UCL Ear Institute

Following a successful application to the European Union’s ‘FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-2 funding programme, we are pleased to announce the launch of Advanced Bilateral Cochlear Implant Technology (ABCIT) a 3-year research project funded to the tune of €4M. ABCIT incorporates academic partners at the Ear Institute, Oldenburg University in Germany, and the French cochlear implant company Neurelec. ABCIT aims to enhance the spatial listening abilities of cochlear implant users, particularly those who receive the Neurelec binaural device. This device stimulates both implanted ears synchronously and has the potential to enhance the ability to locate the source of a sound, and to listen in noisy environments (cocktail party listening). By combining Neurelec’s implant technology with hearing-aid technology developed by Oldenburg’s spin-out group Hoertech, ABCIT aims to improve the hearing outcomes of the severely and profoundly deaf. Scientists and engineers across all locations will these combined approaches under simulated and real-world listening conditions to determine future implant designs.

• Visit the ABCIT project website