The University of Pécs Clinical Centre Department of Otorhinolaryngology was enriched with one of the most significant milestones in the history of hearing diagnostics on 8 May: the first automatic audiometer developed by Nobel Prize-winning physicist György Békésy.
According to the statement issued by the University of Pécs, hearing examinations in the mid-20th century were still largely based on manual, time-consuming, and often inaccurate methods. In 1923, however, György Békésy revolutionized the field with the development of the automatic audiometer, which made examinations objective and comparable, enabling specialists to distinguish between different types of hearing impairments.
The invention played a key role in Békésy receiving the 1961 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for uncovering the physical mechanisms of the inner ear, and its principles continue to underpin modern digital audiometers today.
György Békésy emigrated to Sweden in 1946 and later moved to Honolulu, where he passed away in 1972. The historically significant instrument was acquired from an American laboratory by otorhinolaryngologist Dr. Árpád Götze, who later passed it on to Dr. Gábor Dúll, former head of the Audiology Department in Nagykanizsa. Upon his retirement, the chief physician donated the rare instrument to his alma mater, the University of Pécs Clinical Centre, so that it could serve as a tangible educational tool for ENT residents.
The audiometer was received by Dr. István Szanyi, director of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology. On behalf of the Clinical Centre, Dr. Andor Sebestyén expressed his gratitude and highlighted the historical significance of the device. Dr. Gábor Dúll also attended the ceremonial handover, presenting the history and importance of the medical relic.
The video produced by the PTE News Centre is available here:
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Photo:
Kiss Gadget Zoltán