How hearing aids help in everyday noisy places
Official title: Evaluating the Impact of Hearing Aid Signal Enhancement Algorithms in Real-World Contexts
Run by University of Wisconsin, Madison · NCT07226167 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether different hearing aid settings and everyday noisy situations change how well hearing aids help adults with symmetric, adult-onset sensorineural hearing loss who already use hearing aids.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 45 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Wisconsin, Madison Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Madison, Wisconsin) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 19, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 2027 |
| Study ends | January 2027 |
| Registry record updated | February 24, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07226167 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults over 18 with symmetrical, bilateral adult-onset sensorineural hearing loss who have used hearing aids for more than three months are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with unilateral or asymmetrical hearing loss, conductive or mixed hearing loss, childhood-onset (pre-lingual) hearing loss, or no prior hearing-aid experience are unlikely to qualify or benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This crossover interventional study compares hearing-aid signal processing settings across diverse real-world acoustic contexts to measure speech perception, listening effort, and user satisfaction. Participants complete hearing and listening tests, memory and attention assessments, and smartphone surveys while using assigned hearing-aid settings in varied noisy environments. Each participant tries multiple settings so outcomes can be compared within the same person. The goal is to clarify how environmental factors and device algorithms interact to affect real-world hearing-aid benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help clinicians and manufacturers choose hearing aid settings that improve speech understanding and comfort in everyday noisy situations.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies have shown certain hearing-aid algorithms improve speech perception in controlled settings, but few studies have tested these algorithms across varied real-world noisy environments, making this partly novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Over 18 years old * Symmetrical, bilateral, adult onset, sensorineural hearing loss * Experienced hearing aid users (\> 3 months) Exclusion Criteria: * Under 18 years old * Conductive or mixed hearing loss * Asymmetrical or unilateral hearing loss * Pre-lingual or childhood hearing loss onset * No hearing aid experience
Where it's running
-
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Erik Jorgensen, AuD, PhD — University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Study coordinator: Lucas Modahl
- Email: lmodahl@wisc.edu
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Audiocap connected hearing device to improve audibility in adults with hearing loss
This will see if the Audiocap connected hearing aid helps adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss hear better than a placebo (flat-response) setting after one month.
-
Anatomy-Based Fitting for People with a Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid
This study tests whether an anatomy-based frequency distribution works better than the default one for adults with a cochlear implant and a contralateral hearing aid.
-
3D-printed versus conventional hearing-aid ear tips for comfort and fit
This study will test whether 3D-printed hearing-aid ear tips are as comfortable, fit as well, and sound as good as standard ear tips for people with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and will compare how long each takes to make and how much each costs.
-
Evaluating remote fine-tuning of hearing aids for Danish adults
This study is testing if adjusting hearing aids through a smartphone app at home is just as effective and satisfying for Danish adults as getting adjustments in person at a clinic.
-
Understanding how cochlear implant users hear speech in noise
This study is trying to see how cochlear implant users hear speech in noisy places by looking at their brain activity compared to people with normal hearing.
-
AirPods Pro as hearing assistive technology
This test will see if AirPods Pro help adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss understand speech in noisy places compared with hearing aids and wireless remote microphones.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.