Citation | Professor Kemp is known for his discovery that the ear emits sound. He showed that otoacoustic emissions are a property of the normal cochlea. The finding decisively established that the inner ear actively amplifies sound and has led to a synthesis of cellular and systems approaches to hearing. His work has shown how cochlear non-linearities determine auditory performance. He has pioneered the development of novel, non-invasive and portable instruments for measuring hearing, leading to a Queen's Award for Technical Achievement. Otoacoustic emissions screening in the newborn is now under review in several countries for the early detection of deafness. |