Psychoacoustics and Cochlear Implant Speech Perception

Graeme Clark is responsible for the pioneering research and development of the Bionic Ear – a multiple-channel Cochlear Implant. The Cochlear Implant has brought hearing and speech understanding to over 120,000 people with a severe-to-profound hearing loss, in more than 100 countries.

His research resulted in the first clinically successful interface between the world of sound and human consciousness and has paved the way for many advances in the areas of physical and biological sciences for health care. Professor Clark is internationally recognized for his contribution to his field.

In 2009 he received the Otto Schmitt Award by the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (this award recognizes a Biomedical Engineer for exceptional contributions to the advancement of the field of medical and biological engineering and presented every three years at the World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering) and awarded a Doctorate Honoris Causa of the University of Zaragoza in 2008.

In 2004, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (Australia’s highest civil honor), made a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, and has won numerous awards including the Zülch Prize, from the Max Planck Society, 2007 (the most prestigious scientific distinction in basic neurological research in Germany). His honors also include Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, 2005 (the highest award by the College of Surgeons); the International Speech Communication Association (ISCA) Medal, 2005 (the most prestigious award in speech science); and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, 2003 (the highest honor of the Royal Society of Medicine).

The 20th International
Congress on Acoustics