Graeme Clark
The Man Who Invented the Bionic Ear
Will be published approx. on 29. July 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-76011-315-5 (ISBN)
Description
As a young man, Graeme Clark read about Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie and other great scientists, little knowing that one day he would join their ranks. After watching his father struggle with hearing problems, Graeme knew he wanted to find a solution to deafness.
Graeme became a surgeon, and his quiet persistence and methodical approach yielded results that fulfilled his childhood dream. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have now received the gift of hearing from the cochlear implant he developed. The first major medical 'bionic' implant technology, it has transformed the everyday lives of people who are profoundly deaf. Throughout his career, his belief that the impossible could be achieved, his strong family support and his Christian faith have sustained him through many obstacles, and helped him overcome resistance to his ideas from people who doubted them.
This new biography tells the inspiring story of Graeme's life, and the triumphs and the setbacks behind the invention of the bionic ear.
Graeme became a surgeon, and his quiet persistence and methodical approach yielded results that fulfilled his childhood dream. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have now received the gift of hearing from the cochlear implant he developed. The first major medical 'bionic' implant technology, it has transformed the everyday lives of people who are profoundly deaf. Throughout his career, his belief that the impossible could be achieved, his strong family support and his Christian faith have sustained him through many obstacles, and helped him overcome resistance to his ideas from people who doubted them.
This new biography tells the inspiring story of Graeme's life, and the triumphs and the setbacks behind the invention of the bionic ear.
Reviews / Votes
What Mark Worthing does is bring home the effect of the implants on people's lives * The Saturday Age * [A] Ringing tribute to dedication... Science historian Mark Worthing delves far back into Clark's childhood, exploring the factors that motivated this vision and the personal attributes that helped him achieve it. -- John Ross * Weekend Australian * An interesting and sometimes moving biography of a fascinating scientific pioneer who helped to bring hearing to the profoundly deaf. -- Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society and Nobel LaureateMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
St Leonards
Australia
Illustrations
1 x 8pp colour photos, 1 x 8pp b&w photos
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
361 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-76011-315-5 (9781760113155)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2015
Allen & Unwin
€16.49
Available for download
Person
Mark Worthing is a historian of science and a senior researcher with Lutheran Education Australia, Adelaide.
Content
Foreword by Li CunxinIntroduction: An (extra)ordinary couple1 Tears of joy2 Childhood in Camden3 'When I grow up, I'm going to fix ears'4 Boarding school in Sydney5 Brains, bones and exams6 Student Christian Movement7 Margaret8 UK studies9 Ship's surgeon and Cairo castaway10 Resettling in Australia11 Australia's youngest professor of medicine12 Reginald Ansett and the Channel 10 telethons13 Imagining the impossible14 'That clown, Clark'15 Assembling the team16 The gold box17 Life at Eltham and Kiama18 Study leave in England 1975-7619 A day at the beach20 The race to code speech21 1 August 1978: The birth of bionics22 More surgeries and the first failures23 The faith of a scientist24 Federal funding at last25 The bionic ear hits the market26 Implants for children27 Even children born deaf shall hear28 The signing Deaf community29 The Bionic Ear Institute and the future of bionics30 Success and sadness at millennium's turn31 'Retirement'Epilogue: 'Professor Clark, that kiss belongs to you!'Appendix 1: Recognitions and awardsAppendix 2: Scientific innovationsAppendix 3: Selected publicationsAcknowledgementsNotesIndex