GRK 2969:  Hearable-centered assistance: From sensors to participation

• Subject Area: Medicine ; Systems Engineering
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 512960146

The aim of the HEARAZ Graduate Research Training Group is the comprehensive inter- and transdisciplinary training of young scientists for the efficient development of a new generation of ear-related networked technical assistance systems (hearables) and their embedding in everyday life and care practice. This vision is realized conceptually and technologically by networking hearables with sensors and external devices. Hearables will thus be further developed into a mobile and personalized "health center on the ear". Beyond hearing improvement, better perception, communication and mobility of the wearers will be realized through technical and social networking with formal or informal care networks. The goal is to improve participation opportunities despite health restrictions, increased vulnerability and increasing diversity of the often older wearers. Based on a characterization of the individual limitations, the needs of those affected are to be investigated and suitable assistance functions are to be designed and evaluated in everyday care. In order to achieve an optimal benefit of these socio-technical systems, a consistent inter- and transdisciplinary approach with access to the international research community is necessary. This approach as well as the excellent research environment enable systematic basic research, research into clinical and technical applications as well as health services research and research into ethical or social aspects. It addresses the growing worldwide market of hearing aids or hearables in perspective. The core element of the Graduate Research Training Group is therefore the consistent interdisciplinary training of the doctoral students. The qualification concept provides for individual supplements above the completed masters level for all doctoral students. This interdisciplinary training is complemented by obligatory practical internships and lab rotations, which provide an insight into the research methods of other disciplines and contact with future users. As an specific element of exchange and joint design of use case scenarios of hearables on and with people with specific medical conditions, both the recording of behavior and interactions with patients and the replay and adaptation of behavior in virtual reality, mixed reality and patient simulators are pursued. This concept links research data management with anonymization and controlled variation of data for interdisciplinary discussion and joint development of hearable-centered healthcare models. Based on their preliminary work, the participating applicants cover the broad spectrum of sensors, methods (including signal processing and machine learning), technologies and systems, as well as their ethical, legal and social implications.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
• Co-Applicant Institution: Universität Bremen
• Participating Institution: Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Andreas Hein
• Participating Researchers: Privatdozentin Dr. Anna Levke Brütt; Professor Dr. Birger Kollmeier; Professor Haizhou Li, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Andreas Radeloff; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Tanja Schultz; Professor Dr. Mark Schweda; Professor Dr. Karsten Witt; Professorin Dr. Karin Wolf-Ostermann; Professorin Dr. Tania Zieschang