In the binaural and speech lab at the Waisman Center we study
how adults and children are able to hear in complex, noisy environments. We
are interested in how the brain is able to separate important sounds from
other distracting and interfering sounds, and how binaural hearing
(listening with two ears) is especially beneficial. The experimental setup
includes psychophysical measurements under headphones as well as sound
field testing in a multi-source environment.
Our work is primarily funded by the
National Institute of Health.
NIH-NIDCD R01DC003083,
Litovsky (PI) 12/1/2003 - 11/30/2008. Directional Hearing in Complex Auditory
Environments: This grant investigates mechanisms involved in directional hearing
including echo suppression and speech intelligibility in noise, in
normal-hearing adults. In adults with bilateral cochlear implants we are
conducting parallel studies to those in normal-hearing listeners.
In addition, we are investigating binaural sensitivity, effects of inter-aural
electrode matching vs. mis-match, and place of stimulation in the cochleae.
NIH-NIDCD R01DC008365, Litovsky (PI) 7/1/2007 - 6/31/2012. This work is
aimed at investigating spatial hearing in a complex acoustic environment, speech
intelligibility in a multi-source environment in normal-hearing children, and to
conduct correlate studies on these effects in children with bilateral cochlear
implants (BI-CIs).
BI-CIs are being provided to a growing number of children, in an effort to
alleviate difficulties functioning in realistic, complex acoustic environments.
We are studying children with bilateral implants who are 4 years and older with
the following histories: (1) Deaf from a very young age, received BI-CIs in
sequential procedures at least 12 months apart. (2) Deaf from a very young age,
received BI-CIs either in simultaneous procedures or less than 12-months apart.
(3) Had auditory experience prior to becoming deaf, with <12 or >12 months
between the two implants.
NIDCD F32
DC008452. Awarded to Tina Grieco. Litovsky (sponsor). In collaboration with
Dr. Jenny Saffran,
we are investigating word recognition and novel word-learning
abilities in toddlers who use cochlear implants, and whether bilateral cochlear
implantation at a very early age improves spatial hearing in toddlers who are
congenitally deaf.
Questions regarding this work should be addressed to Dr. Tina Grieco:
grieco@waisman.wisc.edu
NIDCD R21DC006642, Litovsky (PI) 4/1/2004 - 3/31/2006. Functional abilities in children with bilateral hearing: This project investigates the
ability of children with cochlear implants and hearing aids to understand speech in noise and to localize sounds, and the effect of having a second device in the
worse ear.
NIDCD F31 DC 6785 10/1/2004-9/30/2006. Litovsky (PI); Patti Johnstone applicant. 4/1/2004 - 3/31/2006. Stimulus uncertainty in a "cocktail party" environment:
This project investigates the ability of children to hear speech in a simulated noisy environment, and the influence of interferers that vary in type (content) and certainty
(probability). Questions regarding this work should be addressed to Patti Johnstone: pjohnst1@utk.edu
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has also been supporting our
research through a number of projects, Litovsky (PI), 7/1/2002 - 6/30/2004