The Bionic Ear

What Is A Bionic Ear?

A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electrical device that provides a sense of sound to those who have moderate to profound hearing loss when they are wearing it. It helps overcome problems in the inner ear, or cochlea. The bionic ear can also be known as the cochlear implant. Unlike a hearing aid, the bionic ear does not amplify sound, but simulates it by creating electrical pulses and simulates the hearing nerve directly. The Cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing. But it can give a deaf person a representation of sounds and to help them understand speech. The implant consists of two parts. The main external component is a microphone but it also includes a speech processor and a transmitter. The microphone picks up the sound, while the speech processor, changes this sound into electrical pulses and then is sent to the transmitter that acts as a remote control to turn the volume up and down. It also can improve the quality of the sound. “The Cochlear Implant is designed to give children and adults the confidence to live a full and rewarding life.”(World Class Design)

Who Invented The Cochlear Implant (Bionic Ear)?

Professor Graeme Clark from the University of Melbourne was the maker and developer of the world’s first multi-channel implant.

Where?

Professor Graeme Clark and his team worked and created the Bionic ear in Melbourne University.

When?

Professor Graeme Clark and his team founded this marvellous invention in mid 1978 and by August 1, 1978. Rob Sanders was the first Australian to get implanted with a bionic ear.

What Motivated The Designer To Develop This Product?

Professor Graeme Clark first saw inspiration through his deaf father to invent this artificial hearing device. He also saw inspiration through the work of Louis Pasteur. He came to the conclusion that hearing (Mainly speech) may be reproduced to those that are hard of hearing or plain deaf.

What Are The Functional Attributes of This Product?

Some functional attributes of this product are smaller parts than the original device, the ability to turn sound up, down and fix the quality to different situations e.g. a loud stadium or a music concert. This has made it better for all people that are in need of the cochlear Implant.

Do You think The Current Bionic Ear is The Size It Is, Given The Original Design?

The original design had a rather large transmitter that the user has to carry around.

The cochlear implant is much smaller than it used to be because it used to be a very large box that the user had to carry around and everyone would stare at it but now it is almost invisible to others.

Reasons Why You Think Modification to a Previous Bionic Ear is Smaller?

Besides comfort, what are the other reasons?

If you have to carry around the original cochlear implant, the chance is that lots of people will stare and ask each other “what is that?” so the bionic ear is getting much smaller so it is less visible and much harder for other people to see it. The next bionic ear will be totally concealed so no one will be able to notice anything different.