The HCSD Laboratory routinely participates in external collaborations, most often with research sponsors. We also have numerous international collaborations with clinicians and researchers related to the development and use of HINT(Hearing In Noise Tests) in different languages. The following is a summary of the HCSD Department’s recent collaborations.

• University of Ottawa, Chantal Laroche, Ph.D., and Christian Giguere, Ph.D. This joint project was funded by the Canadian Coast Guard to develop and validate functional hearing criteria for hearing-critical jobs. Work continued through FY 2005.

• Advanced Bionics Corp., Dorcas Kessler, MA. This joint project was based on a co-development project to develop test materials, protocols, and an instrument for the assessment of binaural hearing abilities in patients with bilateral cochlear implants.

• Nidek Co., Japan, Masae Shiroma, Ph.D. (International University of Health and Welfare) and Takako Iwaki, MA (Osaka Medical University). This joint project was based on a co-development agreement with Nidek Co. to develop a computerized hearing assessment instrument that included Japanese language speech materials.

• International Hearing Aid Research Conference, Lynne Luethke, Ph.D., and Pat Stelmachowicz, Ph.D. This joint project is part of the ongoing IHCON hearing aid conference series .

• Howard Leight Industries, Vernon Larson, Ph.D. This ongoing joint project is based on a co-development project to develop a behavioral procedure and related test instrument that can be used in the field by workers to verify the attenuation provided by their hearing protection devices.

• Advanced Bionics, MaryJoe Osberger, Ph.D., and Jianing Wei, Ph.D.  This joint project is an extension of the earlier collaboration with Advanced Bionics, with an emphasis on the implementation of our direct connect assessment protocol and instrument for use in their bilateral cochlear implant trials in the US, and for use in assessment of monaural cochlear implant patients in Asia with Asian language HINT materials (Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese).

• International Hearing Aid Research Conference, Lynne Luethke, Ph.D., and Stuart Gatehouse, Ph.D. This joint project is part of the ongoing IHCON hearing aid conference series.

Collaborations on international HINT research

1. Canada: Chantal Laroche, Ph.D. (University of Ottawa)

2. Japan: Takeshi Kubo, MD (Osaka Medical University) and Masae Shiroma, Ph.D. (International University of Health and Welfare)

3. Mexico: Lilian Flores, Ph.D. (National Hospital of Mexico)

4. Colombia: Clemencia Barón de Otero, Ph.D. (private clinic, Bogota)

5. Argentina: Graciela Brik, Ph.D. (private clinic, Buenos Aires)

6. Hong Kong: Lena Wong, MA (University of Hong Kong)

7. China: Sha Liu, MD (Tong Ren Hospital, Beijing)

8. Taiwan: Virgil Huang (Taipei)

9. Korea: Sung-Kyun Moon, MD (Ajou University)

10. Australia: Lesley Whitford, Ph.D. (University of Melbourne, Bionic Ear Institute)

11. Spain: Alicia Huarte, MD (Pamplona)

12. Portugal: Rui Nunes, Ph.D. (Lisbon)

13. Brazil: Maria Cecilia Bevilacqua, MD (Sao Paulo)

14. Malaysia: Siti Zamratol-Mai Sarah Mukari, Ph.D. (National University, Kuala Lumpur)