Group music therapy helps hearing-impaired kids understand complex sounds The improved listening skills boost educational and emotional growth A 12-week music program is helping deaf and hard-of-hearing children learn to optimise their hearing aids and cochlear implants, by teaching them to better understand the sounds they detect. The program, developed by Dr Chi Yhun Lo…
RMIT researcher calls for reducing ‘microplastics’ in bathroom products Mussels in Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne are ingesting microscopic pieces of plastic used in cosmetics. And it’s affecting their ability to grow and reproduce, an RMIT University eco-toxicologist has found. The microplastics travel from our bathroom sinks to the ocean, where they are easily confused…
A glove is being trialled at Liverpool Hospital that gives surgical trainees instant and accurate feedback. Researchers say the gloves could also be used by musicians and artists. Engineers at Western Sydney University have invented a new surgical glove built around low-cost sensors which can record hand movements in fine detail, giving trainee surgeons and…
Work, housing and friendships are core factors to feeling included. A new tool developed by researchers at Orygen to measure and monitor social inclusion was tested with more than 500 young people. By identifying the early signs of isolation and loneliness, support can be provided to prevent more serious mental ill-health. In mental healthcare, simple…
For the first time in Australia, archaeobotany has been used by researchers from UWA to examine charcoal from ancient campfires in the Western Desert. They found wattle and other Acacias which proves it was (and still is) used by Indigenous people for tools, food and medicine. The iconic wattle isn’t just about sports uniforms and…
Half of people who have ACL knee surgery get arthritis by 40, but exercise therapy study by La Trobe researcher / ex-AFLW footballer shows we can keep people active Australians have the highest rates of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) knee injuries worldwide, and young Australians are most at risk, with a 74% increase in knee…
City gardens often don’t have the right types of food and homes for native bees and flies, with knock-on effects for our gardens and for biodiversity. Urban ecologist Katherine Berthon from RMIT University found that only 43% of flowers in the Melbourne city gardens she studied were being used by bees and other pollinating insects.
Research conducted by former Fresh Science participant Dale Robinson has been covered in the 2020-2021 edition of Defence Science and Technology’s Outlook magazine. Dr Robinson is a biomedical engineer at the University of Melbourne. Minimising severe injury from blast events on military vehicles Blast events inflicted on military vehicles are a consistent threat in contemporary…
Researchers have been able to pick a water leak within 1 percent of its location within seconds. Artificial intelligence combined with pressure waves has been used to find faults in major water pipelines faster and more cheaply than existing methods. Jessica Bohorquez and researchers from the University of Adelaide have developed a system that utilises…
Using a face mask, Adelaide researchers have a new way to detect a major hidden equine health issue. Up to 80 percent of horses – including racehorses and showjumpers – suffer from a form of asthma that affects their performance and wellbeing. Researchers led by veterinarian Surita Du Preez from the University of Adelaide are…