Scientists create the bionic ear

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I might be wrong, but the Bionic Man didn’t have a bionic ear, that was saved for tennis pro turned Bionic Woman Jaime Sommers, who had amplified hearing from a real-looking ear. Well, 30 years on, the bionic ear is reality, and while it may not give you super hearing, it will certainly improve it.

Developers Phonak have studied the way the brain and ear interact and how the inner ear processes sounds, then replicated the process using a tiny chip as powerful as a Pentium processor, packing everything into a 25mm device known as the microSavia, that is effectively invisible when worn, especially if you pick a colour that matches your hair!

With research showing that most people who need a hearing aid refuse one due to the stigma of the device, the bionic ear should be welcome relief for many. Let’s hope the other bionic bits follow soon!

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Dave Walker
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