Clinical Research Directory

Investigating the Acceptance and Performance of Low Energy Audio Streaming in Nucleus 8 and Kanso 3 Sound Processors by Experienced Cochlear Implant Users

This study aims to investigate acceptance and performance of the Bluetooth Low Energy Audio-enabled (LE Audio) firmware in the Nucleus 8 Processing Unit, Kanso 3 Nexa Sound Processor, and the Kanso 3 Sound Processor. The investigation includes actual use (take home) of LE Audio firmware releases and the new GN ReSound LE Audio wireless accessories, including the Multi-Mic+, for use in the real-world. Using the final versions of firmware, speech perception performance in noise will be investigated using the Nucleus 8 and Kanso 3 Sound Processors streaming via a Multi-Mic+.

This Clinical Investigation Assesses the Safety and Performance of a New Beamformer for MED-EL Cochlear Implant Recipients.

Cochlear implants help individuals with hearing loss by delivering electrical signals directly to the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged parts of the ear. While they significantly improve speech perception in quiet environments and over the telephone, challenges remain in noisy environments due to interference from background noise. To address this, advancements in signal-processing strategies, microphone technology, and noise-reduction algorithms have been introduced. The focus of the study is on two new front-end features: * Focused Beamformer - Enhances directional hearing. * AI Mode Medium - Utilizes the adaptive intelligence for optimized sound processing.

Effects of Binaural Hearing on Listening Effort and Cognitive Development in Mandarin-speaking Children With Cochlear Implants

The goal of this observational study is to learn how listening effort affects brain development and daily life in school-aged children (ages 6-18) who use cochlear implants (CIs), which are electronic devices surgically placed in the ear to help children with severe hearing loss hear sounds. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do children with CIs use more mental energy to listen than children with normal hearing, and does this extra effort slow their brain development over time? Does listening with two ears (bilateral CIs or a CI plus a hearing aid) reduce listening effort compared to listening with one ear only? How does listening effort affect children's ability to get along with others and adapt to daily life? Researchers will compare children with CIs to children with normal hearing to see if differences in listening effort lead to differences in cognitive development, social skills, and quality of life over 3 years. Participants will: Complete hearing tests to measure how well they understand speech in quiet and noisy settings Wear a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) headset and eye-tracking glasses during a short listening task (about 15-40 minutes) so researchers can measure brain activity and pupil size changes - these are safe, painless, and non-invasive ways to see how hard the brain is working to listen Take thinking and memory tests appropriate for their age Have a parent or guardian answer questions about their child's social skills and daily communication Return for the same set of tests at 1 year and 3 years after the first visit This study does not involve any new treatment or change to a child's current care. All children will continue their regular medical and rehabilitation plans. The study aims to enroll 360 children (120 with normal hearing and 240 with cochlear implants) at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China. Results may help doctors better understand when children with CIs need extra support and how to improve rehabilitation strategies.

Assessment of a Method to Improve Cochlear Implant Users' Speech Perception in Noisy Environments While Maintaining Their Ability to Determine Where a Sound Originates From

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a new algorithm can improve speech perception for cochlear implant users. The main questions it aims to answer \[is/are\]: * Does the algorithm improve speech perception in noisy environments? * Does the algorithm allow listeners to determine where a sound is coming from? Participants will * Listen to and repeat sentences presented in the presence of noise * Indicate the location that sounds originated from

Cochlear Implants and Listening Effort: the Interaction of Cognitive and Sensory Constraints

This study examines how cochlear implant users understand and comprehend speech in realistic communication situations. Through six experiments measuring listening effort via pupillometry and discourse comprehension, we will investigate how linguistic context, cognitive demands, and processing time affect speech understanding in CI users, and in normal-hearing controls) to identify factors underlying communication resilience versus vulnerability and develop improved, ecologically valid assessment and rehabilitation strategies.

Early Cochlear Implant Use

This observational study will examine newly activated cochlear implant users and determine whether their abilities to discern simple sounds change and relate to improved speech perception. Take-home computers and test-equipment will be sent home, and subjects will complete approximately 25 test sessions over the first 3 months of cochlea implant use. Then, subjects will be tested 3 more times in the laboratory until 1 year-post activation. The primary objective is to determine and quantify how sounds change and speech perception improves over the course of early cochlear implant use.