ProjectCherISH – Cochlear implants and spatial hearing: Enabling access to the next dimension of hearing

Basic data

Acronym:
CherISH
Title:
Cochlear implants and spatial hearing: Enabling access to the next dimension of hearing
Duration:
01/03/2024 to 28/02/2027
Abstract / short description:
The loss of inner hair cells in the cochlea causes deafness. Since the first trial of a cochlear implant in 1957, cochlear implants
have been developed to the point where they can (re-)restore hearing and speech understanding in a large proportion of patients.
Although spatial hearing is central to controlling and directing attention and to enabling speech understanding in noisy environments
it has been largely neglected. In current implants, matching of binaural information, a basic prerequisite for spatial hearing, is not
yet implemented. Furthermore, intensive rehabilitation programs are lacking. The here proposed interdisciplinary doctoral network in
which physicians, psychologists and engineers collaborate, aims at the improvement of spatial hearing in cochlear implant users. In
ten different interconnected projects spatial hearing will be improved by (1) applying machine learning algorithms to identify sounds
sources and to provide the information to CI users through visual or tactile spatial cues, (2) examining physiological impairments of
spatial hearing in CI users and matching the imbalance of the binaural inputs, and by (3) patient-centered training programs that make
use of virtual environments. The doctoral training network will provide the next generation of researchers and engineers that will have a
good understanding of the multifaceted problems of spatial hearing and that will be equipped with expertise and skills to come up with
innovative solutions in this field. The collaboration between academia and the private sector enables the realisation of new solutions for
spatial hearing with CIs, thus enabling deaf patients to substantially improve their hearing.
Keywords:
psychology
Psychologie
machine learning
maschinelles Lernen
rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
virtual reality
virtuelle Realität
psychology
Psychologie
otolaringology
Biomedical Engineering
cochlear implants
spatial hearing
attention control
neurophysiology

Involved staff

Managers

Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; Polyclinic
Hospitals and clinical institutes, Faculty of Medicine

Other staff

Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen
Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; Polyclinic
Hospitals and clinical institutes, Faculty of Medicine

Local organizational units

Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; Polyclinic
Hospitals and clinical institutes
Faculty of Medicine

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