Improving speech clarity for adults with cochlear implants

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: a Master Umbrella Investigation

Not applicable Interventional Cochlear · NCT06100393

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

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment150 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorCochlear Industry-sponsored
Locations2 sites (Melbourne, Victoria and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06100393 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who should consider this trial

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.

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.

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 performed: 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.

Eligibility criteria

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 this trial is running

Melbourne, Victoria and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Hearing Loss
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.