Several different technologies that are crucial for repairing hearing loss have become feasible only recently. For example, the small scale and fragility of th

Several different technologies that are crucial for repairing hearing loss have become feasible only recently. For example, the small scale and fragility of the ear-drum makes conventional surgery practically impossible without obliterating what's there. Robot assisted microsurgery, which is now becoming more widely used, offers a way to open the door to the ear without knocking it in. This is likely a necessary first step in many possible treatments.