Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 18 and up

Improving speech clarity for adults with cochlear implants

Official title: A Feasibility, Prospective, Repeated-measures Investigation of Hearing Outcomes With New Pre-processing Speech Enhancement Algorithms Compared to Standard-of-care Algorithms in Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients

Run by Cochlear · NCT06100393 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing new ways to improve how well adults with cochlear implants can understand speech in noisy environments.

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment150 (estimated)
SponsorCochlear
Industry-sponsored
Locations2 sites (Melbourne, Victoria and 1 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedFebruary 22, 2024
Main results expectedOctober 31, 2026
Study endsOctober 31, 2026
Registry record updatedAugust 14, 2026
Trial IDNCT06100393 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older who are users of an approved Nucleus cochlear implant and have a certain level of speech recognition ability.

Probably not a fit

Patients who do not meet the eligibility criteria or have additional health factors that restrict participation may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical investigation aims to develop and evaluate new pre-processing strategies to enhance speech perception and reduce background noise for adult cochlear implant users. It employs a master umbrella design that allows for multiple sub-investigations, each focusing on different speech enhancement algorithms. Participants will undergo assessments to determine the effectiveness of these algorithms in real-world listening situations. The study is designed to optimize the performance of cochlear implant speech processors through innovative signal processing techniques.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly improve the speech understanding and overall quality of life for cochlear implant recipients.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promise in enhancing speech perception for cochlear implant users through advanced signal processing techniques, indicating potential for success in this approach.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* User of an approved Nucleus cochlear implant.
* User of the ACE (Advanced Combination Encoder) sound processing strategy.
* Aged 18 years or older (no upper age limit).
* Able to score 20% or more at +10 dB SNR or have an adaptive Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) of 12 dB or less CI alone on a sentence in babble test.\*
* Fluent speaker in the language used to assess speech perception performance, as determined by the investigator.
* Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
* ≥3 months post cochlear implant activation

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unable or unwilling to comply with the requirements of the clinical investigation as determined by the Investigator.
* Additional health factors, known to the investigator, that would prevent or restrict participation in the audiological evaluations.
* Investigator site personnel directly affiliated with this study and/or the investigator's immediate families; immediate family is defined as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling.
* Cochlear employees or employees of Contract Research Organizations or contractors engaged by Cochlear for the purposes of this investigation.
* Current participation, or participation in another interventional clinical study/trial in the past 30 days, involving an investigational drug or device (unless the other investigation was/is a Cochlear sponsored investigation and determined by the investigator or Sponsor to not impact this investigation).

Where it's running

  • Cochlear Melbourne
    Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    Recruiting
  • HEARnet Clinical Studies
    Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    Active not recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.