[Avodah] shofar and hearing aid

[Eli Turkel]

RSZA says that one who can hear only using a hearing aid cannot fulfill the
mitzva of shofar
since the hearing aid converts sound waves to a vibrating membrane and then
back and this destroys the sound
(I have heard that others allow if the person has some minimal hearing)
RMF disagrees in fact quoting science that sound waves are really the
motion of air molecules and a vibrating membrane is
not intrinsically different.

I havent seen teshuvot about cochlear implants but it would seem that this
is okay and it is now part of the body
and not different from the vibrating membranes inside the ear.
I recently read that they are actively working on a bionic eye. Again the
question is whether such an artificial eye would be
the equivalent of full sight (eg a blind person is exempt from various
mitzvot especially ones like reading the megilla
which cant be done by heart).

Does anyone know of teshuvot about bionic ears or eyes?
In the not so remote future many parts of the body will be able to be
replaced by artificial working alternatives which lead to a whole host of
questions

-- 
Eli Turkel
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