Optimizing how CI users hear in busy real-world environments
Official title: Optimizing bilateral and single-sided-deafness cochlear implants for functioning in complex auditory environments
Funded at Univ of Maryland, College Park · NIH-11336385 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how to improve speech understanding and spatial hearing for people using cochlear implants, especially those with implants in both ears or with single-sided deafness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $541,758 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC020506-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336385 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults using cochlear implants, including those with bilateral implants or single-sided deafness who struggle in real-world listening environments.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use cochlear implants or do not experience contralateral disruption may not benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
The project aims to uncover why some CI users experience difficulty when listening in complex environments and to identify strategies that improve real-world hearing. Researchers will examine mechanisms behind contralateral disruption and interaural loudness mismatch, testing how these factors affect speech understanding and spatial perception. The work will involve measurements and experiments to link asymmetric hearing to performance, with the goal of guiding better CI fitting and possible remediation. If successful, findings could lead to clearer speech in noisy settings and more accurate sound localization for BI-CI and SSD-CI users.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience clearer speech in noisy places and better awareness of where sounds come from.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CI research has shown that optimizing binaural input can improve performance, but the exact mechanisms of contralateral disruption remain a focus area.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Maryland, College Park
College Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goupell, Matthew J. — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Goupell, Matthew J.
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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.