Is this really the cure for Deafness?

I recently read an article titled "New Stem Cell Therapy May Lead To Treatment For Deafness." Of course, I was intrigued to find out more details. "A new study led by Dr. Marcelo N. Rivolta of the University of Sheffield (in England) has successfully isolated human auditory stem cells from fetal cochleae (the auditory portion of the inner ear) and found they had the capacity to differentiate into sensory hair cells and neurons."

It probably sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo to us. No worries. Here's the details in simpler terms:

Your ear is made of many different parts.

Each part is responsible for a different function of the ear. This article focuses on the cochlea only.

The cochlea is designed to pretty much catch all the sounds and pass them onto its core component which is called the corti. 

The corti acts like an interpreter. It distinguishes and interprets all the different kinds of sounds. Inside the corti are millions of hair cells.

Each hair cell acts like a receptor. Each hair cell is responsible for only 1 sound. The corti takes all of those sounds received from the hair cells and sends an electrical signal to the brain. The brain  deciphers these signals.

If some of the hair cells happen to be damaged, then it will cause (sensorineural) hearing loss.

In this article, the researchers have found a way to grow their own hair cells which can be used to replace the hair cells in the corti (inside the cochlea).

In other words, say good-bye to the cochlear implant and say hello to this technique for the future!

Now my question to you, 

"How do you feel about this?"

Finally, Captioning for Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Sports Venues!!!

Here is some exciting news for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community! Finally, I can go to a baseball stadium and enjoy Closed Captioning (CC) on the jumbo screen. Finally, I can go to Deaflympics and enjoy the CC. Finally, I can go to the Air & Space Museum and enjoy subtitles.

Debra Joyce, President of NJCaptions , and Jennifer Bonfilio, , President of Team Captioning, combined with more than 30 years of experience in providing captioning, have decided to work together and founded a new company, Coast 2 Coast Captioning… Coast 2 Coast Captioning will “provide Communication Access Realtime Technology (CART) and Open & Closed Captioning services to sports and entertainment stadiums, arenas, auditoriums, and other public venues, as well as meeting and conference centers nationwide.”

http://www.c2ccaptioning.com

"There has been a significant jump in the number of hard-of-hearing consumers who are requesting captioning." 

Coast 2 Coast Captioning works closely with organizations such as Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) and Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), to adhere to the parameters of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in public places, and to provide the best experience and optimal communication for public safety.

Superbowl, here I come!!!!! haha.

A series of children books translated into American Sign Language (ASL)

While hearing children and adults are being exposed to ASL in ever increasing numbers, an ever decreasing number of Deaf children are given that same opportunity. What a powerful, yet scary statement! Unfortunately, it’s true. As much as statistics have proven that American Sign Language does indeed help children develop better, their exposure has been decreasing. (Babies)
I stumbled onto this website; http://www.asltales.net. I am impressed with what they are doing. I watched a few of their video clips and enjoyed watching  them.

They designed a series of children books and translated them into ASL. 

“We aspire to get your child excited about seeing and describing things visually - the foundation upon which all sign languages are formed. We have provided tools to send the motivated ASL learner on the path to understand and use the nuances of this beautiful language. And future signer or not, all readers will delight in the whimsy available in ASL and be exposed to why the American Deaf Community is so proud of its language.”

Check out one of their clips and see if you find them as interesting as I did.

So do you think Deaf or Hard of Hearing can dance???

Hey! So you think you can dance??? What about Deaf people??? Can Deaf people dance? Can they even feel the music? Well, Jarrell Robinson, a Deaf contestant from Glenwood, Illinois , seems to think so! He competed for a chance to be the best dancer on the show, "So You Think You Can Dance".

"I"m doing this for all the deaf community. I want them to know that deaf people can do anything. What they really want...if you put in your mind, you can do anything! As long you stay positive."

All the judges have agreed that Jarrell did a great job and is an inspirational role model for everyone else. Mad props to him.

So my question to you.

Where are the other Deaf dancers? Do we know any others?