Deaf people with cochlear implants who participate in sports such as rugby must wear headgear to protect the outside of the cochlear implant. A new wearable serves the same purpose, reportedly allowing users to hear their surroundings better.
For a typical cochlear implant, the external components consist of a microphone, a speech processor/power supply that enhances the sound picked up by the microphone, and a transmit coil that contacts the skin.
An embedded receiver picks up the signal from the coil and converts it into electrical impulses. These impulses are relayed to electrodes that stimulate the auditory nerve in the cochlea, allowing the user to hear the voice.
Most deaf sports headgear do a good enough job of protecting the external components, but they usually cover the microphone with padding. This means that the sounds of whistles, coaches’ instructions, and other player callouts are all muffled.
Oral care company Colgate (yes, the company that makes toothpaste) wanted to address this issue and approached Australian sporting goods maker Steeden. The result is a prototype wearable known simply as headgear.
steeden
The clothing protects the outer parts of the implant, but these parts fit within cavities where no padding exists. Additionally, channels in padding throughout the rest of the gear direct sound waves into that cavity, picking them up more clearly. can do.
The headgear is currently being tried by deaf athletes such as QAFLW (Queensland Australian Football League Women’s) player Jamie Howell, with good results so far. Athletes interested in participating in the trials can register their interest through the Headgear website through May 28. There is currently no estimated price or availability information.
For more information, see the video below.
Hear Gear – Equal Field Sound
Source: Headgear
