Ear Implant Lets Deaf Gerbils Sense Sound From Light Signals (physicsworld.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: A research team at the University Medical Center Gottingen has created a cochlear implant that uses light to restore auditory responses in deaf gerbils. The study provides a proof-of-concept that combining optical stimulation with genetic manipulation can successfully restore sound perception, and could lead to a new generation of more accurate cochlear implants.

Approximately 360 million people worldwide have hearing impairment. Traditional cochlear implants can partially restore the ability to hear in many of these patients by stimulating ear cells with electrical signals. In such devices, however, the generated current tends to spread around each point of contact, activation of a large population of neurons and limiting the resolution and clarity of sound signals. Christian Wrobel and colleagues tackled this obstacle by designing a light-based cochlear implant. Optical stimulation promises spatially confined activation of neurons in the auditory nerve, potentially yielding spatially precise ear cell stimulation with limited spreading.

Comments

Not much use

[Anonymous Coward]

They still won't listen to you.

Re: why do you have a gerbil

[Anonymous Coward]

I have to remove it from my ass first

Nice

[nospam007]

But will they be able to hear in the dark? :-)

Re:Nice

[BrianMarshall]

Um... how did they get deaf gerbils?

The authors also induced deafness in a group of implanted, trained gerbils...

Re:Nice

[angel'o'sphere]

Actually I would love a kind of augmented hearing device, that compresses ultra sonics and infra sonics into the hearing spectrum. Would be interesting to hear the bats better and what other kind of noises are around.

Can we give them wings...

[Oswald McWeany]

Can we give these Gerbils wings? They could replace bats in the ecosystem. They would be much cuter than most bats. Bonus points if the wings are ribbed for Gere's pleasure

Re:Can we give them wings...

[Ol Olsoc]

Can we give these Gerbils wings? They could replace bats in the ecosystem. They would be much cuter than most bats. Bonus points if the wings are ribbed for Gere's pleasure

Give them some Red Bull.

A great day for gerbil-kind!

[Locke2005]

In all history, there has never been a better time to be a gerbil! Or a mouse! Get back to me when they have a version humans can buy for themselves...

Re:Duct Tape

[Locke2005]

Did you have a terrible incident in which your gerbil exploded because you didn't duct tape it?

Re:Duct Tape explosion

[Locke2005]

For those of you not following; there was a really bad joke in the 80's to the effect of Q: Why should you always duct tape your hamster? A: So it doesn't explode when you f**k it! The 80's were a simpler time, when coworkers didn't get fired for statements that would now be considered harassment.