We often think that our sight is our main sense. In some ways, it is. But us older men who have diminished hearing know that our ears are mighty important, too.
A couple of years ago, I had my hearing tested and was told that I had some loss in the high frequencies. They said I would be not able to hear a mosquito buzz. That didn't seem too bad but then they said that the same high frequency was the sound level needed to be able to clearly distinguish between certain explosive consonants in speech, such as the difference between "d" and "t". When we did the Brain Fitness Program, the section on hearing that difference was very difficult. Posit Science advises the person to keep trying and to make a choice as to what might be the sound, since that sort of conscious practice may bring back a little of one's ability.
When I was teaching over live television, most people assumed that the video was key. However, we found that the class could proceed all right if my voice was transmitted but with no sound, we had to abandon the session.
In some of the blogs I follow on at my blog site, there have been research posts recently on how people gauge the sexiness and attractiveness of others by their voice. Another research study said that people can fairly accurately sense a man's strength from his voice and that how it is done is unknown. The researchers checked and the ability was not related to tone or pitch.
I often think that the exact voice tone, speed and timing of delivery is a big carrier of both meaning and emotional state. I can say the words "Well, certainly" in a way that communicates I agree with someone or that I actually rather doubt what has just been said.
My teaching experiences have made clear to me just how valuable telephones in all their forms are for human communication.
I have heard that when telephones were first becoming available, someone asked why anyone would want to talk to someone they don't know and have never met. In today's world, the question seems odd. We know the value of voice communication.
I guess it is possible at some time in the future that we may have the ability to know what someone wants to say without actual sound being transmitted.The linked material says that the Defense department is working on sensors that can transmit to another the nervous impulses a speaker was planning to use to speak without there being any actually speech. They are trying to find ways for voice communication in noisy or dangerous environments.
