I look so I can hear....

My crazy first week with a buzzing ear
I look so I can hear.... A buzzing ear makes a surprise appearance Looking back on the first week of realizing I had tinnitus almost brings a tear to my eye. Not to sound negative, but those that have or are currently experiencing unexplained buzzing ear sounds will know the frustrations and stupid thoughts that come with tinnitus. This week I […]
Wed, May 24 2017

7 of my favourite deaf awareness initiatives for 2017
I look so I can hear.... How Deaf Awareness Week is breaking down barriers It is Deaf Awareness Week in the UK, May 15 to 21, and in the theme of celebrating collaborative work, I want to share with you some of my favourite 2017 awareness initiatives. There were many to choose from, but the ones mentioned below touched my heart. […]
Thu, May 18 2017

Qatar Tourism – The importance of accessibility
I look so I can hear.... We delve into how Qatar Tourism is set to improve venue accessibility for people with disabilities before the 2022 World Cup.
Mon, May 15 2017

Deaf counselling can help you reach your full potential
I look so I can hear.... Interview with a deaf counsellor reveals how hard of hearing individuals can be empowered to reach their full potential.
Mon, May 15 2017

Unlock the facts and myths of tinnitus sounds
I look so I can hear.... There are many facts and myths surrounding tinnitus sounds and how to manage them. Check out the real story behind tinnitus.
Mon, May 15 2017

How to sleep with tinnitus sounds
I look so I can hear.... Tinnitus sounds and sleep don’t mix As a tinnitus sufferer, you may be surprised to hear that many people with this condition actually find sleep as a time of escape, that said unfortunately, there are still many people who find sleeping with tinnitus sounds is very difficult of a night. Everyone will experience some type of sleeping […]
Mon, Apr 03 2017

Deaf News – Living with hearing loss
I look so I can hear.... Good morning! We have a sunny morning here in London UK and I hope you’re starting to see spring appear where you are. There’s nothing like a bit of warm sunshine to lift our spirits. It’s time to put your feet up for this week’s read with a cuppa. I came across a couple of interesting articles this week […]
Sat, Apr 01 2017

Cochlear implant pros and cons
I look so I can hear.... 7 interesting cochlear implant pros and cons that will make you think. What does the cochlear implant do? How well does the cochlear implant work?
Fri, Mar 31 2017

4 year bilateral cochlear implant review
I look so I can hear.... I’ve just had my 4 year review of my cochlear implant hearing. My hearing is a straight -20db after turning down the volume a little, and it feels natural now to have such super hearing. I work from home a lot these days; I can hear the neighbours on one side when they argue and […]
Sun, Jun 05 2016

Train to be a velotype captioner
I look so I can hear.... Are you interested in training as a velotype captioner? Come to 121 Captions’ assessment day and find out if this is for you! Velotype Using the Velotype system, you can write up to 200 words per minute using a specially adapted keyboard, with free annual software upgrades. The software is available for Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh […]
Sat, Oct 31 2015

Lipreading the dregs of history
I look so I can hear.... It is with great disappointment that we have seen a video from the Royal Archives of the Queen and Queen Mother published in the newspapers with an attempted lipreading translation of the footage. As expert witness forensic lipreaders, working with the courts and police in the UK and internationally, we are well qualified to comment on […]
Sun, Jul 19 2015

HLAA Convention 2015
I look so I can hear.... We attended the HLAA convention in St Louis and we had such fun! It was great to see many old friends again and catch up on our amazing cyborg-ness. The photo shows the Japanese delegation, we were so pleased to be able to practice our Japanese.  今日は! One of them kept asking why Jacob had to raise money […]
Sun, Jun 28 2015

Live captioning comes to South Africa
I look so I can hear.... First successful pilot project – Live Captioning done at a local University in Cape Town, South Africa. We connect to a UK Captioning service via a microphone set up in the classroom. The captioner hears what is being said and writes the text back – coming up live on your device in 1 second. Funding […]
Thu, Apr 30 2015

Who’s the best lipreader of all?
I look so I can hear.... Lipreading has become a rather commercial activity in the last few years. I’ve been asked to lipread celebrities at royal weddings, the Royals at royal weddings, babies and parents at royal christenings, criminals, sports people, and even the unsuspecting public. I was born deaf and I have always been a lipreader. I am now totally […]
Sat, Feb 28 2015

Hands off our hearing aids!
I look so I can hear.... North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has announced proposals to withdraw the provision of NHS-funded hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss! This would be devastating for people with hearing loss, leaving thousands of local residents unable to communicate in their day-to-day lives. If the cuts go ahead in North Staffor...
Sat, Sep 13 2014

Say hello to real-time captioning on Google Glass
I look so I can hear.... Did you know? 121 Captions can now stream real-time captions to Google Glass on their caption streaming platform, 1CapApp. This means you can have a speech-to-text reporter (palantypist or stenographer), a CART writer, or an electronic notetaker listen to your conversation and stream it to your Glass as captions. BRILLIANT for deaf people! As with all […]
Sat, Sep 13 2014

2 year bilateral cochlear implant review
I look so I can hear.... So I’ve been bilateral for two years. Two amazing years. Life has taken over and I’ve been so busy that I haven’t made much time for focused rehabilitation exercises. I asked for my Advanced Bionics processors’ programming to be adjusted to include Clearvoice High with threshold levels reduced to zero, to improve sound in background […]
Sat, Sep 13 2014

Hands off our hearing aids!
I look so I can hear.... North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has announced proposals to withdraw the provision of NHS-funded hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss! This would be devastating for people with hearing loss, leaving thousands of local residents unable to communicate in their day-to-day lives. If the cuts go ahead in North Staffor...
Mon, Jul 28 2014

Say hello to real-time captioning on Google Glass
I look so I can hear.... Did you know? 121 Captions can now stream real-time captions to Google Glass on their caption streaming platform, 1CapApp. This means you can have a speech-to-text reporter (palantypist or stenographer), a CART writer, or an electronic notetaker listen to your conversation and stream it to your Glass as captions. BRILLIANT for deaf people! As with all […]
Sun, Feb 02 2014

2 year bilateral cochlear implant review
I look so I can hear.... So I’ve been bilateral for two years. Two amazing years. Life has taken over and I’ve been so busy that I haven’t made much time for focused rehabilitation exercises. I asked for my programming to be adjusted to include Clearvoice High with threshold levels reduced to zero, to improve sound in background noise. I asked […]
Tue, Dec 31 2013

FDA appoves Naída CI Q70 sound processor
I look so I can hear.... Advanced Bionics is excited to announce that the new Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI) sound processor has received FDA regulatory approval for commercial release and will soon be available throughout the United States.   WHOO HOO!
Fri, Oct 04 2013

Advanced Bionics Naída CI Q70 Review
I look so I can hear.... Here is the definitive, in-depth review of Advanced Bionic’s latest processor, the amazing Naída CI Q70! My new processor, the Naída Cl Q70, is smaller, lighter and even more discreet than the Harmony processor. With the battery is installed, it is much lighter on the ear. To be honest, it is so small that I almost […]
Fri, Oct 04 2013

The hunt for the Preston puma
I look so I can hear.... David talks about his hunt for the Preston puma. Check out some of his photos!
Fri, Oct 04 2013

FDA appoves Naída CI Q70 sound processor
I look so I can hear.... Advanced Bionics is excited to announce that the new Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI) sound processor has received FDA regulatory approval for commercial release and will soon be available throughout the United States.   WHOO HOO!
Wed, Aug 28 2013

Advanced Bionics Naída CI Q70 Review
I look so I can hear.... Here is the definitive, in-depth review of Advanced Bionic’s latest processor, the amazing Naída CI Q70! My new processor, the Naída Cl Q70, is smaller, lighter and even more discreet than the Harmony processor. With the battery is installed, it is much lighter on the ear. To be honest, it is so small that I almost […]
Sun, Aug 25 2013

The hunt for the Preston puma
I look so I can hear.... David talks about his hunt for the Preston puma. Check out some of his photos!
Fri, Aug 09 2013

FDA approval – Now What?
I look so I can hear.... MED-EL recently rolled out the RONDO processor.  Cochlear has just received FDA approval for the Nucleus 6.  And AB is awaiting FDA approval for the Naída CI.  Why isn’t the new hardware available as soon as it has been approved? Read on ….
Tue, Aug 06 2013

Nucleus 6 FDA Approval
I look so I can hear....   Image source: Nyhetsrummet The FDA has given approval to Cochlear’s Nucleus 6! Source: FDA Cochlear Nucleus 6 system
Mon, Aug 05 2013

Pardon? We asked for access in English not BSL – where...
I look so I can hear.... The National Disabilities Conference on 4 July in London was organised by Government Knowledge. This is an important event at this moment in time as benefits are being cut, wages are frozen, jobs are cut, and people with disabilities are increasingly marginalised. In the UK, less than 70,000 deaf people use sign language however there are approximately 10 […]
Fri, Jul 05 2013

Cochlear announces Nucleus 6 system
I look so I can hear.... Cochlear Americas have launched the Nucleus® 6 System, their most advanced hearing solution to date, designed with a clear purpose – to help you simply enjoy smarter hearing. The announcement doesn’t say when the processor will be available.  It is awaiting FDA approval in the US.  Key features of the processor include combined electro-acoustic stimulation, an...
Sat, Jun 22 2013

A bar for deaf people opens in London!
I look so I can hear.... A bar for deaf people has opened in London! The bar staff are deaf and can sign, there is a deaf security guard, a hard of hearing DJ, there are bright lights at the bar with pens & paper, the fire alarm has a flashing light, the signs are in BSL & English. Salsa, zumba, […]
Sat, Jun 22 2013

AB launches Naida CI Q70 in Europe and Canada
I look so I can hear.... “Sonova Holding AG, the world’s leading provider of hearing solutions, announces today that its subsidiary Advanced Bionics (AB) is launching its new Naída CI Q70 (Naida CI) sound processor. The device is now commercially available in Europe, Canada and several other countries in the world.” Naída CI Q70 User Guide Advanced Bionics – A quantum leap forward...
Sat, Jun 22 2013

A bar for deaf people opens in London!
I look so I can hear.... A bar for deaf people has opened in London! The bar staff are deaf and can sign, there is a deaf security guard, a hard of hearing DJ, there are bright lights at the bar with pens & paper, the fire alarm has a flashing light, the signs are in BSL & English. Salsa, zumba, […]
Wed, May 29 2013

AB launches Naida CI Q70 in Europe and Canada
I look so I can hear.... “Sonova Holding AG, the world’s leading provider of hearing solutions, announces today that its subsidiary Advanced Bionics (AB) is launching its new Naída CI Q70 (Naida CI) sound processor. The device is now commercially available in Europe, Canada and several other countries in the world.” Naída CI Q70 User Guide Advanced Bionics – A quantum leap forward...
Thu, May 23 2013

Cochlear launches Nucleus 6 system
I look so I can hear.... Cochlear Americas have launched the Nucleus® 6 System, their most advanced hearing solution to date, designed with a clear purpose – to help you simply enjoy smarter hearing. The announcement doesn’t say when the processor will be available.  It is awaiting FDA approval in the US.  Key features of the processor include combined electro-acoustic stimulation, an...
Thu, May 23 2013

MED-EL: 2 Ways to Hear
I look so I can hear.... As of today, May 23, MED-EL will have a special offer for RONDO and OPUS 2 – it’s called “2 Ways to Hear.” Basically, it means that anybody who chooses a MED-EL cochlear implant from now until December 31, 2013, will receive both the RONDO single-unit processor and the OPUS 2 behind-the-ear processor. This offer […]
Thu, May 23 2013

Competition: He Is Not Me
I look so I can hear.... There are two weeks left to win a signed copy of ‘He Is Not Me’. In less than 200 words, write about your favourite cochlear implant moment. You don’t need to be a CI user. Open to CI recipients, their friends and family, and even their audiologist, speech therapists and surgeons. Deadline for entries: 12:00 […]
Wed, May 15 2013

MED-EL RONDO Review
I look so I can hear.... by Joe Duarte / cochlearimplanthelp.com RONDO is the world’s first single-unit processor for cochlear implants. Initial impressions RONDO is a single-unit “button processor” compared to a BTE that has a separate coil. Because my hair is short, the RONDO is more noticeable than the OPUS 2. People have asked me more questions about the RONDO [...]
Fri, Apr 26 2013

Running a marathon
I look so I can hear.... I still can’t believe I’ve just run 26.2 miles! In January I started training for this year’s London Marathon. I surprised everyone as I was going to run with only 3 months training behind me. Normally, you need 6 months. I’ve never run a race before. I wanted to raise funds for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, [...]
Mon, Apr 22 2013

MED-EL Launches World’s First Single-Unit Processor for...
I look so I can hear.... RONDO processor combines control unit, battery pack, and coil into a compact, single-unit design. Read MED-EL’s press release here and more news here.
Wed, Apr 10 2013

Fully Implantable CI Patent Application from Cochlear
I look so I can hear.... Cochlear leaps ahead in the fully-implantable technology race. Cochlear has submitted a patent application to the US Patent and Trademark Office for a fully-implantable cochlear implant.  While there are already many patents by all manufacturers for these devices, this one seems to go way beyond the state of the art. The biggest advance seems to be in [...]
Mon, Apr 01 2013

Spy Photo – CR210 Basic Remote Control for Cochlear CP900...
I look so I can hear.... Thanks to Cochlear Implant HELP for the shoutout!
Thu, Mar 21 2013

New Cochlear Processor Spy Photos
I look so I can hear.... These photos confirm that Cochlear’s new processor will be available in two versions.  The larger one has an accessory port, which can be used for direct audio input, a lapel microphone, or with earbuds or headphones to check that the processor and audio accessories are working properly. Notice that two rechargeable battery sizes are shown. [...]
Thu, Mar 14 2013

Marathon training: Day 32
I look so I can hear.... The dreaded calf muscle cramp reared its ugly head in my left leg again this week, during my street sprinting on Tuesday. I had warmed up with a slow one mile jog but I hadn’t stretched before my run. I did a street loop with the group as a warm up, then we started sprinting [...]
Sun, Mar 10 2013

Marathon training : Day 24
I look so I can hear.... … it was 9.35am, I was 5 minutes late for my session with my personal trainer Darren. I’d travelled from Wimbledon to Hackney on a cold Saturday morning. It was shiveringly cold! Darren: Where did you phone me from? Me: [Sarcastically] My mobile! Darren: [puzzled look] Me: I called you when I got off the [...]
Sat, Mar 02 2013

Marathon training: Day 19,20
I look so I can hear.... Day 19 had a 30 minute run at the crack of dawn on the treadmill. Boring as! So I found a local running club online and turned up tonight – only a 15 minute walk from my house! I was thrilled to discover the running group is based in a huge leisure centre with a [...]
Thu, Feb 28 2013

New Cochlear Processor
I look so I can hear.... Once again, CochlearimplantHELP.com delivers spy images of a new product!  The CP900 series  from Cochlear, dubbed Nucleus 6 on various web forums,  seems to come in two sizes.  The image shows two different battery sizes, but the processors themselves are different as well.
Wed, Feb 13 2013

Interview with Advanced Bionics Senior Executives
I look so I can hear.... CochlearimplantHELP recently interviewed two senior executives at Advanced Bionics. Tracey Kruger, Vice President of Global Marketing, and Cedric Navarro, Vice President of Regulatory/Clinical Affairs and Quality have given us extraordinary insight into the workings of a cochlear implant manufacturer. Because of the singular amount of information that they have provi...
Tue, Feb 12 2013

Sign2sing project aims for a Guinness World Record
I look so I can hear....   Ten-year-old Ruby Tuckley from Wallingford taught sign language to her fellow pupils and staff at St John’s Primary School in Wallingford for a charity world record breaker yesterday (February 6, 2013). Ruby and her Mum Hannah Bullen, who is deaf, were joined by pupils and SignHealth’s mascot, Olli the monkey for the sign2sing world [...]
Fri, Feb 08 2013

  Ten-year-old Ruby Tuckley from Wallingford taught sign...
I look so I can hear....   Ten-year-old Ruby Tuckley from Wallingford taught sign language to her fellow pupils and staff at St John’s Primary School in Wallingford for a charity world record breaker yesterday (February 6, 2013). Ruby and her Mum Hannah Bullen, who is deaf, were joined by pupils and SignHealth’s mascot, Olli the monkey for the sign2sing world [...]
Fri, Feb 08 2013