Implantable mic says sayonara to external cochlear implant hardware

While cochlear implants do indeed allow some deaf people to hear, they also incorporate potentially problematic external components located on the side of the head. That could soon change, however, thanks to an experimental new implantable microphone.C… Continue reading Implantable mic says sayonara to external cochlear implant hardware

Drug to prevent hearing loss from age and lifestyle is a step closer

Scientists have discovered that a genetic mutation that triggers a molecular domino effect causing hearing loss mirrors the mechanism involved in noise- and age-related hearing loss. They believe that inhibiting the key player in this mechanism could i… Continue reading Drug to prevent hearing loss from age and lifestyle is a step closer

Silence may not be deafening, but researchers say we can hear it

Nearly 60 years after American folk duo Simon & Garfunkel sang their dangerously earworm-y tune “The Sound of Silence,” a team of researchers has resurrected the age-old question as to whether the absence of noise in itself is something we can actually… Continue reading Silence may not be deafening, but researchers say we can hear it

Special headgear allows deaf athletes to better hear shouts and cheers

When deaf athletes with cochlear implants take part in sports like rugby, they have to wear headgear that protects the external parts of their implant. A new wearable serves that same purpose, while reportedly allowing users to hear the sounds around t… Continue reading Special headgear allows deaf athletes to better hear shouts and cheers

Amazon and Cochlear stream Smart TV audio directly to hearing implants

In a world first, Amazon has partnered with Cochlear to make watching movies and shows more accessible for folks with hearing loss by streaming audio from a Fire TV device directly to a Cochlear hearing implant’s sound processor.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading Amazon and Cochlear stream Smart TV audio directly to hearing implants

“Smart” drill designed to speed and simplify cochlear implant surgery

The installation of a cochlear implant is a tricky procedure, in which certain nerves may be damaged if the surgeon isn’t sufficiently careful. A new “smart” surgical drill is designed to help, by automatically shutting off if it gets too close to thos… Continue reading “Smart” drill designed to speed and simplify cochlear implant surgery

Brain wave-reading implant could better help the deaf to hear

Although cochlear implants do allow some deaf people to hear again, adjusting the devices to individual users can be challenging. An experimental new implant is designed to help in that regard, by reading the user’s brain waves.Continue ReadingCategory… Continue reading Brain wave-reading implant could better help the deaf to hear

Shining a Light on Hearing Loss

When auditory cells are modified to receive light, do you see sound, or hear light? To some trained gerbils at University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany under the care of [Tobias Moser], the question is moot. The gerbils were instructed to move to a different part of their cage when administrators played a sound, and when cochlear lights were activated on their modified cells, the gerbils obeyed their conditioning and went where they were supposed to go.

In the linked article, there is software which allows you to simulate what it is like to hear through a cochlear implant, or you …read more

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