Device allows deaf to 'hear' music through skin

that is pretty freakin awesome

Science is awesome. It's like Jesus Christ 2.0(i.e. healing the deaf ) except real and factual.

That is fantastic! What an amazing discovery! It reminds me of (and I'm no historian, so correct me if I'm wrong) how Beethoven used vibrations to hear and compose his musical work. The human body is truly an amazing collection of particles.

That is awesome! I'd love to see the feedback from some deaf users!

this is the kind of tech that gives me hope in the ability of mankind.

I have never known any deaf people personally, but I am aware that, prior to this, the deaf were able to feel the vibrations of bass in music. I know this from two strange (perhaps laughable) sources: one was an episode of "Quantum Leap" (lol), where Sam had to help a gorgeous, deaf dancer who allowed the bass vibrations of music to inform her movements; the other was a magazine article some years back about an American college football team, composed either exclusively of deaf players or of some deaf players (I can't recall which), that kept their snap count through a bass drum on the sidelines.

Nonetheless, I think it's phenomenal that something other than bass can be perceived by the deaf. As important and influential as music has been to my life, I couldn't imagine living life only able to "receive" booty music.

BUM... BUM... BUM... BUM-BUM-BUM-BUM,

BUM... BUM... BUM... etc...

eek!

There was a TED talk by a deaf percussionist that discussed the idea of listening with the whole body. Interesting stuff =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU3V6zNER4g&feature=channel_page

amazing! i'm sure it could provide a lot of therapeutic value to kids with autism too!

Sephroe,

I REALLY like that last sentence. For some reason I feel strongly that you could replace the word "creativity" with "courage," and the statement would be equally true.

Regardless, thanks. I never cease to be amazed at the way a beautifully turned phrase like yours can trigger an insight I might never have experienced otherwise (of course, I COULD just be incredibly shallow, but let's set that possibility aside just for the moment...). I know you didn't have me in mind when you shared this, but I hope you won't mind if I accept the gift anyway.

The fact about the universe is that nothing is impossible to achieve as long as a person and/or group believes with every fiber of their being that it is not only possible, but plausible.

This is a great addition to the reference from "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill where his son was born 'without ears' and would be deaf all his life, but through the will of the author he worked with the child to gain him 60% of his hearing, and eventually the hearing aid became invented which granted his son 100% hearing despite what doctors and everyone else believed.

Thank you for posting this article, subjects of this natura are always note worthy even if they don't garner the most ratings/attention due to a lack of entertainment.

I personally find it very entertaining to see real life drama and suspense unfold as real people experience a real change in their life for the better. Anyone can write a good story, but to live one takes real creativity.

Delia. Deep breaths. This is a fascinating story. On the one hand, it could change these people's lives in extraordinary ways. I simply don't know enough of the details to speculate, but if the level of sensitivity is such that they could actually discern the spoken word via these sensations the impact would be staggering. I am not sure many people stop to think about how differently the lives of many deaf people proceed from their own. There are just enough heart-rending Lifetime Channel movies airing to give people the impression that with a little "pluck" and "stick-to-it-iveness" any person who is deaf or hard of hearing will grow up as just the kid at the next desk over. Of course, that is a pipe dream for most since most schools don't have anywhere NEAR the resources necessary to accommodate such children as part of a regular class of hearing students. As such, they are reminded at every turn of their "differentness" at just the time when being different in any way can be so terribly painful for a child. On the other hand, unless I am missing something, this development is not going to do anything along the lines of stimulating the portion of the brain that would register sound in a hearing person, so I gather that while communication might be made possible, we don't want to assume quite yet that they will suddenly develop an appreciation of Mozart unless the way in which they are able to discern these vibrations can truly convey that level of richness and sensory sophistication. That does not detract from its importance, of course. I am just trying to place it on the spectrum from where they are today to where they would ultimately like to be.

Thank you very much, Delia. Keep breathing.

That is fucking amazing.

I love science.

HOW is it that this got voted up but with such little discussion? No one cares about HEARING THROUGH YOUR SKIN? YOUR SKIN!!!

Hearing through skin, wow, this has some unusual potential.

Wow. Amazing research and quite the clever idea. Rather than Reverse their hearing impairment, create a completely new way to communicate information.
Great find Delia.