The Bionic Ear Show takes to the road
14 November 2007
Following successful previews in 2007, The Bionic Ear Show 2008 opens in Brighton at the end of February.
It quickly heads up to the far north east of Scotland to science festivals in Moray and Caithness during March, before touring the rest of the UK and Ireland, finishing in London in December. It's a deliberately hectic schedule to give as many people as possible the chance to see the show.
What's all the fuss about? What is The Bionic Ear Show and why do we want so many people to see it?
Deafness Research UK is concerned about the general lack of understanding about the ear and how it works. This ignorance is putting our hearing at risk because we don't realise how easily it can be damaged: this is especially true of young people who are spending more and more time listening to potentially damaging levels of noise.
The show is an interactive demonstration of the whole hearing system looking at how the ear works, what can go wrong, and what can be done to fix it. It's easy to understand, even if you have no science knowledge. But there's plenty to learn too, even if you read Soundbite regularly and think you know quite a lot about the ear already. The show includes demonstrations of what it sounds like to have high frequency hearing loss plus examples of how speech and music are heard by people with cochlear implants.
At many of the shows there will be a hearing scientist on hand to answer your questions. There will be information available about the ear, hearing and tinnitus, and at some shows you'll be able to test your hearing and discuss the results with an audiologist.
While there's much to learn, we'll be having some fun as well with lots of activity to join in with during the show. There will be a Mexican wave to illustrate how hearing cells respond to sound. And have you have ever wondered how loud you can shout? Or do you suspect that someone you know is particularly loud? This is the chance to find out, by taking part in our loudest person competition.
So, bring along your partners, children, friends... and even your boss! If you have a hearing loss, you may find them more understanding by the end of the show. You can even nominate your local school to see a Bionic Ear Show: it is adaptable to suit most ages.
Check our dedicated website, www.bionicearshow.org, to see when the show is coming to your area. Alternately, contact Tobin May on 020 7679 8973 or email tobin.may@deafnessresearch.org.uk. Details will also be carried in local press.
The Bionic Ear Show has been developed by Deafness Research UK in partnership with Science Made Simple. It is kindly supported by the Wellcome Trust and the Scottish Government.
