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New implant may provide clearer, richer sound for people who are deaf
Science NationThe cochlear implant is widely considered to be the most successful neural prosthetic on the market. The implant helps individuals who are deaf perceive sound. It works by translating auditory information into electrical signals that go directly to the brain, bypassing cells that don't serve this function as they should because they are damaged. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 188,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants since the devices were introduced in the early 1980s, including roughly 41,500 adults and 25,500 children in the United States. Despite the prevalence of cochlear implants, the devices have a long way to go before their performance is comparable to that of the intact human ear.
Credit: National Science Foundation
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