Cochlear Implant Sound Processing Based on an Auditory Model

Dr David Grayden
Neuroengineering, University of Melbourne

Time: 21 April 2009, 18:00 AEDT (Refreshments from 17:30)

Venue: Engineering House, 21 Bedford St, North Melbourne, VIC 3051

The Bionic Ear (cochlear implant) uses electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve to restore hearing to deaf people. However, noisy listening conditions have a detrimental effect on speech understanding for implant users that is far worse than for normal hearing listeners. This seminar will introduce the cochlear implant and discuss the development of speech processing strategies since 1978. A new strategy, STAR, will be described that is based on an auditory model of the cochlea and auditory nerve interactions. The development of the strategy in a portable sound processor and early pre-clinical study results with cochlear implant users will be presented.