Roadshow warns of MP3 “timebomb”
11 July 2008
Deafness Research UK has launched an innovative new roadshow to remind young people of the risks they face to their hearing from loud music if they don’t turn down the volume on their MP3 players.
The charity hopes that its show, The Bionic Ear Show, will help get across the message about limiting exposure to loud music and preventing premature deafness, particularly from the abuse of MP3 volume controls which continues to be a serious problem with teenagers in particular.
Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK, said, “The MP3 revolution has been fantastic in making music more accessible on the move. However, the worrying effect is that people may suffer permanent deafness and tinnitus far earlier than would be expected simply as the result of old age.
“We are particularly concerned about the lack of awareness of the issue amongst young people and we want to remind them of how precious and vulnerable their hearing is, but we have designed the show for people of all ages, and the message is as much for parents as it is for the youngsters.”
As well as having a serious message, the show, which features “the world’s largest ear”, is designed to be fun and interactive. During the performance, the presenter builds a model showing the different parts of the ear which stretches to a huge 22ft long – 116 times the size of a normal ear! In an interactive demonstration the audience learns how the ear works, what can go wrong, and what can be done to fix it. It's easy to understand, even with no science knowledge. There are demonstrations of what it sounds like to have high frequency hearing loss plus “Guess that tune!” - how easy or difficult is it for people with cochlear implants (so-called “bionic ears”) to recognise music?
Visitors can test their own hearing using do-it-yourself hearing screeners and at many of the shows there will be local ear experts on hand to answer any questions the audience may have.
The Bionic Ear Show is currently touring the UK (full details of the schedule follow below). The Bionic Ear Show schedule is subject to change in the future; an up-to-date version can be found at www.bionicearshow.org
