Summary: A PhD student at RMIT has been recognized as a finalist in the Victorian International Education Awards for his work on hybrid cochlear implants.

Takeaways:

  1. Ajmal Abdul Azees’ research focuses on a groundbreaking hybrid cochlear implant that uses light instead of electricity to stimulate the auditory nerve, potentially transforming hearing technology.
  2. Pre-clinical trials of Azees’ hybrid cochlear implant are currently underway, offering hope to millions of people worldwide with hearing impairments
  3. His recognition as a finalist in the Victorian International Education Awards highlights the strong educational ties between Sri Lanka and Australia.

Ajmal Abdul Azees, a PhD student from Sri Lanka, has been recognized as a finalist in the research category of the 2024 Victorian International Education Awards for his work on hybrid cochlear implants.

The Victorian International Education Awards are an initiative of the Victorian Government in Australia to recognize Victoria’s exceptional international students and recent alumni.

The Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka says Azees’ work on hybrid cochlear implants is supporting advancements in hearing technology. In a congratulatory message, the High Commission added that this was another example of the positive impact of Australia and Sri Lanka educational ties. 

“It’s really good recognition. I had tears in my eyes,” Azees, a student from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, says of the honor. “So far, I have worked three and a half years on my PhD and it’s like paying off what you have done with some recognition, which tells you that you have done something.”

Overhauling the Cochlear Implant

Azees, who traveled from Sri Lanka to study at RMIT and is also a researcher at the Bionics Institute, has overhauled the cochlear implant, which has remained unchanged since 1978.  

Pre-clinical trials of the cochlear implant are currently underway at St Vincent’s Hospital, according to a news release.

“[The cochlear implant] helps people to hear again, but it uses electricity. So my project was involved in different technology using light to stimulate the auditory nerve to help people to hear again,” he says. “Globally around 700 million people are deaf. [The recognition] will raise awareness of what I’m trying to do and help with my future research. So that’s a good feeling.”

Further reading: Researchers Uncover Word-Recognition Strategies Used by Cochlear Implant Wearers

Featured image: Ajmal Abdul Azees. Photo: Newswire/ RMIT Australia