ear muffs or ear protective helmets are objects designed to cover a person's ears either to preserve the body heat of that part of the body[1]​ as well as to protect the auditory sense from surrounding noise. They consist of a thermoplastic or metal head band, which fits over the top or back of the head, and padding at each end, to cover the outer ears. Earmuffs are used for example on construction sites, at airports, when shooting or in a place where it is very noisy. Earplugs are also usually used with earmuffs.

Modern ear muffs come in two basic types:.

Hearing protectors protect the user from extreme noises. The band head and outer cover are generally made of a hard thermoplastic or metal. Protection usually comes from acoustic foam - this absorbs sound waves by increasing air resistance, which reduces the amplitude of the waves. Energy is transformed into heat.

Some hearing protectors employ active sound protection, in which a microphone mounted on the earpiece picks up ambient sounds and transmits them through a compressor circuit to the earphones inside. Under dynamic compression, the headset can be adjusted to allow the user to hear sounds at normal volumes normally, while attenuating louder sounds. There are also similar active earplugs, aimed primarily at musicians.

Chester Greenwood invented the ear muff in 1873, at the age of 15.[3][4] He reportedly came up with the idea while ice skating, and had his grandmother sewing locks of hair between the wire loops.[5] He was granted patent #188,292 on March 13, 1877. He manufactured these ear protectors, providing jobs for people in the area. of Farmington, Maine, for almost 60 years.[3]​[6]​ Every year, on the first Saturday in December, the town of Farmington celebrates "Chester Greenwood Day" with a variety of activities. A parade in Chester's honor is a part of the festivities. All parade participants must wear ear muffs.[7] Thomas A. Willson of Willson Safety Products in Reading, Pennsylvania invented noise protection ear muffs.