Congratulations to our 2022 winners, Prarthana, Anaiya, Serena and Dhariti from Avanti Fields School. The group baked a cake in the shape of a cochlear implant to demonstrate the physics behind the devices. Take a look at their entry and cover letter:
“First things first, what is a cochlear implant? In simple words, it is a substitute for a hearing aid. Usually, the cochlea is used to change sound vibrations into electrical signals, which it then sends through the auditory nerve to the brain. A cochlear implant consists of two parts: An external piece, that normally hangs behind the ear, takes in sound to then process it into electrical signals that are then sent via radio frequency to an internal receiver. A thin wire and small electrodes lead to the cochlea. The wire sends signals to the cochlear nerve, which sends sound information to the brain to produce a hearing sensation. Even though normal hearing is not fully restored, with regular therapy and practice, the hearing experience, which is vastly improved, can mean an increased awareness of sounds in the environment, as well as better communication through easier lip reading. In conclusion, without physics giving us an amazing understanding of sound waves and frequencies, people all over the world would still be flooded with the problem of not being able to communicate easily.”
