Rochester Institute of Technology has received a $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to improve gender equity for female faculty. The project, CONNECT@RIT, aims to address issues of recruitment, retention, and advancement through new initiatives and policies.
Researchers have identified a genetic biomarker for presbycusis, a condition that affects hearing and speech processing in older adults. The discovery could aid in prevention measures and offer hope for early intervention.
Bilingual infants demonstrated an ability to discriminate between two unfamiliar languages using visual cues, suggesting that early exposure to multiple languages improves perceptual sensitivity. Skilled deaf readers showed enhanced perceptual span in reading, contrary to previous hypotheses that suggested this might hinder reading abi...
A study published in PLOS ONE reveals that our brains prioritize detecting new sounds over detecting when a sound disappears. In busy environments, participants often miss more than half of changes and experience longer reaction times to detect oncoming sounds.
This review paper reveals the achievements of deaf and hard-of-hearing scientists who communicated their discoveries in entomology, including Charles Bonnet and Charles Darwin. The authors highlight the struggles and triumphs of these pioneers in light of their isolation from the Deaf community.
Researchers found that bilateral cochlear implants restored binaural processing in deaf children who received the implants at a young age, but not those who delayed their second implant. The study suggests that early auditory experience is critical for binaural processing.
A new gene therapy approach successfully treats genetic hearing loss in mice by delivering the VGLUT3 gene to inner ear cells. This breakthrough offers a promising potential treatment for individuals born deaf, with improved hearing lasting up to 1.5 years in adult mice.
Research funded by NIH shows that deaf people use auditory cortex for touch processing and visual stimuli more than hearing people. The finding suggests that the brain adapts and takes on additional sensory tasks in response to early loss of a sense, such as hearing.
Researchers at Georgia State University's College of Education have been awarded a $10 million grant to create the first national research center focused on improving reading for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The goal is to identify child and instructional factors that affect reading growth and develop individualized interv...
Researchers at RIT are developing experiential learning modules to address barriers faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing students in STEM fields. The three-year project aims to enhance problem-solving skills, teamwork, and process improvement through immersive hands-on activities.
Researchers have created a tiny, prototype middle-ear microphone that can be implanted in the ear to avoid problems with current cochlear implants. The device has been successfully tested in cadavers and aims to reduce size and improve sound detection abilities for future human testing.
Researchers at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center found cochlear implantation provides robust and long-term hearing restoration for patients with advanced otosclerosis. The study used newer surgical techniques to minimize complications, demonstrating an effective treatment option for this challenging group of patients.
Researchers at the University of Chicago discovered that deaf children who express ideas in gestures different from ASL signs are ready to learn math. The team found that students with more gestural mismatches before a lesson were more likely to improve after it.
Bigham's proposal, Closed-Loop Crowd Support of People with Disabilities, aims to leverage the crowd to provide real-time feedback and support to individuals with visual impairments or other disabilities. The NSF CAREER Award will support his research over the next five years.
Deaf individuals experience higher rates of mental health disorders due to communication barriers and lack of specialized services. Specialist training and sign language interpreters are crucial for improving access to mental health care for this population.
Christine Petit and Karen Steel's pioneering research on the genetics of hearing and deafness has shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying ear development and function. Their work has led to significant advances in diagnosis, genetic counseling, and therapeutic decisions for patients with inherited forms of deafness.
Researchers found that deafening causes rapid changes to motor areas in songbirds' brains, predicting which birds will have worse songs. This study may provide insights into how hearing loss affects the human brain's vocalization control.
Researchers discuss advancements in cochlear implant technology and spiral ganglion cell regeneration, aiming to improve sound localization and processing. They also explore strategies for auditory training of older adults to enhance speech understanding in noisy environments.
At TEI 2012 conference, Nicholas Graham's Liberi Live game allows two players to collaborate on game design, enhancing creativity. The Queen's Human Media Lab also showcases innovative technologies, including flexible TV screens and wearable sensors.
New research shows deaf people are quicker at recognizing and interpreting body language than hearing non-signers. This ability may be due to the daily use of sign language, which enhances their visual system's processing capabilities.
A new study by OHSU researcher Peter Steyger sheds light on why certain antibiotics harm the inner ear, providing hope for a potential solution to block their effects and save thousands of lives. The discovery is the result of Steyger's personal experience with antibiotic-induced deafness as a child.
Researchers have identified long-sought genes in sensory hair cells of the inner ear that are essential for converting sound waves into electrical signals. By introducing these genes into deaf mice, scientists were able to restore electrical signals and potentially reverse a type of deafness, paving the way for a gene therapy trial.
Researchers identified six critical mutations in Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Arab families using exome sequencing, revealing new insights into hereditary deafness. The study also found a specific TMC1 mutation associated with hearing loss in the Moroccan Jewish population.
A new diagnostic method using exome deep sequencing can identify genetic causes of hearing loss in under a week for under $500. This breakthrough technology has the potential to improve the quality of care for patients with hearing loss and lead to more effective treatments.
A new study by Adam Grant found that healthcare professionals are more likely to wash their hands when reminded of the importance of keeping patients safe. The sign with a patient-focused message increased soap and gel use by 33% and hand-washing rates by 10%. This challenges prevailing wisdom on safety messages.
Researchers at the University of Iowa have identified a new function for the harmonin protein, which is mutated in Usher syndrome. The protein plays a critical role in transmitting sound information to the brain.
Researchers have developed a new treatment approach to Usher syndrome, a debilitating disease causing congenital deaf-blindness. A small molecule called PTC124 (Ataluren) has been shown to ignore stop signals in mutated genes, allowing for continued protein synthesis and potentially reversing sight loss.
A two-year project aims to improve music appreciation in cochlear implant users through innovative music workshops and a computer tool kit of listening exercises. Researchers will develop materials and compositions specifically designed for cochlear implant users, aiming to boost self-confidence and enjoyment.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that deaf people's retinas develop differently to capture more peripheral visual information, enabling them to see further into the periphery. This challenge previous thinking on how visual processing works and has implications for improving visual care for deaf people.
A new study reveals ocean acidification compromises fish hearing, leaving clownfish deaf to predators. Researchers reared larvae in different CO2 environments, showing that increased acidity impacts sensory systems, including those inside the fish's body.
Researchers at UCL discovered 'inattentional deafness' when participants focused on tasks requiring high concentration. In experiments, only 2 out of 10 participants missed the tone when judging colors, but 8 out of 10 failed to notice it during length-discrimination tasks.
Researchers at Salk Institute discover a unique fasting pathway that turns up glucose production in the liver when blood sugar levels drop, providing a novel way to treat metabolic disease. Inhibiting histone deacetylases (HDACs) may help regulate blood glucose levels and prevent type II diabetes.
A study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University finds that deaf animals' brains reorganize sensory inputs to preserve their behavioral functions. The research provides insight into brain reorganization following sensory loss, potentially informing the development of more effective rehabilitative medicine for deaf patients.
Researchers at the Boys Town National Research Hospital found that noisy classrooms significantly affect young students' ability to learn. Meanwhile, a new study on deaf infants with cochlear implants shows they don't automatically know how to listen when people speak. Cognitive psychologists also explored the power of single words in ...
Researchers at Lund University have discovered a causal relationship between mutated Huntington's protein and weight gain in mice. The study shows significant changes in the brain's hormone control centre, leading to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.
Researchers at the University of Utah discovered that invisible infrared light can activate rat heart cells and toadfish inner-ear cells, sparking potential breakthroughs in cochlear implants for deafness. The study also raises possibilities for optical pacemakers that use infrared signals instead of electrical signals.
A recent study by Penn State researchers found that sign language users can process both English words and American Sign Language (ASL) signs concurrently. When word pairs were matched with similar signs, reaction times were faster and accuracy rates improved compared to control group bilingual speakers.
Scientists have identified a mutation on the CACNA1D gene that affects two families in Pakistan, leading to deafness and an irregular heartbeat. The mutated protein still sits in the cell's surface membrane but fails to open the calcium channel.
A new study reveals that deaf people in Nicaragua who developed their own 'homesigns' language lack a complete understanding of numbers greater than three. The research suggests that language plays a vital role in learning mathematical concepts, including the value of large numbers.
Researchers found that deaf people in Nicaragua who used self-developed gestures, called homesigns, had difficulty understanding the value of large numbers. In contrast, those who acquired conventional sign language as children were able to learn the meaning of large numbers.
An international team found that many crustacean families can detect and avoid reef noise, depending on their lifestyle. The study reveals that larvae of crabs and lobsters are attracted by the noise, while others actively avoid it.
A new study reveals that deaf and hard-of-hearing children are more likely to experience abuse and neglect, with higher rates of depression and post-traumatic stress in adulthood. The research found that having a deaf parent or family member did not reduce the risk of childhood maltreatment.
Researchers found that listeners can effectively tune out sounds that don't conform to their brains' expectations, showcasing the efficient processing of predictable sounds. The study demonstrates how the mind quickly acquires and uses knowledge about the world's structure and redundancy to improve perception.
Research by University of Sheffield finds that deaf adults can react more quickly to objects at the edge of their visual field than hearing people. Children born deaf initially have slower reaction times, but improve as they age and develop better-than-normal peripheral vision by adulthood.
Researchers studied the closest living relative of tetrapods, the African lungfish, and found that they lack sensitivity to airborne sound. The inner ear's structure suggests a high vibration sensitivity but limits hearing to very low frequencies, implying that early tetrapod ancestors were probably deaf to airborne sound.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario discovered a causal link between enhanced visual abilities and reorganization of brain areas in congenitally deaf cats. Visual localization and motion detection are the two specific abilities that are enhanced in deaf individuals.
A new study on British Sign Language found that signers make different mistakes in the sign and in mouthing, indicating separate brain processing for hand and lip movements. Researchers suggest that this suggests the signer is processing two languages simultaneously.
A new device can transmit American Sign Language over US cellular networks, allowing for fast and reliable communication. The tool has been tested by deaf and hard-of-hearing students, who found it to be a game-changer for their daily lives.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati propose that the structure of vodkas is responsible for variation in taste. The team found that different vodkas have varying levels of a cage-like hydrogen-bonded structure, which could affect the way they are perceived by the palate.
A new gene has been discovered that explains variability in symptoms of Usher syndrome, a condition affecting hearing and vision. The discovery could lead to more precise genetic diagnosis and improved treatment options for patients.
A recent study has linked leptin action in the brain to sepsis survival. Researchers found that leptin mediates actions in the central nervous system, improving the host response to a standard model of sepsis.
A study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that early cochlear implantation dramatically improves deaf children's language development. Children who received implants before 18 months caught up with their normal-hearing counterparts over three years.
The new tactile learning book 'Touch the Earth' will be presented by NASA at the Earth Day Celebration on the National Mall. The book teaches middle school students about Earth's biomes using multimedia approaches, including sound, visual aids, and Braille. It aims to improve accessibility in science education.
Deaf children with cochlear implants show improved communication skills, reducing grade failures and delays in reading and writing. Despite initial struggles, they achieve satisfactory educational and employment successes after implantation.
Researchers are developing new assessment tools in British Sign Language (BSL) to identify dementia among Deaf people, who often face unique challenges in accessing care and support. The study aims to improve early diagnosis and provide tailored services for this underserved population.
A new study from UT Southwestern Medical Center found that deaf children with cochlear implants report a similar quality of life to that of normal-hearing peers. The earlier a child is implanted and wears the device, the better their overall quality of life and school performance.
A new study by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers found that deaf children's word-learning skills are strongly affected by their early auditory experience, whether through normal means or with a cochlear implant. Children who received the implant at a young age performed similarly to their normal-hearing counterparts.
Researchers have created mice with a mutation that mimics hereditary deafness, shedding light on progressive hearing loss in children. The study provides new insights into the effects of soundwave processing and potential damage caused by inner ear compensation.
A twin study found that face recognition is heritable and influenced by separate genes than general intelligence or IQ. The study's findings support a modularity hypothesis, suggesting specialized brain regions for specific cognitive skills like face recognition.
Children with bilateral cochlear implants exhibit poor initial voice control but show significant improvement as they use their hearing aids for extended periods. Targeted speech therapies could help address these voice abnormalities.