The vibration of human tympanic membrane induced by sound is transmitted to a cochlea via auditory ossicles and stimulates an auditory nerve. Therefore, the detailed study of the vibration of auditory ossicles is necessary to elucidate mechanisms of human hearing. In the present study, the sound-induced vibration of auditory ossicles was measured using a laser doppler vibrometer and an optical system of a surgical microscope in three volunteers. Measurements were performed with stimuli of 1 and 3 kHz at 100 dB SPL. The auditory ossicles of the examinees vibrated with the same frequency as that of the applied sound pressure. Malleus and Incus vibrated with rotational motion as one body, and malleus and stapes vibrated out of phase. This is important because it provides crucial information to create better vibration models of the auditory ossicles.
