Collaborative Arrangements

National

Cochlear Limited is the world leader in the field of cochlear implants for deaf adults and children. CRC HEAR research in collaboration with Cochlear Limited focuses on improving technology and clinical processes.

CRC HEAR’s facilities for biological safety studies are critical to Cochlear Ltd's ability to develop safe implantable prosthetics for long-term use that incorporate continuous improvements. The University of Wollongong’s Intelligent Polymer Research Institute and Griffith University through its involvement in the CRC for Microtechnology support our biomedical engineering studies. This allows CRC HEAR to address the complex problems in developing new implantable hearing prostheses incorporating new materials and capabilities as well as new electrode fabrication methodologies, and increasing the skills base of cochlear implant researchers in material science.

CRC HEAR’s research work with Cochlear Limited has led to the development of new electrode designs that have received international and Australian biomedical awards. The collaboration extends to the education field with surgeons and clinicians around the world undertaking the Cochlear Implant Training Workshop Program.

The National Acoustics Laboratories (the research arm of Australian Hearing) have a well-deserved international reputation at the forefront of research into fitting methodology for hearing aids. Coupled with digital speech processing expertise from The Bionic Ear Institute and The University of Melbourne, CRC HEAR research teams are addressing issues that currently limit hearing aid use and developing solutions that will improve perception in background noise.

The involvement of Australian Hearing together with the Cochlear Implant Clinic at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, The Sydney Cochlear Implant Clinic, and the Hear & Say Centre for Children with Impaired Hearing and the Queensland Hearing Centre in Brisbane help to ensure that innovations and clinical applications relevant to hearing aids or cochlear implants have rapid access to one of the largest networks of clinical centres in the world.

CRC HEAR links with our network of cochlear implant clinics and schools also provide a significant patient pool for coordinated clinical trials of specific innovations, assessment or fitting procedures or new approaches to rehabilitation.

The involvement of schools for hearing-impaired children in Melbourne and Sydney, and our links with The University of Melbourne’s Department of Learning and Educational Development enable studies of the development of speech and language and new habilitation procedures to maximise benefits for all cochlear implant users.

The collaboration of the University of Sydney’s Department of Surgery contributes to surgical studies for device innovation and to the development of effective electrophysiological measures of patient sensation levels, which will be valuable in enabling accurate programming of the cochlear implant for infants.

CRC HEAR also addresses the question of cost utility and seeks to develop cost-saving clinical procedures for cochlear implant and hearing aid work.

CRC HEAR has benefited from the industry participation of hearing prosthetic manufacturers, providing a mechanism for commercialisation of outputs, as well as providing greater industry user involvement in and contributions to research. Up to December 2003, Bernafon Australia provided research staff and support for the Centre. Recently, Siemens, the world's largest hearing aid company, has joined the CRC as its hearing industry partner.

Collaboration with the University of Melbourne’s School of Audiology and the Audiological Society of Australia is a critical element of CRC HEAR’s Education strategy, ensuring that the necessary skills for using advanced hearing devices are incorporated into professional continuing education programs developed by the CRC HEAR.

CRC HEAR provides a focus point for cochlear implant and hearing aid research and collaboration both in Australia and internationally. CRC HEAR conducts contract research with Australian and International partners, helping to ensure the transfer of Australian technology to the international marketplace.

International

• New York University Medical Centre
• University of Freiberg HNKO Klinic
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• University of Iowa
• University of Hong Kong
• Washington University School of Medicine
• Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH)
• Kilmarnock Cochlear Implant Clinic
• Manchester Cochlear Implant Clinic

Internationally, CRC HEAR’s links with The New York University Medical Centre, the University of Freiburg HNKO Klinic and MHH have already greatly assisted the development of advanced electrode designs. The involvement of these international groups allows for more rapid accumulation of patients, and also adds to the international applicability of research outcomes, which have been independently verified in a number of research centres. An exciting new project with the University of Hong Kong and Queen Elizabeth Hospital is addressing speech processing for speakers of tonal languages.

New linkages are currently being established with the University of Auckland and Hearing House in New Zealand.

  Date Created: Thursday February 19 2004
  Last Updated:  Tuesday July 29 2008
  Authorised By: Robert Cowan
  Maintainer: Webmaster, The Bionic Ear Institute
  Email: webmaster@bionicear.org
  Copyright © The Bionic Ear Institute