Development of a unified speech processing strategy for combined electric and acoustic auditory stimulation

Project Information

BSPS

Grant agreement ID: 252730

Closed project

Start date 1 November 2010

End date 30 April 2013

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 213 380,90

EU contribution € 213 380,90

Coordinated by

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Belgium

Objective

Cochlear implants (CIs) can restore speech perception of deaf subjects by electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. Because CI users sometimes perform better than severely hearing impaired subjects with a hearing aid (HA), implantation criteria are changing, leading to a steeply growing population of patients with a CI in one ear and residual hearing, used with a HA, in the other. This is called bimodal stimulation. Currently more than half of all newly implanted patients have residual hearing. Nevertheless, the CI and HA are fitted individually and their signal processors function independently. In this project, the fellow will develop a unified bimodal speech processing strategy. Its use can lead to improved sound quality, pitch perception, speech perception in noise, and sound source localization by combining existing techniques that enhance pitch perception in CIs with contralateral acoustic stimulation. The project is strongly multidisciplinary and balances on the edge between signal processing (engineering) and audiology (medical science). As the applicant has an engineering background and holds a PhD in the field of biomedical sciences, the project is a perfect match for his profile. Worldwide, research into bimodal hearing is concentrated in Australia and the US. There are no European labs that research it on a large scale. During the applicant's PhD, he started up bimodal research at ExpORL, KULeuven. Transfer of knowledge from Melbourne to ExpORL will allow him to further extend this line of research. He will set up collaborations with the Bionic Ear Institute, the University of Melbourne, Cochlear Melbourne and NAL. By gaining international experience, increasing his network and learning new research tools, after the fellowship, the researcher will fulfill all requirements to apply for a tenure track position at KULeuven and he will have all skills necessary for a career as an independent researcher.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electronic engineering › signal processing
• natural sciences › physical sciences › acoustics
• medical and health sciences › medical biotechnology › implants

Programme(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IOF - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development"

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IOF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

Coordinator

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN

Administrative Contact

Stijn Delauré (Dr.)

• Address: Oude markt 13 ; 3000 Leuven ; Belgium
• Region: Vlaams Gewest › Prov. Vlaams-Brabant › Arr. Leuven
• Activity type: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• EU contribution: € 213 380,90