Light-Based Hearing: Is it Possible?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of hearing with one's eyes and the potential for rewiring the brain to interpret light as audio. Some suggest using cameras and touch patterns, while others mention synesthesia as a potential example. However, it is noted that significant upgrades would be needed for the eyes to detect vibrations in the air as sound.
  • #1
Zackhood88
1
0
Ok, I am not even remotely a physicist. However I did have this thought.
Is it possible to hear with your eyes. Can a device be rendered in such a way to transmit light so that when the eyes saw it, that it would be interpreted as Audio not video so to speak.

Just general curiosity!

Any comments are welcome. Even the "Your a moron" kind
Thanks
 
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  • #2
Zackhood88 said:
Ok, I am not even remotely a physicist. However I did have this thought.
Is it possible to hear with your eyes. Can a device be rendered in such a way to transmit light so that when the eyes saw it, that it would be interpreted as Audio not video so to speak.

Just general curiosity!

Any comments are welcome. Even the "Your a moron" kind
Thanks

Sure. Depends on how much and how intrusively you want to rewire the brain.

A less intrusive thing to do would be to set up cameras that see ahead, then convert that signal into an audio tone - or better yet, a haptic (touch) pattern. The reason touch would be better than hearing is that touch, like sight, is a 2-dimensional plane, whereas hearing is one-dimensional.
 
  • #3
I might be interpreting your question a bit too literally, but you'd have to give your eyes a serious upgrade before you could see the vibrations in the air.
 
  • #4
TheOtherDave said:
I might be interpreting your question a bit too literally, but you'd have to give your eyes a serious upgrade before you could see the vibrations in the air.

If you were to take his question literally, you will see that he presumes that what the eyes will be detecting is light ("..transmit light so that when the eyes saw it.."), but that it is only after the light is detected that it is interpreted as audio.
 
  • #5
DaveC426913 said:
Sure. Depends on how much and how intrusively you want to rewire the brain.
I'm pretty sure the brain would need to be re-wired as in a synesthete.

http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx [Broken]

My oldest daughter sees numbers as colors. My youngest sees geometric shapes in everything.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #6
Years ago a friend of mines mum who works in a drosophila lab produced a lineage where the visual and smell processing was reversed. They saw smells and smelt colours apparently though I have no idea how they did this or how they knew it was done correctly.
 
  • #7
DaveC426913 said:
If you were to take his question literally, you will see that he presumes that what the eyes will be detecting is light ("..transmit light so that when the eyes saw it.."), but that it is only after the light is detected that it is interpreted as audio.

Hmm... It is possible that I might not have interpreted his question literally enough... :smile:
 

1. Is light-based hearing a real possibility?

Yes, it is a real possibility. Scientists have been studying the potential for light-based hearing for decades and have made significant progress in understanding how it could work.

2. How does light-based hearing differ from traditional hearing?

Traditional hearing relies on sound waves to stimulate the auditory nerve, while light-based hearing would use light waves to stimulate the nerve. This would allow individuals with hearing impairments to potentially hear a wider range of frequencies.

3. What are the potential benefits of light-based hearing?

Light-based hearing could potentially provide better sound quality and a wider range of frequencies compared to traditional hearing aids. It could also potentially help individuals with certain types of hearing loss, such as sensorineural hearing loss.

4. What challenges are scientists facing in developing light-based hearing?

One of the main challenges is finding a way to convert light waves into electrical signals that can be processed by the auditory nerve. Additionally, there is still a lot of research needed to fully understand how the brain would interpret these signals and create a sense of sound.

5. When can we expect to see light-based hearing technology available?

It is difficult to predict an exact timeline for when light-based hearing technology will be available, as it is still in the early stages of research and development. However, some companies are already working on prototypes and it is possible that we may see some form of light-based hearing technology in the near future.

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