem to be electric, per se.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 - that's a great answer! I was about writing an answer along those lines, but I'll leave that up to you if you wish.  
> **username_1**: @Christiaan – Well it sure isn't quite along the specific lines of the question, but I think it's relevant and might well be a pleasing answer for the OP, so I will flesh it out a bit as soon as I have the time.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 - the middle ear does not generate anything, the inner ear does - OAE. And these happen to have very specific frequencies. So it's spot on.  
> **username_4**: @username_1 I think the cochlear microphonic might be closer to what the OP is looking for.  
> **username_3**: Can you update the question? The question title does not match the body. Given the comments above it is unclear what you are after. The title warrants an electrophysiological answer (CM, CAP, SP), the body warrants a more clinical answer (OAEs). All these phenomena apply to your question as of now. What do you wish to know?  
> **username_5**: This is not a sound caused by hearing, it's just a normal muscle vibration but interesting nonetheless: [What causes “ear rumbling”?](https://biology.stackexchange.com/q/80419/27918)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2016-06-30. Score: 2

No there isn't any output for these bones other than mechanically pushing against the oval window.

[![An illustration of our ear](https://i.sstatic.net/ydkSp.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ydkSp.jpg)

In short:

* Sound waves travel through the ear canal.
* They hit the ear drum (Tympanic membrane).
* The three bones (ossicles) in our middle ear are simply an impedance matching device (very much like gears on bicycles). They amplify the ear drum movement with the Stapes pushing against the oval window (part of the inner ear).
* The mechanical movement of the stapes against the oval window causes liquid within the Cochlea to oscillate.
* Within the Cochlea there are tiny hair cells that discharge (snap) in response to a specific frequency/amplitude (See [this answer](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/15275/11318)).
* When discharge, a nerve pulse is sent to our brain.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I am not sure how the cochlear microphonic fits in here. All the depolarization of the hear cells results in an electric signal you can pick up in the middle ear.  
> **username_3**: This answer is incorrect. Look up OAEs. -1  
> **username_6**: @Christiaan. While completely acknowledging OAEs, I suspect this isn't the type of output the OP is after. There's also nothing in my answer that rules out OAEs.  
> **username_3**: The first sentence is incorrect. And the question is indeed vague.  
> **username_7**: Maybe, username_6, you can edit the answer by mentioning that while the main function of the ossicles is to mediate the oscillations of the tympanic membrane to the inner ear by effectively doing impedance matching and then pushing against the oval window, there is also the phenomenon of OAE's where it goes the other way, namely from inner ear oscillations to outer ear. I found [this article](http://bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/1/223.full) which describes the mechanism in great detail. Otherwise I think your answer is a good summary.  

---

