Helping older and hearing-impaired listeners separate voices in noisy places
Functional spatial segregation in auditory scene analysis
This project looks at how older adults and people with hearing loss separate different speech sounds in noisy environments and how hearing aids change that.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11304071 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would listen to overlapping speech and other sounds while researchers record your responses and brain activity using noninvasive electrophysiology. Tasks are designed to find the point where sounds are heard as one stream versus separate streams and to see how binaural cues and timing affect that perception. The team will also test directional microphone hearing-aid technology to determine when it helps or hurts separating multiple talkers. The overall aim is to map real-world limits of spatial hearing for people with age-related hearing loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with age-related hearing loss, including both hearing-aid users and non-users.
Not a fit: People without hearing loss or whose hearing problems stem from non–age-related causes may not see direct benefits from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to hearing aids and listening strategies better matched to how older ears and brains separate speech in noisy settings.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has identified age-related neural changes and shown some benefit from directional microphones, but this project applies new, more precise behavioral and electrophysiological measures.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- University of South Florida — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ozmeral, Erol James — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Ozmeral, Erol James
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.