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====Cochlear Implant====
====Cochlear Implant====
 
<blockquote>To admissions board, Starfleet academy:<br>
<br>
I am writing this letter on behalf of my former patient, Ms. Mackenzie Ingram. It is meant to provide detailed and accurate information regarding her hearing deficit and cochlear implant so that you may make an informed decision on whether it will affect her duty to perform as a Starfleet officer.<br>
<br>
Mackenzie was born with a congenital hearing deficit. Specifically, she has a mutation that prevented a specific protein from being expressed during development. Without this gene, the many afferent nerves that innervate the cochlear nerve did not develop. In layman's terms, her ears developed normally, except that the nerves needed to transmit the actual signals to the brain did not form. This means that she has a 100% hearing deficit: she is completely deaf in both ears. Today, we would have detected this lack of nerve development and used specific treatments in order to ensure proper development. However, when Mackenzie was born, we had no treatments to restore her hearing, and so we were forced to install a cochlear implant.<br>
<br>
The implant is two pieces. The first is the device that I surgically installed inside of the right ear when Mackenzie was only a few days old. It uses a then-experimental neural fiber interface to transmit signals to the cochlear nerve, which then signals directly to the auditory cortex of the brain. The second piece of the implant is external. It consists of five microphones that are splayed around Mackenzie's right ear and picks up all ambient sounds and noises. It then uses advanced filtering algorithms to determine what to transmit to the internal structure of the implant. The two pieces are separable and connect through a physical port that is visible behind Mackenzie's right ear. This was chosen because we did not want any kind of electromagnetic interference to disrupt a wireless signal. The internal device is powered by the external, which uses a battery that typically lasts three to four months and is easily replaceable.<br>
<br>
In the time since the device was installed, there have been many advances in microphone and neural fiber interface technologies. However, any attempts to adjust the device has been futile because it results in a change in the form of signal that is transmitted to Mackenzie's brain. The human brain is very receptive to change and transformation during development, which is why the implant stuck. However, once that time of plasticity (or ability to change) has passed, any change in the form of the signal transmitted to the brain results in dire side effects. When we tried to upgrade Mackenzie's external implant device, for example, she experienced severe headaches and nausea, and even passed out. For this reason, it is unlikely that until there are significant developments in neurotransformational medicine, Mackenzie will be unable to improve or replace her implant, nor have one installed in the left ear. In a similar fashion, I will be unable to build a superhearing capable bionic ear for Starfleet.<br>
<br>
All that remains it the obvious question: what is Mackenzie's hearing capability with the implant? This is difficult to ascertain because the implant is the only form of hearing that Mackenzie has ever had, so she is unable to make comparisons or contrasts to what you or I may experience when we hear. It is clear that Mackenzie is able to clearly hear and understand verbal communication, but she has difficulty discerning between two people's voices. She can hear notes from a piano, but has trouble distinguishing between close tones. She can even recognize, with practice, a specific chord progression, but can never tell you whether it makes her '''feel''' something. These limitations are both hard to discern and to quantify, however, and I would urge you to be reluctant to dismiss her application due to them. <br>
<br>
I hope this letter has helped shed some light on my very charming patient, and please feel free to contact me at my office if you have any further questions.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Dr Xien Cao, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology, University of Washington Medicine and Seattle Children's Hospital</blockquote>
<h2 style="margin:0; background:#8B6508; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #F0E68C; text-align:center; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Mission Logs</h2>
<h2 style="margin:0; background:#8B6508; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #F0E68C; text-align:center; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Mission Logs</h2>



Revision as of 08:29, 28 September 2011

Crew of USS Thunder
Ingram.jpg
Mackenzie Ingram

03-Lieutenant-Gold.jpg

  • Rank: Lieutenant
  • Ship: USS Thunder
  • Position: Chief Tactical Officer
  • Race: Human
  • Gender: Female
  • DoB: 236403.03
  • Birthplace: Seattle, Earth
  • Height: 5'5"
  • Weight: 125 lbs
  • Eye color: Brown
  • Hair Color: Red


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Mackenzie Ingram is currently assigned as an Operations Officer aboard the USS Thunder and at the Duronis II Embassy.

Personal Information

Biographic Information

  • Full Name: Mackenzie Anne Ingram
  • Species: Human
  • Date of Birth: 236403.03
  • Place of Birth: Seattle, Earth
  • Age: 23
  • Gender: Female
  • Telepathic status: N/A
  • Current Rank: Ensign
  • Current Assignment: Duronis II Embassy
  • Current Position: Operations Officer

Appearance

  • Height: 5'5"
  • Weight: 125 lbs.
  • Hair Colour: Red
  • Hair Length & Style: To mid back, kept pulled back in a ponytail while on duty, otherwise loose.
  • Eye Color: Brown
  • Skin Tone: Fair
  • Build: Petite with an athletic build.
  • Birthmarks, Scars: None
  • Face: Youthful, with soft cheeks and a defined chin.
  • Tattoos/Body Modifications: Single ear piercing on both sides.
  • Taste in Clothing (when off duty): Colorful clothes with an eye towards current fashion trends.
  • Voice: Soft spoken, decidedly monotone and with little inflection in voice.
  • Handedness: Right

Personality

  • Mannerisms:
  • Temperament:
  • Habits:
  • Hobbies and Pastimes:

Family

  • Marital Status:
  • Children:
  • Father:
  • Mother:
  • Sister:
  • Brother:

Personal History

Professional Information



Starfleet History

Professional History
Insignia Rank Dates Posting Assignment
004-Cadet1st-Gold.jpg Cadet 1st Class 238809.26 Graduated Starbase 118 Academy Operations Officer
01-Ensign-Gold.jpg Ensign 238809.26- Present USS Thunder Operations Officer


Medical Information

Medical Evaluation

GENERAL: Mackenzie is a 22 year old 1st class cadet who presents today for a medical clearance exam prior to assignment on a cadet cruise. Mackenzie is a healthy appearing young woman who doesn't complain of any fatigue, weight loss or loss of strength.

SKIN: No complaints of rashes, swelling or abnormal bruising.
EYES/ENT: Vision is rated at 20/20. No complaints of headaches, sore threat, discharge or nose bleed. Hearing test is deferred to neurological exam.
CARDIOVASCULAR: Scan is normal. RRR. No murmurs.
RESPIRATORY: No complaints of difficulty breathing or cough. Lung scan clear.
GI: No complaints or concerns.
GU: G0P0. Last menstrual period ended 238604.14. Patient has no complaints.
MUSCULOSKELETAL: No weakness or swelling of joints. Strength tests normal.
NEUROLOGICAL: No tremors, history of seizure or difficulties with speech. Mackenzie was born with a congenital 100% hearing defect in both ears. This has been remedied by a right cochlear implant. With the implant deactivated, Mackenzie fails all standard hearing tests. With the implant activated, she has troubles distinguishing similar tones or sound patterns, but otherwise appears to have normal hearing on one side. Please see note in Mackenzie's chart from Dr Louis Madrone, the ENT surgeon who installed the implant.
ENDOCRINE/HEMATOLOGICAL: All endocrine and hematological scans come up at normal levels. No lymphadenopathy.

ASSESSMENT: With the exception of her hearing loss, Mackenzie appears healthy. As long as her hearing deficit is not seen to conflict with mission parameters, she is cleared for duty.

Report digitally signed 238604.22 by Lieutenant Kerry Harps, MD.

Cochlear Implant

To admissions board, Starfleet academy:


I am writing this letter on behalf of my former patient, Ms. Mackenzie Ingram. It is meant to provide detailed and accurate information regarding her hearing deficit and cochlear implant so that you may make an informed decision on whether it will affect her duty to perform as a Starfleet officer.

Mackenzie was born with a congenital hearing deficit. Specifically, she has a mutation that prevented a specific protein from being expressed during development. Without this gene, the many afferent nerves that innervate the cochlear nerve did not develop. In layman's terms, her ears developed normally, except that the nerves needed to transmit the actual signals to the brain did not form. This means that she has a 100% hearing deficit: she is completely deaf in both ears. Today, we would have detected this lack of nerve development and used specific treatments in order to ensure proper development. However, when Mackenzie was born, we had no treatments to restore her hearing, and so we were forced to install a cochlear implant.

The implant is two pieces. The first is the device that I surgically installed inside of the right ear when Mackenzie was only a few days old. It uses a then-experimental neural fiber interface to transmit signals to the cochlear nerve, which then signals directly to the auditory cortex of the brain. The second piece of the implant is external. It consists of five microphones that are splayed around Mackenzie's right ear and picks up all ambient sounds and noises. It then uses advanced filtering algorithms to determine what to transmit to the internal structure of the implant. The two pieces are separable and connect through a physical port that is visible behind Mackenzie's right ear. This was chosen because we did not want any kind of electromagnetic interference to disrupt a wireless signal. The internal device is powered by the external, which uses a battery that typically lasts three to four months and is easily replaceable.

In the time since the device was installed, there have been many advances in microphone and neural fiber interface technologies. However, any attempts to adjust the device has been futile because it results in a change in the form of signal that is transmitted to Mackenzie's brain. The human brain is very receptive to change and transformation during development, which is why the implant stuck. However, once that time of plasticity (or ability to change) has passed, any change in the form of the signal transmitted to the brain results in dire side effects. When we tried to upgrade Mackenzie's external implant device, for example, she experienced severe headaches and nausea, and even passed out. For this reason, it is unlikely that until there are significant developments in neurotransformational medicine, Mackenzie will be unable to improve or replace her implant, nor have one installed in the left ear. In a similar fashion, I will be unable to build a superhearing capable bionic ear for Starfleet.

All that remains it the obvious question: what is Mackenzie's hearing capability with the implant? This is difficult to ascertain because the implant is the only form of hearing that Mackenzie has ever had, so she is unable to make comparisons or contrasts to what you or I may experience when we hear. It is clear that Mackenzie is able to clearly hear and understand verbal communication, but she has difficulty discerning between two people's voices. She can hear notes from a piano, but has trouble distinguishing between close tones. She can even recognize, with practice, a specific chord progression, but can never tell you whether it makes her feel something. These limitations are both hard to discern and to quantify, however, and I would urge you to be reluctant to dismiss her application due to them.

I hope this letter has helped shed some light on my very charming patient, and please feel free to contact me at my office if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Dr Xien Cao, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology, University of Washington Medicine and Seattle Children's Hospital

Mission Logs

Duronis II Embassy/USS Thunder Missions


NPC Listing   ·   Embassy/USS Thor Crew Manifest   ·   Crew History
Tonilg.png
Commanding Ofc.
Toni Turner
EmbassyXO-Teller.jpg
Executive Officer
Geoffrey Teller
Sirokpicard.png
Engineer
Sirok
KrindoPandorn.jpg
Chief of Security
Krindo Pandorn
EllaDar.jpg
Security Officer
Dar Elandra
HannibalParker2.jpg
Marine Ops.
Hannibal Parker
Rode Mitchell.jpg
CAG
Rode Mitchell
Wes Greaves LtCol.png
Marine
Wes Greaves
Ben Garcia 2.png
Second Officer/HCO
Ben Garcia
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Chief Medical Officer
Addison MacKenzie
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Medical Officer
Quen Deena
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Medical Officer
Alieth
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Chief Counsellor
Alexander Brodie
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Chief Science Officer
Lorian Lovar
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Science Officer
Tara Wilkins
USS Thor-logo.png
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