What have we ear? Excitement as ‘World’s Largest Ear’ set to arrive in Oxford!

24 February 2011

Following its overwhelming success over the last few years, national charity Deafness Research UK is on tour in 2011 again with its innovative Bionic Ear Roadshow. Sponsored by BUPA and the BIG Lottery Fund, the show aims to demonstrate how important and delicate people’s hearing is and to remind them of the risks they face to their hearing from loud music.

Bionic Ear Show presenter Tobin May - using an air horn to demonstrate how sound travels through air

The Bionic Ear Show's next port of call will be two shows as part of the Oxfordshire Science Festival (26 February – 20 March), taking place on the 26 February, where the charity hopes one of its key messages can be driven home - about limiting exposure to loud music by turning down the volume on MP3 players. Taking place at Blackwell’s Bookshop on Broad Street in Oxford, the Bionic Ear Show will demonstrate what it sounds like to have high frequency hearin loss, plus “Guess that tune” – allowing the audience to appreciate how easy or hard it is for people with cochlear implants (so-called “bionic ears”) to recognise everyday music.

Two family orientated shows will be delivered (one for adults, one for children) as part of the Oxfordshire Science Festival - providing an opportunity for everyone in the region to see the show and take part in this fun and interactive demonstration. Participants can also take a free hearing test, to check out their own hearing and to get advice and support about hearing loss, if needed.

The event gets underway in Bond Square marketplace, and the Bionic Ear Show will be running alongside from the start at 10am until 12.00 noon.

As well as the serious underlying message about hearing loss, the show is great fun and features among other things “the world’s largest ear!” During the show, the presenter constructs a model to highlight the different parts of the ear, which is over 22ft and 116 times the size of a normal human ear! Through this interactive and entertaining demonstration, the audience in Oxford will learn how the ear works, what can go wrong and what can be done to put things right.

“While the revolution in MP3 and phone technology has given us all the benefit of music on the move, an unwelcome side effect is we are pumping up the volume into our ears and at a far earlier age than ever before,” said Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK. “The fear is that many of us are playing music at such high volume that we risk permanent deafness and tinnitus far earlier than would be expected simply as a result of old age.

“One of the messages of the Bionic Ear Show is not to stop people using MP3 players, but to listen to their favourite sounds safely,” continued Vivienne. “Turning the volume down slightly is such a simple thing to do and will enable today’s generation to continue to enjoy their music for years to come.”

With free hearing tests, together with other interesting and informative demonstrations about how to protect your hearing, the Deafness Research UK Bionic Ear Show will be coming to a town or city near you. Call Laura Ganpot on 020 7679 8951 or email if you would like the show to come to your school, community group or company. More information is available on the website at www.bionicearshow.org

ENDS

Notes to editors


About the Bionic Ear Show

The Bionic Ear Show continues the campaign first launched in 2006 to highlight that hearing is as important as sight and to encourage people to protect their ears against potential damage. In launching the campaign, Deafness Research UK is stressing that young people today are at far greater risk of going prematurely deaf than their parents because they are listening to mobile phones and MP3 players at far too loud a volume and far too often.

A national survey found that over a third of all 16-34 year olds listened to their MP3 players for more than an hour a day and 14% listened for more than 28 hours a week. It also showed that 54% of people did not realise that listening to loud music on an MP3 player, in a nightclub or at a concert could damage their hearing.  

More than a third of people who have experienced ringing in their ears after listening to loud music listen to their MP3 player every day. Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, is a sign of damage to the hearing system.


About the Oxfordshire Science Festival
The Oxfordshire Science Festival (26 February – 20 March 2011) is an opportunity for organisations throughout the county to engage the public in their work through lectures, discussions, debates and interactive activities. The festival offers events for young children right through to adults. There are events for professional scientists and people with an interest in science however most events are aimed at regular people who just want to have fun and perhaps explore a topic that is important to them such as climate change, inheritance, music and sport. http://www.oxfordshiresciencefestival.co.uk/


About Deafness Research UK

• Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people.
• The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.
• Deafness Research UK is entirely dependent on voluntary donations, gifts and personal legacies. You can donate online at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk , or call 0207 7833 1733 for further information on how to support the charity.  
• The Deafness Research UK Advisory Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts, Freephone 0808 808 2222 or email
• For more information on research into deafness, tinnitus and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information.
• One in seven people in the UK – almost nine million people - suffer hearing loss.
• Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord (Jack) and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
• In January 2008, Action for Tinnitus Research (ATR) was linked with Deafness Research UK under a uniting direction order under section 96(6) of the Charities Act 1993.  
  

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Ref: DR-UK0350 – Bionic Ear Show Oxford Science Festival

www.deafnessresearch.org.uk