Mysuru: The prestigious All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AAISH), Mysuru, which has been recognised across the country for its unique contribution to the advancements of auditory and speech disorders, is set to add another feather to its hat. AIISH will develop, what is being touted as a first-of-its-kind ‘Speech and Hearing Museum’ on its premises. The museum, which will be spread across 11,000sqft will be built opposite the AIISH canteen, and will be structured to resemble the human face.The museum is meant to provide visitors a unique learning experience about the hearing and speech functions of the human brain, besides providing information about other key areas such as nose, tongue and the vocal chords. The museum is expected to offer the visitors a simulation of the respiratory mechanism involved in creating speech. The three-storey museum will also provide information about the other parts of the brain. While the first floor will be wholly dedicated to speech and hearing disorders , the second will provide an insight into other brain-related problems. On the third floor, visitors can learn about the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. AIISH director SR Savithri, who conceived the project, told TOI, “The museum will offer a pedagogical experience, and create awareness among the public about preventive measures, pathological and working principles of human communication. We will use interactive displays to enhance the experience of visitors. Visitors will enter the brain, and emerge from the lungs, thereby understanding how speech and language are encoded and decoded. Also, one will enter the internal part of the ears to understand how the human language is decoded.”She added that the floor of the museum would be fit with sensors, and would resemble the central nervous system, with the functions of the various cranial nerves being simulated when one touches the end of a nerve. “The sensor will glow, and the path of the nerve to the brain will be illuminated. The ceiling of the museum will be a screen with audio-visual displays of the functions of the brain. We will also have large-scale models depicting the neuronal current flow, the mechanism of hair cells, larynx and vocal tract. These large-screen projections will be colourful and informative,” said Savithri, adding that there were plans to add a section on the contribution of ancient India to the field of phonetics and linguistics.The museum is estimated to be built at a cost of Rs 5.21 crore, with work having started a month ago. The AIISH director is confident of the museum being completed in ten months.- R Uday Kumar

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