Kerala’s first-ever Centre for Research in Communication Sciences to come up at NISH

The Centre for Research in Communication Sciences at NISH is expected to usher in a qualitative change in the lives of people with communication disorders.

In an effort aimed at enhancing the holistic care and rehabilitation of the differently-abled community, Kerala is set to have its first-ever Centre for Research in Communication Sciences (CRCS). The new CRCs will come up at the acclaimed National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) in Thiruvananthapuram.

NISH is an autonomous organization registered as a society by the Social Justice Department, Government of Kerala, and functions as a comprehensive multi-purpose institute that focuses on the identification, intervention, rehabilitation and education of individuals with disabilities.

The CRCS is being envisioned as a well-equipped research centre and has been designed as a facility for higher learning and research by coalescing the Laryngeal and Articulatory Sciences and Vestibular Science labs. This is expected to usher in a qualitative change in the lives of people with communication disorders.

According to sources at NISH, the research programmes to be undertaken at the new Centre for Research in Communication Sciences (CRCS) will concentrate on empowering persons with communication disorders. This will be done by helping them actively participate in society, besides developing treatment methods and leading extensive and in-depth research for evaluating treatment results, they added.

NISH CRCS to fill gaps in communication sciences research

NISH Executive Director M Anjana pointed out that the Centre for Research in Communication Sciences (CRCS) will be the first-ever state-of-the-art research unit that would fill the gaps in communication sciences research in the state of Kerala. According to the Executive Director, “NISH is eminently equipped to have this centre, considering the institution’s experience, facilities and highly qualified professionals at its disposal.”

That would mean that Kerala’s first-ever Centre for Research in Communication Sciences will look to leverage cutting-edge technologies to measure voice characteristics, speech clarity and directly monitor the vocal cords through high-precision tests conducted at the Laryngeal and Articulatory Sciences lab, which makes use of Stroboscopy with advanced analytical features and software like Ling Waves and Vaghmi.

The technology currently available will help examine erroneous pronunciation, voice variations and the difference in vocal cord structure. Also, the structural and functional changes in the organs that lead to difficulties in feeding and speech clarity – for instance, nasal speech –  can be identified through Stroboscopy; which can be carried out for children and adults.

40% of global population has balance disorders

The main objective of the Vestibular Sciences Lab is to conduct research in Balance Disorders (dizziness) and their evaluation and rehabilitation. It has already been reported that close to 40 per cent of the global population has been afflicted with Balance Disorders at any stage of their life.

Vestibular problems can hinder an individual’s living standard and wholesome welfare and NISH had taken the initiative to set up the state’s first Vestibular Lab to address this problem.