This project is for the development of software with research and clinical applications in the hearing sciences. In the research area, the software will allow investigators to work at a higher level of abstraction, providing monitoring and control applications for the design of complex sound processing strategies for hearing devices. The clinical applications are designed to improve communications between audiologists, speech-language therapists, and hearing- impaired individuals through the use of auditory training and assessment activities that are accessible from any web-connected device. Our approach for completing this work is to frame development on two formative studies of research and clinical applications. These studies will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Texas at Dallas and with the House Ear Institute. The purpose of these formative evaluations is to receive essential user feedback from scientists, clinicians, and hearing- impaired individuals. The study of the research version of the software will examine the benefits of a specified method for synchronizing bilateral hearing devices (with emphasis on cochlear implants). The study of the clinical version of the software will examine the benefits of using online auditory training and assessment activities with hearing-impaired children. Successful completion of this project will yield two software packages designed for research and clinical applications. The research version will be used by a relatively small group of academic and industrial scientists, while the clinical version will be used by a larger group of audiologists, speech-language therapists, and hearing-impaired individuals. Providing a single architecture to implement all of these activities will consolidate efforts towards optimizing hearing for the impaired.

Public Health Relevance

This project is for the development of software with research and clinical applications in the hearing sciences. In the research area, the software will allow investigators to work at a higher level of abstraction, providing monitoring and control applications for the design of complex sound processing strategies for hearing devices. The clinical applications are designed to improve communications between audiologists, speech-language therapists, and hearing- impaired individuals through the use of auditory training and assessment activities that are accessible from any web-connected device.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase II (R44)
Project #
5R44DC010524-03
Application #
8301528
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-ETTN-K (10))
Program Officer
Miller, Roger
Project Start
2010-05-24
Project End
2014-06-30
Budget Start
2012-07-01
Budget End
2014-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$563,338
Indirect Cost
Name
Sensimetrics Corporation
Department
Type
DUNS #
627537640
City
Malden
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02148
Goldsworthy, Raymond L (2015) Correlations Between Pitch and Phoneme Perception in Cochlear Implant Users and Their Normal Hearing Peers. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 16:797-809
Goldsworthy, Raymond L; Delhorne, Lorraine A; Desloge, Joseph G et al. (2014) Two-microphone spatial filtering provides speech reception benefits for cochlear implant users in difficult acoustic environments. J Acoust Soc Am 136:867-76
Goldsworthy, Raymond L; Shannon, Robert V (2014) Training improves cochlear implant rate discrimination on a psychophysical task. J Acoust Soc Am 135:334-41