Assessing human hearing ability by tracking the heart rate can lead to early detection of hearing loss that can help in the development of communication and language skills say researchers. The team from the Bionics Institute medical research facility in Australia measured heart rate with a brain imaging method called functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The technique records the brain's response to sounds and cardiac information such as heart rate. The researchers were able to confirm that sound levels directly affect heart rate Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday. Early detection of hearing loss is vital for babies born with a hearing
