This PhD project will develop and apply new fNIRS signal processing methods to investigate connectivity in cortical language networks in both cochlear implant candidates (for prognosis) and new cochlear implant users (for diagnosis). The project extends the current work of the Translational Hearing Research team in developing new individualised diagnosis and clinical management to address the poor outcomes of up to a third of new adult cochlear implant recipients. So far, the current projects have only looked at the response patterns in particular regions of interest in these populations, but it is highly likely that the plastic changes of interest that affect outcomes are related to connectivity between different multisensory language areas. This PhD project will address this gap in our current research, as well as developing signal processing techniques that can be applied to other applications such as EarGenie™.

This project would be suitable for an engineer graduate or data scientist with high-level signal processing skills.

For all enquiries, please email [email protected]

Supervisors: Dr Maureen Shader, Prof Colette McKay