Research Areas - Clinical Innovations

Application of Neural Response Telemetry (NRT) and Electrophysiology to Fitting Prostheses

These projects are aimed at improving the fitting of cochlear implants and hearing aids though use of objective test procedures and the recording of neural responses to stimuli.
Electrophysiological Assessment
This project incorporates a large number of small, individual studies evaluating specific aspects of electrophysiology or NRT.
Electrophysiology Evaluation of Hearing Aids in Infants
This project will use cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEP) to demonstrate that speech and tonal stimuli have been successfully amplified by a hearing aid in such a way that the key acoustic differences between stimuli are audible to the hearing aid user.
Intra- and Post-Operative NRT in Implanted Children: Relationship to Electrode Impedance and Behavioural T and C Levels
This project will determine the relationship between intra- and post-operative NRT measures, electrode impedance and behavioural MAP characteristics in children using a cochlear implant.
T-NRT Profiles vs Behavioural Profiles in Adult Contour Patients
This project aims to investigate the psychophysical and NRT profiles of adult cochlear implant users fitted with the Contour electrode, which lies closer to the modiolus.
NRT in Adults: Factors Affecting the Recording of T-NRT
This project aims to determine whether there are factors that can predict why some patients have poorer NRT recordings.
Electrophysiological Evaluation of Bilateral Cochlear Implants
This project aims to determine whether electrophysiological measures can be used to demonstrate binaural interaction in adults and children with bilateral cochlear implants and to investigate how these measures might correlate with psychophysical and clinical measures of bilateral implant use.

Development, Fitting and Programming of Cochlear Implant Speech Prostheses for Clinical Application

This project aims to identify and evaluate improved methods of fitting and programming of current and advanced cochlear implant systems for adult and paediatric users and to further develop cosmetic ear-level speech processors.
Evaluation of new Cochlear Implant Systems
This project aims to evaluate various aspects of the new CI24 RE system and the Laura speech processor, including safety and functionality.
Input/Output Dynamic Range Optimisation
The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate an adaptive knee-point AGC scheme to attempt to resolve the problem with the existing ‘Whisper’ scheme where significantly poorer performance is observed when listening in a noisy environment. A separate subproject aims to investigate the relationship between use of a standard and expanded instantaneous input dynamic range (IIDR) with and without adjustment to the T levels in the patient’s map and the interaction of the extended IIDR with the ADRO processing scheme.
Evaluation of Methods that aim to Simplify Programming
In this project a number of methods that aim to simplify programming of the cochlear implant are being investigated.
Comparison of the ESPrit 3G with ESPrit22 for Nucleus 22 Recipients
This study is investigating the benefit in speech recognition through use of the ESPrit 3G rather than the Spectra speech processor, through use of a wider dynamic range and use of the Whisper setting.

Hearing Aid Prescription

This group of studies aims to identify and evaluate improved methods of fitting and programming of current and advanced hearing aids for adult and paediatric users.
Hearing Aid Fitting with Cochlear Implants
This project investigates amplification requirements of hearing-impaired people who use hearing aids with cochlear implants and to evaluate the benefits of bimodal amplification relative to use of either device in isolation. The project as originally proposed is complete, but a small extension (to test for particular binaural interactions arising from inter-aural time differences) inspired by the new experiment into bilateral cochlear implants, has recently been added.
Computer-aided Assessment of Young Children
The aim of this project is to develop a computer-based unit for the behavioural assessment of hearing in young children using a range of stimuli.
Functional Assessment of Children’s Performance with Amplification
This project will devise and validate a measurement tool based on teacher and parents' observations that can be used to assess the effectiveness of amplification fitted in young children.
Factors Affecting Speech Intelligibility of Hearing Impaired Adults
This project investigates whether the presence of regions of non-functioning inner hair cells in the cochlea (dead regions) affects the ability of hearing-impaired listeners to use an audible signal for speech understanding in quiet and in noise.
Computer-Based Audiological Test Suite
This project aims to develop computer-based clinical instruments meeting the requirements of new audiological tests being developed.
Derivation of NAL-NL2
This project aims to derive a new prescription formula that will be more effective than NAL-NL1 for use in non-linear hearing aids.

Qualitative Language Development Measures

The aim of this project is to qualitatively analyse the development of first words and early language in young children using cochlear implants and hearing aids. The study will also develop the “Di-El First Words” management tool for use by clinicians in the management of very young children receiving cochlear implants or hearing aids (specifically children under 2 years of age who have not developed speech).

Outcomes Evaluations for Adults and Children with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

This project will assess speech perception, language, speech production and functional outcomes for a large number of children using the cochlear implant and compare their performance to that of a control group using hearing aids. The results may provide clinical information to assist in the revision of criteria for cochlear implant candidacy.

Development of Hearing Test Materials and Protocols

This project aims to develop, record and standardise a new set of sentence test materials based upon the BKB sentence list format, for use with both children and adults. The new sentence materials will be less variable than the conventional BKB sentence lists and will be assembled in a novel manner that will enable a given accuracy to be achieved in less time than other speech tests.

  Date Created: Thursday February 19 2004
  Last Updated:  Tuesday July 29 2008
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