Robert Traynor

Robert M. Traynor, Ed.D., is a hearing industry consultant, trainer, professor, conference speaker, practice manager and author. He is a founding member of HHTM and had previously written a regular weekly column for the site for many years. He has decades of experience teaching courses and training clinicians within the field of audiology with specific emphasis in hearing and tinnitus rehabilitation. He serves as Adjunct Faculty in Audiology at the University of Florida, University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado and The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Featured image for “The Graying of Bell’s Telephone Patent: Part I”

The Graying of Bell’s Telephone Patent: Part I

As Audiologists we are interested in how voices are transmitted. Back in the day before the telephone there were numerous individuals vying to be the first to transmit voice over a wire. Of course when asked “who invented the telephone”, the “pat answer” is and has always been Alexander Graham Bell. Its much like the answer to the question, “Who is buried in

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The Dance of a Thousand Hands

Zhang Jigang, an internationally acclaimed Chinese choreographer, has made a remarkable impact on the world of dance. Known for his diverse productions and innovative creations, Zhang’s work has garnered global recognition. This article explores the life and achievements of Zhang Jigang, highlighting his influential career and his notable contribution to the performing arts. From Childhood to Acclaimed Choreographer Born on

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The Pride of Baseball

1968 saw a number of terrible things such as the assassinations of Martin Luther King in April and Robert Kennedy in June, the disruption of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, and other problem. But it was a special year for John and Sally Pride as they were expecting their first child. There were great expectations for this new

Rock N’ Roll Hoochie Coochie!

Noise has long been a known source of hearing impairment. Music, while loud, was traditionally not considered that much of a risk but when our favorite rockers began to experience hearing loss the very same music that we all enjoy became a professional hazard plaguing musicians. Not only the music, but the crowds, blowing up drum sets, fireworks, and other bizarre activities designed to gain attention

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Scams and the Caption Phone System

Added May 7, 2016: EDITORS CLARIFICATION: To clarify an error in this article: the “scams” described here do NOT occur with captioned telephone service (CTS), including CapTel Captioned Telephone and other reputable telephone services which had no involvement in the preparation of this article. The fraudulent behavior described in this article has been reported with IP Relay service, which is

Featured image for “The World Wide Commoditization of Amplification”

The World Wide Commoditization of Amplification

Over the past 10 years or so the landscape of audiology has changed significantly. Of course, these landscape changes started in the US, arguably one of the largest and most lucrative markets for hearing aids worldwide. Other markets around the world have followed or are soon to follow the lead. In the past, patients would consult their audiologist for the type,

Was the REAL “Father of Rock ‘n Roll” Hearing Impaired?

This assertion might startle more than a few historians of pop music. The origins of rock and roll have been fiercely debated by commentators and music historians. Conventional literature indicates that Rock and Roll music arose in the Southern United States through the homogenation of African musical traditions with European musical instruments. Although it’s difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint the exact birth of Rock

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Weather Related Hearing Disorders

Some patients report that when the weather changes so does their hearing, vertigo or related symptoms, particularly those with diagnosed Meniere’s Disease. If you see patients this is a relatively common complaint. Could this be possible? Was it a coincidence? Could it be that it be the high pressure or low pressure in weather systems trigger some changes in the auditory mechanism

Featured image for “The Culture of Earrings for Men”

The Culture of Earrings for Men

Over the past few years men have begun to wear earrings. While that may have seemed strange a few years ago, it is commonplace now and seems to have some historical, cultural, and social basis. There are artistic and written references from cultures around the world dating to ancient times in history of men sporting earrings. Indeed, references indicate that the oldest

Featured image for “Development of the TTY – Part IV: The Final Chapter”

Development of the TTY – Part IV: The Final Chapter

This week at Hearing International marks our “Final Chapter” in the development of the TTY. Over the past few weeks we found that the story began with Robert Weitbrect’s invention of the acoustic coupler, a collaboration with Dr. James Marstens and Andrew Saks (see Part I, Part II and Part III). These pioneers of the TTY became known as the “trio”