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The semicircular canals play a crucial role in maintaining balance in addition to their involvement in hearing. These structures are part of the inner ear and contain fluid-filled tubes that detect rotational movements of the head. When the head moves, the fluid in the canals shifts, stimulating hair cells that send signals to the brain regarding the body's position and motion.

While the cochlea is primarily responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals for hearing, it does not contribute to balance. The auditory canal is a pathway for sound waves to travel to the eardrum, which is essential for hearing but has no role in balance. The ossicles, a series of tiny bones in the middle ear, amplify sound vibrations but also do not play a part in balance. Therefore, the unique function of the semicircular canals in detecting movement makes them vital for our sense of balance in conjunction with hearing.