Making everyday listening easier for people with cochlear implants
Listening effort in cochlear implant users
This work looks at when and why listening feels tiring for people with cochlear implants and develops ways to measure and ease that effort.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172448 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would take part in listening tasks that mirror real-life conversations while researchers measure how tiring different moments are before, during, and after you listen. The team uses feedback from people with cochlear implants to design the tasks and the sounds you hear. They combine clinical testing, attention-focused exercises, and measurements of lingering effort after comprehension to see which situations cause the most strain. Findings will be shared with other clinicians and researchers to help create better tests and coping strategies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who use cochlear implants and experience fatigue, trouble following conversations, or anxiety when listening.
Not a fit: People who do not use cochlear implants or whose communication problems are unrelated to listening effort are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better tests and strategies that make everyday listening less tiring for cochlear implant users.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown links between listening effort and comprehension and some lab measures look promising, but the specific three-branch focus on preparatory, momentary, and lingering effort is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winn, Matthew Brandon — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Winn, Matthew Brandon
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.