There are three lines of research conducted in the Cochlear Implant Research Laboratory. The first project is "Physiology as a Potential Predictor of Perception." The second is "Telepractice for Cochlear Implants." The third line is "Effects of Substance Use on Auditory and Vestibular Function."
Physiology as a Potential Predictor of Perception
This research is investigating how subjective and objective measures obtained with a cochlear implant (CI) are related to each other.
Subjective measures require active participation on the part of the research participant. Examples include listening to sounds and making judgments about certain aspects o the sound such as loudness or pitch, or listening to speech presented in different conditions and repeating back what is heard.
In contrast, objective measures do not require active participation from the participant. The objective measures are obtained from the auditory pathway in response to electrical stimulation from the CI. During these measures, participants can relax and watch a movie or take a nap.
The goal of this research is to determine whether certain objective measures can be used to predict certain behavioral measures. We hope to use this information to find better ways to program CI sound processors for children and adults.
Telepractice for Cochlear Implants
The purpose of this research is to investigate ways to expand CI service delivery to individuals who live far away from a CI center. Telepractice refers to clinical services delivered via the internet and/or videoconferencing technology with the patient and clinician in separate geographical locations. This research project targets three areas of clinical CI services that have not yet been validated for telepractice: 1) sound processor programming for young children, 2) speech-perception testing, and 3) aural rehabilitation for adults.
Effects of Substance Use on Auditory and Vestibular Function
This research is being conducted to investigate the effects of chronic substance use on auditory and vestibular function.