An implant could ease balance problems

Last week, a man from Yakima, Washington, became the first patient to receive an implant designed to quell the disabling attacks of vertigo that result from a condition known as Meniere's disease. The device, developed by researchers at the University of Washington, is the first therapeutic implant to treat a disorder of the vestibular system, a set of organs in the inner ear responsible for sensing head motion and maintaining balance. The researchers hope that the device will not only help treat the disease but also pave the way for more complex devices for balance disorders.