Playing it by ear

When audiologist Scott Wright came to New Zealand 12 years ago he did not plan on staying.
The California-born Kiwi came to complete a Masters degree at Auckland University in 1996 and decided to stay put. Mr Wright and his family now call Rotorua home.
"Rotorua is by far the best place to raise a family; we moved here for the lifestyle," he told the Daily Post.
As a director of New Zealand's largest professional audiology service, Bay Audiology, he now travels regularly to the United States to lecture at the world's leading audiology university.
Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, has given Mr Wright an associate professorship.
"It was a huge ... I was really thrilled to get it, they don't just give these away," he said.
"Bay Audiology is a world leader in clinical audiology. Our business model has been recognised as very unique. New Zealand is about the only place in the world that audiology is not run by corporates, it is run by actual audiologists," he said.
"They want us to arm their students with new ways to run their businesses and change the way private practice is run in the US."
New Zealand also happens to be at the cutting edge of audiology technology.
Many companies test their products in New Zealand before they are released on to the world market.
"I would say that within 10 years time, you will get your mobile phone from your audiologist. The technology is getting so small and sophisticated you will get custom-fitted blue tooth earpieces with voice-activated systems. The large mobile phone companies are already producing hearing aids that are also phones," he said.
Bay Audiology is also working with Canterbury University in New Zealand, testing and developing cochlear implants.
Hearing problems affect approximately one in nine New Zealanders. Although hearing loss is more common after 60 years of age, it can affect all ages.
"People have to remember that once you damage your hearing it does not recover, it's permanent. Prevention is better than the cure so protect what you have by listening to iPods and car stereos at a sensible level and by wearing ear protection when working with noisy equipment."