University of Michigan research

May 27, 2011

HI All,

Just returned from Ann Arbor, MI, where I participated in 4 days of

research on cochlear implants. Many people have asked what it entails,

so here goes:

It was MIND numbingly boring. Listen to 4 tones, pick out the one that

is different. The better you get, the harder it gets. Over and over

again. Then listen to words with different first consonants and pick the

correct one of 12. Sounds like BA, CHA, DA, FA, GA, JA, KA, LA, MA, NA,

PA, RA, SA, SHA, TA, VA, WA, YA, ZA, With and without noise. Male and

female voices. I keep remembering in German, JA is prounounced YA, and

they'd say YA, and I'd hit JA. D'uh.

Then comes consonant, vowel, consonant words like had, hid, haid, hoad,

hod, hud, hawed, head, who'd, and so forth. So first and last sounds are

the same, and you have to pick the correct word just from hearing the

vowels. With and without noise. Aren't Haid and Head the same word

depending on where you were born?

Next comes sentences, in noise. Every time you got it right, they

lowered the volume. Get it wrong, they increase the volume. All with

background noises, male and female voices.

And you do the WHOLE thing, first with just your right CI, then just your

left, then together. Then with CIs set on different programs from the

ones you are used to. Believe me, my eyes were drifting, the walls were

closing in. Good to get out. They give you as many breaks as you want,

though.

If you can stay awake, it's an interesting experience. If you live

within 200 miles of Ann Arbor, they can probably use you for the

research. You must be bilateral for at least a year. They pay hourly,

mileage and hotel costs. You get to pay for the meals.

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