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Rabbitt said the research is at least five to ten years away from implementation in a viable optical cochlear implant. To be practical, the size of the power supply and light source would have to be dramatically reduced, and power consumption would also have to be minimized to run on tiny batteries similar to those used in hearing aids. The research also has potential for treating vision impairment, balance problems and movement disorders like Parkinson's. The team also developed an infrared laser-based pacemaker, but current electrical pacemakers work well enough that no one is clamoring for a laser-powered replacement.
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kroseMay 10th 2011 6:07PM
Mr. Rabbitt has proposed an amazing solution to a serious, but commonly looked over disability. For many people that were not originally born deaf, but have experienced a moderate to severe hearing loss, the true tragedy comes from knowing that prevention was a possibility.
In many cases hearing loss originates through exposure to high decibels of repeated, everyday noise. Noise induced hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss. According to NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), “Approximately 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job, and an additional nine million are at risk for hearing loss from other agents such as solvents and metals.” With that, “Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational disease and the second most self-reported occupational illness or injury. Because of how prevalent hearing loss has become, solution like Mr. Rabbitt’s are far over-due, but thankfully in development. In the mean time, short term solutions that preventing hearing loss, such as wearing a hearing protection headset, become extremely important.
Mr. Rabbitts amazing breakthrough in laser implants is hopefully the start of something life changing for many people. There is no telling what restoring the full range of hearing to patients with infrared wavelengths could do for a society that on the brink of a hearing loss epidemic, but for now, taking preventative measures, such as implementing a high noise communication solution, might be the only solution.