The Science Behind the iPod

YEAR MP3 players are few and far between- only ones available are large and clunky or small and not user friendly. OCTOBER 23, 2001 Steve Jobs unveils his creation- the first generation Apple iPod TODAY: Apple has sold well over 220 million units since launching in 2001.

* mini, shuffle & nano are not included

Legend Vinyl: Black Cassettes: Maroon CD’S: Yellow iPod Sales: Purple

How many times have you heard “Turn that down! By the time you’re 40 you’re not going to be able to hear a thing!” The truth is, they’re right. The iPod isn’t the problem though, it is the ear buds which you’re listening to music with. The size of ear buds relates to hearing loss directly, the smaller they are, the higher the output level. The best headphones you can wear are the large ones that cover the whole ear. They don’t sit directly in the lower eardrum, and they block out background noise. Compared to a pair of large headphones, Apple headphones increase sound levels by 9 decibels. That can be the difference between an alarm clock and a lawnmower. Sound Level 90 db 92 db 95 db 97 db 100 db 102 db 105 db 110 db 115 db Maximum Duration per Day 8.0 hours 6.0 hours 4.0 hours 3.0 hours 2.0 hours 1.5 hours 1.0 hours 30 mins 15 mins OSHA’s Permissible Noise Exposure chart

After being exposed to loud noise for a long period of time, “sensitive structures in our inner ear can be damaged, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). These sensitive structures, called hair cells, are small sensory cells that convert sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged, our hair cells cannot grow back.” Taken from Hair cells inside the inner ear

How to prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss Noise Induced Hearing Loss is 100% preventable, but it is not cureable. Take proper precautions and protect your hearing! -Any noises above 85% decibels can be damaging to your hearing -Wear earplugs, proper headphones, and guard yourself from loud volumes. -Use COMMON SENSE.