Research in Hearing Systems focuses on auditory and speech processing and perception, models of hearing, audiology, objective measures of hearing and hearing instrument signal processing.
Hearing Systems educates engineers within the fields of speech and hearing science and communication acoustics at BSc, MSc and PhD levels.
Together with Acoustic Technology (DTU Elektro) we offer the international MSc programme Engineering Acoustics.
Hearing Systems consists of two centres:
Centre for Applied Hearing Research (CAHR) and Oticon Centre of Excellence for Hearing and Speech Sciences (CHeSS) and is currently part of several collaborative projects on the national and international level. This includes the Danish Better Hearing Rehabilitation Project (BEAR), the European initiative for Tinnitus Assessment, Causes and Treatments (TIN-ACT) and the Uncovering Hidden Hearing Loss (UHEAL) project in collaboration with the Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance and the Harvard Medical School.
Centre for Applied Hearing Research
is a centre at DTU Electrical Engineering with the purpose of promoting research and education within the field of acoustic communication with emphasis on signal processing principles in the human auditory system:
- Perceptual consequences of hearing impairment
- Functional models of auditory processing and perception
- Applications of auditory models in hearing instruments
- Measurement and diagnosis of auditory function
- Technical audiology and Speech perception
The centre is supported by three the Danish hearing-aid companies Oticon, Widex, GN Resound, and their foundations. In addition Phonak and Siemens have been supporting individual PhD projects within audiology and hearing technology.
Oticon Centre of Excellence for Hearing and Speech Sciences
In 2013,in parallel with CAHR, a new research centre was founded. While CAHR focuses on more applied research Oticon Centre of Excellence for Hearing and Speech Science, CHeSS, has more focus on fundamental research.
CHeSS has a special focus on cross-disciplinary basic research in the audiological disciplines.
The different disciplines will investigate the codes of the human auditory system. The centre also includes a large new laboratory, an Audio Visual Immersion Lab (AVIL). Through a special technology the sound impressions will be reproduced and combined with visual images.
Oticon Centre of Excellence for Hearing and Speech Sciences has employed a considerable number of scientists, visiting professors, postdocs and PhD students, who work together on a number of carefully selected basic research projects in the field of audiology.
Uncovering hidden hearing loss
Supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a new interdisciplinary synergy project “Uncovering hidden hearing loss” (UHEAL) will combine magnetic resonance imaging technology with audiology and neurophysiology to establish methods for measuring this nerve damage in humans. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with Hartwig Siebner and colleagues from the Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance and Charles Liberman from Harvard Medical School.
Better Hearing Rehabilitation Project
A new, large collaborative project between the University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University, the Technical University of Denmark (Hearing Systems, Elektro) independent tech company DELTA, Danish hearing aid manufacturers Oticon, Widex and GN Resound and the university hospitals in Odense, Aalborg and Copenhagen will improve quality of hearing care so that people with hearing loss can benefit more from their hearing aids.
TIN-ACT: Tinnitus Assessment, Causes and Treatments
Tinnitus (“ringing in the ears”) is a very common and potentially devastating condition. People with tinnitus continuously hear a penetrating phantom sound in absence of actual sound. Even mild forms of tinnitus reduce productivity due to difficulty hearing and concentrating at work and also resting and relaxing during leisure time. In order to cure tinnitus, we need to bridge the gap between basic fundamental research, applied clinical research and product development. Our aim is to understand how complementary research techniques can be used towards curing tinnitus.
Hearing Systems- An exciting place for auditory research
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