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Habilitation beyond the Bionic Metaphor: Producing Deafnesses of the Future
Stephanie Lloyd1, Chani Bonventre1
1Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Science, Technology & Human Values
|March 20, 2025
Summary
Cochlear implants (CIs) research initially focused on speech, influenced by a "bionic ear" metaphor. This perspective limits understanding, necessitating a shift to embrace diverse experiences and non-normative life with CIs.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Medical Technology Studies
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Early cochlear implant (CI) research in the 1970s focused on speech outcomes.
- The understanding of CIs evolved, influenced by the "bionic ear" metaphor aiming to normalize hearing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically examine the historical development and influence of the "bionic ear" metaphor in CI research.
- To advocate for a paradigm shift in CI research and understanding.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of CI research and expectations.
- Fieldwork in Australia, Canada, and the United States.
- Forty-three interviews with audiology, psychoacoustics, and neuroscience experts.
Main Results:
- The "bionic ear" metaphor has shaped research and expectations, potentially limiting a comprehensive understanding of CI use.
- There is a need to move beyond the normalization paradigm to include diverse experiences.
Conclusions:
- A decisive break from the "bionic ear" metaphor is required for CI research.
- This shift will foster more inclusive understandings of CIs and brain-computer interfaces, accommodating non-normative experiences.
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