Outer ear

The outer ear comprises the visible auricle and external auditory canal. It collects sound and directs it toward the eardrum.

Auricle: The visible, cartilage-supported part of the ear that surrounds the entrance to the external auditory canal. Its folds collect sound and shape frequency cues before sound enters the canal.
Pinna: The external, visible structure of the ear, also called the auricle. This common anatomical name denotes the sound-collecting structure at the outer ear's entrance.
Otoscopy: Examination of the external auditory canal and eardrum using an otoscope. It directly inspects the canal and the eardrum at the outer ear's endpoint.
Inner ear: The part of the ear containing the cochlea and vestibular organs, responsible for hearing and balance. It lies beyond the middle ear and converts transmitted vibrations into neural signals.
External auditory canal: The passage from the auricle to the eardrum, lined with skin and containing hairs and cerumen-producing glands. It carries sound to the eardrum and resonates at frequencies important for hearing.
Tympanic membrane: The membrane separating the external auditory canal from the middle ear, commonly called the eardrum. It marks the outer ear's inner boundary and receives its acoustic vibrations.
Hearing aid: An electronic device that processes and amplifies sound to assist a person with hearing loss. Many hearing aids deliver amplified sound through or near the external auditory canal.
Bone conduction: Transmission of sound vibrations through the bones of the skull rather than through the air and ear canal. It can stimulate the inner ear without relying on the outer ear's air-conduction route.
Acoustic resonance: The increased response of a system to sound frequencies near its natural vibration frequencies. The canal's resonance boosts a range of frequencies in incoming sound.
Middle ear: An air-filled cavity containing the auditory ossicles, which transmit eardrum vibrations to the inner ear. It is the next major division after sound crosses the outer ear's boundary.

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