The invention relates to an auxiliary device for a living being having a) a means for detecting outer ear musculature (3) detecting an activation of at least a part of the outer ear musculature (21 to 28) of a living being, and b) a control device (4) connected to the outer ear musculature detecting means, c) wherein the control device (4) d) is set up for processing the signals detected by the outer ear musculature detecting means (3), and c2) can be controlled for outputting control signals to a technical auxiliary device (5) by means of which the technical auxiliary device (5) can be controlled. A technical area of application of the invention is, for example, neuroprosthetics. Improved opportunities are sought here, in order to derive signals of the nervous system that can be arbitrarily generated or modified. By means of such derived signals, for example, technical auxiliary systems for failed bodily functions (prosthetics) can be controlled.
