Safer, clearer hearing aids by predicting outer-ear boost from height
Official title: Improving Automated Hearing Aid Safety and Audibility; External-Ear Amplification Predictions Based on Height, Not Age
Funded at Central Michigan University · NIH-11324307 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a person's height to estimate how their outer ear naturally boosts sound so hearing aids fit children and adults more safely and clearly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Central Michigan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mount Pleasant, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $296,273 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC020699-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324307 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children and adults needing hearing-aid fitting who can attend in-person ear-measurement visits.
✕Less likely to help
People who already receive individualized probe-microphone ear measurements during their fittings are less likely to benefit directly from the height-based prediction.
What this research studies
You would have your ear shape and hearing measured with small probe microphones while researchers record your height and other physical details. The team will compare height-based predictions of external-ear amplification to current age-based or average settings and to direct measurements. They will analyze whether height-based estimates reduce cases where hearing aids are set too loud or too soft. The work focuses on real people across ages so measurements reflect how ears actually change with body size.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make hearing aids more comfortable and safer by reducing over- or under-amplification for many users.
How similar studies have gone: Direct probe-microphone measurements are the gold standard and commonly reduce fitting errors, while using height as a simple predictor is a newer idea with limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grinn, Sarah — Central Michigan University
- Study coordinator: Grinn, Sarah
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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.