How do we hear?

Earlier today I was chatting to this lovely young lady who had her implant six months ago and she was asking about what is the difference between the high and low frequency. I thought it was very interesting as i knew the difference of the sound from flute, volin, to the bass sound. although some hearing aids do compressed the sound to reach to our level so we could hear what most hearing people were talking about. For me things I have never hear sound are like frog in high pitch, crickets anywhere around these sound area. if there are any more sound around these high pitch, please let me know so i could check it out for the first time!

Anyway, as I was saying... its all depend on the memory whether we heard sound before we lost our hearing and how long ago. if a person were born deaf then there is no memory of sound does that person have a good chance to hear anything with the implant? you would said no. but to be honest with you, there are loads of people who have been born deaf with no memory have been implanted. They never heard sound until they have their implant. its amazing. I often wonder how much they hear with the implant. Its still a mysterious.

This young lady, I then gave her this link to see the sample of what sound would look like as well hearing it. This is a great sample where we can test of what we can hear. Please go ahead and check it out. The link is http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/hearing/activities/lesson3.htm if you are hard of hearing and need caption.. remember to click on the symbol that produce caption for you to follow.

You can even get to play around with the sound too. just don't annoyed people who still have their hearing with the high pitch. Just because you can't hear the high pitch doesn't mean it won't bother anyone else! lol you have been warned!

To me i can't hear over 8hz it just sound dull or silent to me. I often wonder what sound from everyday life would produce anything with this high frequency. if you know any, please let me know. I know guitar do it.
the sound of everyday look like this

Table 2. Average Intensities of Everyday Sounds

Sound                    dB Level              My point of view
hearing threshol      0               dunno the meaning of this?
breathing           10 who would want to hear darth vadar?
rustling leaves 20 don't hear this
whispering 25 don't hear this either
library 30 library? just sound of footsteps and book falling off the shelves and lot of "shush"

refrigerator 45 my guess is humming?
average home 50 same as hearing threshold?
normal conversation 60 depend on the tone of the voices
clothes dryer 60 it make a hum noise in low frequency
washing machine 65 does it vibrate like mine does? lol
car 70 can hear the start up engine but won't know the difference if there is something wrong with it
vacuum cleaner 70 very annoying blow dryer sound
busy traffic 75 does drown out the conversation
noisy restaurant 80 also drown out the conversation
outboard motor 80 loud
inside car in city traffic 85 can hear oncoming traffic while in the car as it pass.
electric shaver 85 this goes back to 198 something I've watched pop using it. can't remember how it sound
screaming child 90 want to shut it up as soon as it scream. hurt my head
passing motorcycle 90 love the sound of a bike
convertible ride on freeway 95 noisy whistle noise to me as well wind
table saw 95 sound like scratching
hand drill 100 whirring sound
tractor 100 same as engine to me more of a hiss in between i think
diesel truck 100 dunno the difference
circular saw 100 machine whir?
jackhammer 100 a hammer? bang bang mind your thumb
gas engine mower 105 loud and very annoying
helicopter 105 if it come while i am talking to you, i pick up this over your voice no matter what
chain saw 110 not heard it yet
amplified rock concert 90–130 double echo to me distort and all that. just feel the vibration and would be fine
shout into ear at 20 cm 120 sorry can't hear you mate have to lipsread
car horn 120 was told i jumped while driving so i must have heard it.
siren 120 three different sound to this. also drown out conversation
threshold of pain 120–140 depend on the tone of the voices
gunshot 140 not heard it in real life. will movie count? nope ok
jet engine 140 hurt my ear. no hearing aids during this point
12-gauge shotgun 165 same as gunshot
rocket launching 180 should be loud right? lol
loudest audible tone 194 if it a women ... she would be silent to me.


I hope this help a great deal to people who are interested in how some deaf people hear in everyday sound but remember everyone are different. I have my hearing stable since 1983 so I have learnt to use what i got and learn new sound as much as possible. If I have never heard it before, don't act so surprised, we are willing to find out the sound as soon you tell us what it is.