Currently browsing category

News, Page 12

Sarah Flynn – Clinical Scientist (Audiology) – Retirement

Sarah retired at the end of November 2020.  She was an Audiologist and colleague who worked at USAIS as the lead in Bone Anchored Hearing Devices.  Sarah reflects on her working life below: During my 23 plus years at the Auditory Implant Service I have met many interesting and wonderful staff, patients and others in the wider auditory implant field. I have moved buildings, the department has changed it’s name and staff have come and gone. Continue reading →

Development of a wearable haptic device based on CI professionals and users’ recommendations

  Ahmed Bin Afif is an Institute of Sound and Vibration (ISVR) PhD student.  He is working with the Auditory Implant Service (AIS) to explore ways to improve cochlear implant users’ access to sound, particularly in more challenging listening environments.   As part of this work, we are looking at developing a vibro-tactile (also known as haptic) device. Continue reading →

Living with Deafness inspires Jacqueline Haskell

Living with deafness inspires Jacqueline Haskell's debut poetry collection for Myriad's spotlight on unrepresented writers Published 29 January 2020 - Price £5 per book ISBN 978-1-912408-46-7 or E-ISBN 978-1-912408-47-4 Link to entire book collection This dazzling series shows that if the barriers can be vaulted there is true beauty to be had from the lesser-walked streets of literature. Continue reading →

COVID-19 Update 3rd November 2020 (pre November 2020 Lockdown)

Following the most recent guidance from the Government, effective from Thursday 5 November for at least 4 weeks, we have reviewed our working practise to ensure that we will be complying with national restrictions.  USAIS is already implementing a maximally Covid-safe scenario with reduced activity, so we do not envisage any change at all in terms of how USAIS is running for the new lockdown, though of course we will keep this under review. Continue reading →

COVID-19 Update October 2020

USAIS is currently running a limited service with an amended clinic timetable to ensure that we remain Covid-safe.  This means that we have set times when we are able to see patients so we can control how many people are in the waiting room at any one time.  We have a backlog of appointments, including upgrades that need to be booked which we are working through. Continue reading →

On-line course for those who support USAIS patients

USAIS staff will be delivering the first on-line course, using Microsoft Teams, for those who support cochlear implant patients.   The course will take place on the morning of Friday, 23rd October and is an Introduction to cochlear implants. This popular course has been run at the University annually for the past few years but due to COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, USAIS will be running the course on line in 2020. Continue reading →

‘Dad, it’s the first time we have ever phoned each other’

Published on LinkedIn on August 21, 2020   Matthew Johnston Yesterday, for the first time, I had the opportunity to do something that people all over the world do every day.  I called my son. ‘Dad, it’s the first time we have ever phoned each other’, said my son Harry. He’s 22 years old and talking to him on the phone was a defining moment for me. For those of you who don’t know me, I should probably explain. Continue reading →

Research on electro-haptics published in Nature Research

As well as treating patients with hearing difficulties USAIS also undertakes research.  Our latest research about the use electrodes on the skin, known as electro-haptics, to improve hearing, by locating the direction of sound and increasing the accuracy of speech heard has been published.  The research aims, methodology and results have been published in the prestigious on-line journal, Nature Research. Continue reading →