| |
G4EBT > IMPLNT 11.04.05 23:03l 136 Lines 5392 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 833993G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: Cochlear Implant - who?
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0FHK<DB0ACC<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0AR<GB7FCR
Sent: 050411/2045Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:43420 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:833993G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : IMPLNT@WW
Bob, VK6BE wrote:-
> Well, David, I don't know about the claims of the NASA man but I do
> know that there was extensive publicity given to what was claimed to be
> a first in ear surgery with a cochlear implant (bionic ear) done on a
> completely deaf person in Australia. Here is a summary of a report on
> the Clark Bionic Ear, claimed to be a first and the invention of Graeme
> Clark. quote:
> "Professor Graeme Clark, AO. University of Melbourne. Treatment of
> deafness. Professor Graeme Clark is the inventor of the 'bionic ear'
> which is considered the most important advance in the history of the
> treatment of profound deafness."
Yes, it's curious Bob - it seems that more than one person has been
credited with the device, both of whom have patents on it. Maybe
there's more than one type? Certainly Proff Clarke has achieved
widespread acclaim as the inventor, and more importantly for the
first succesful implant operation in the world.
Odd though, that NASA claim it was their guy Kissiah,
who was first past the post:
http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff2003/hm_3.html
States:
In 1977, NASA helped Kissiah obtain a patent for the cochlear implant.
Several years later, he sold the rights of the technology to a company
named BIOSTIM, Inc., for commercial development of the innovation.
So, it's NASA who are crediting their man with it - not me.
(Could it be yet another sexed-up "dodgy dossier?":-).
This site mentions Volta's experiments, which sound a bit dodgy too!:
http://www.workersforjesus.com/dfi/d-1.htm
"There has been a long history of attempts to improve hearing by
electrical stimulation, going back hundreds of years. Successful
development of the implant has progressed since that time.
Many research teams have been involved, and each has built on the work of
those who came before. As a result, it is not possible to single out one
person and call him "sole" inventor of the cochlear implant".
"The first scientist to stimulate the auditory system electrically was
Count Alessandro Volta, Italian physician and chemist. (The unit of
electromotive force was named for him.) In 1790 he inserted two metal rods
into his ears and connected them to a battery of approximately 50 volts".
"When the circuit was complete, he got a sensation described as "a boom
within the head," followed by a sound like that of thick, boiling soup".
Huh, no surprise there then!
I suppose that comes under "self training":-)
More importantly, the site states:
GRAEME CLARK
If one person was to be credited as most important in the movement
toward an effective cochlear device, it would likely be Graeme Clark,
the Australian who successfully implanted the first "bionic ear" in 1978.
Eleven years before, Clark had begun his research, inspired by his close
relationship with his father who was deaf all his life. He set as his goal
finding a way to improve the quality of life for hearing-impaired people.
http://www.bionicear.org/people/clarkg/
Professor Graeme Clark pioneered the multiple-channel cochlear implant
which has brought hearing and speech understanding to tens of thousands
of people with severe-to-profound hearing loss in more than 100 countries.
The multiple-channel cochlear implant resulting from the discoveries of
Clark and his co-workers is the first sensori-neural prosthesis to
effectively and safely bring electronic technology into a direct
physiological relationship with the central nervous system and human
consciousness.
It is also the first cochlear implant to give speech understanding to
severely-to-profoundly deaf people and spoken language to children born
deaf enabling them to communicate effectively in a world of sound.
Clark showed the multiple-channel implant is safe and has no greater risk
of meningitis than in the general community if appropriate design and
surgical principles are adopted. He also established the surgical and
audiological principles that are the basis for its regular clinical use.
His work to develop the multiple-channel cochlear implant and take it
through to commercial reality took 18 years, from 1967 to 1985 as outlined
in the History of the Cochlear Implant.
The cochlear implant originally developed by the Melbourne research team
and manufactured by the Australian company Cochlear Limited has held up
to 80% of the world cochlear implant market over the last 20 years.
Clarke has at leat 17 patents to his name, which are listed at:
http://www.bionicear.org/people/clarkg/gmcpatents.htm
As is often the case with medical research, many of these were team
efforts, and others are listed on the patents.
Clearly a wonderful device, which has immensely improved the lives of
countless thousands the world over. It's comforting to know that if I
go deaf as well as daft, help may be on hand!
I don't mind who invented it - I know for certain it wasn't me:-)
Quote of the day:
"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the
wizarding world".
J. K. Rowling, (Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, 1999)
British fantasy author.
73 - David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Eddystone User Group Member
G-QRP Club Member No: 1339
QTH: Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 21:38 on 2005-Apr-11
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
(Registered).
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
