Birgit Philips

Cochlear Ltd · Research

Background: Traditional speech recognition testing in Cochlear Implant (CI) care primarily captures aggregate speech recognition performance, often overlooking detailed phoneme identification errors. This feasibility study introduces a fitting approach focusing on individual CI users' phoneme difficulties identified through self-testing paradigms.M...

Purpose: Current clinical measures used in cochlear implantation (CI) provide a broader view of speech recognition ability at word-level, often missing granular details contained at phoneme-level that may be valuable for CI mapping. This study evaluates how outcomes of Phoneme Recognition in Quiet tests (PRQ) differ from those of more commonly used...

Purpose This study describes a protocol for a novel individualized phoneme training program for adult cochlear implant (CI) users, based on individual phoneme confusion errors. The protocol is underpinned by a literature review on phoneme training and a focus group with adult CI users. Method After a literature search, five studies were included f...

Prelingual single-sided deafness (SSD) not only affects children’s hearing skills, but can also lead to speech-language delays and academic underachievement. Early cochlear implantation leads to improved spatial hearing, but the impact on language development is less studied. In our longitudinal study, we assessed the language skills of young child...

Objective: The variability in outcomes among adult cochlear implant (CI) users poses challenges for clinicians in accurately predicting the benefits of the implant for individual candidates. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy and confidence of clinicians in predicting speech perception outcomes for adult CI users one-year post-implantati...

Purpose Programming a cochlear implant (fitting) is an essential part of a user’s post-implantation journey, defining how sound will be translated into electrical stimulation and aiming to provide optimal speech perception outcomes. Currently, there are no established, evidence-based guidelines for fitting cochlear implant users, leading to a high...

Background Cochlear implants (CIs) are considered an effective treatment for severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. However, speech perception outcomes are highly variable among adult CI recipients. Top-down neurocognitive factors have been hypothesized to contribute to this variation that is currently only partly explained by biological an...

Individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) have no access to binaural hearing, which limits their ability to localize sounds and understand speech in noisy environments. In addition, children with prelingual SSD are at risk for neurocognitive and academic difficulties. Early cochlear implantation may lead to improved hearing outcomes by restoring...

Importance Pediatric single-sided deafness (SSD) can seriously affect development, causing impaired spatial hearing skills, speech-language delays, and academic underachievement. Early cochlear implantation likely improves hearing-related outcomes, but its association with language development remains unclear. Objective To investigate whether earl...

In the chapter, the authors address the prescient need to update accepted care models of cochlear implant (CI) fitting and long-term maintenance to better utilize self-care and tele-medicine possibilities, thus shifting the focus of CI maintenance to the recipient. There is a strong evidence base that such a move will better meet the needs of CI us...

The number of CI users has grown rapidly, resulting in an increased workload for CI centres and a need for new and innovative ways to provide healthcare to users of a CI. A telehealth application was developed with a functionality to self‐administer speech recognition tests at home, which was evaluated in 10 newly‐implanted patients. Speech recogni...

In the chapter, the authors address the prescient need to update accepted care models of cochlear implant (CI) fitting and long-term maintenance to better utilize self-care and tele-medicine possibilities, thus shifting the focus of CI maintenance to the recipient. There is a strong evidence base that such a move will better meet the needs of CI us...

Purpose The introduction of connectivity technologies in hearing implants allows new ways to support cochlear implant (CI) users remotely. Some functionalities and services that are traditionally only available in an in-clinic care model can now also be accessed at home. This study explores the feasibility of a prototype of a tablet computer applic...

Objectives Cochlear's new sound processor system (Nucleus(®) 6) features a new noise reduction algorithm called SNR-NR (signal-to-noise ratio), and an environmental classifier called SCAN, which activates the appropriate sound coding algorithms for a given listening environment. In addition, the sound processors (CP910 and CP920) have a data loggin...

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the predictive role of the olivocochlear efferent reflex strength in temporary hearing deterioration in young adults exposed to music. This was based on the fact that a noise-protective role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) system was observed in animals and that efferent suppression (ES) measured...

Objective To compare the long-term speech perception and production outcomes after cochlear implantation (CI) in children deafened by congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) with a matched group of Cx26-CI children by controlling for chronological age and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Methods Retrospective review of 12 cCMV-CI children and...

This study retrospectively evaluates the effect of newborn hearing screening on age at diagnosis, age at cochlear implantation and spoken language development in severely hearing-impaired children. Age at diagnosis, age at cochlear implantation and language development were evaluated in a group of early screened (n = 149) and a group of late screen...

To evaluate the smart algorithm in speed and reliability of threshold estimation compared with the algorithm available in the standard fitting software and to evaluate the possibility of using programs based on the smart algorithm instead of programs derived from behavioral measures. Twenty subjects unilaterally implanted with a CII Bionic Ear or H...

To examine spoken language outcomes in children undergoing bilateral cochlear implantation compared with matched peers undergoing unilateral implantation. Case-control, frequency-matched, retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study. Two Belgian and 3 Dutch cochlear implantation centers. Twenty-five children with 1 cochlear implant matched with...

The main objective of this study was to assess the associations between self-reported listening habits and perception of music and speech perception outcomes in quiet and noise for both unilateral cochlear implant (CI) users and bimodal (CI in one ear, hearing aid in contra-lateral ear) users. Information concerning music appreciation was gathered...

The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic capacity of three different rotatory tests, and to investigate the clinical effectiveness of the caloric, rotatory, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test. DESIGN AND STUDY SAMPLE: Several rotatory tests--sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHAT), pseudorandom rotation test (P...

The perceived negative influence of standard hearing protectors on communication is a common argument for not wearing them. Thus, "augmented" protectors have been developed to improve speech intelligibility. Nevertheless, their actual benefit remains a point of concern. In this paper, speech perception with active earplugs is compared to standard p...

In replyWith regret, we read the remarks by Zardouz and colleagues saying that the abstract conclusions in our article are not supported by the results of our study, especially those within the noise exposure group. A post hoc least significant difference test was executed only when the overall 3-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was signi...

To determine the output levels of a commercially available MPEG layer-3 (MP3) player and to evaluate changes in hearing after 1 hour of listening to the MP3 player. First, A-weighted sound pressure levels (measured in decibels [dBA]) for 1 hour of pop-rock music on an MP3 player were measured on a head and torso simulator. Second, after participant...

The present study aimed at establishing clinically efficient stopping criteria for a multiple 80-Hz auditory steady-state response (ASSR) system. In Experiment 1, data of 31 normal-hearing subjects were analyzed off-line to propose stopping rules. Consequently, ASSR recordings will be stopped when (1) all 8 responses reach significance and signific...

Knowledge regarding the variability of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) is essential in clinical settings and improves their utility in monitoring hearing status over time. In the current study, TEOAEs and DPOAEs were measured with commercially available OAE-equipment in 56 normal...

There is still controversy regarding the effects of aging on evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs), as well as on the efferent system measured by contralateral acoustic stimulation of EOAEs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the deterioration in EOAEs and efferent suppression (ES) in a representative sample statistically controlling for t...

Age-related anatomical and morphologic vestibular deterioration has already been elaborated. Demonstrating a corresponding degradation in physiologic function, however, entails a much higher challenge. The objective of this study was to investigate age-related changes using rotational tests, caloric tests, and the vestibular-evoked myogenic potenti...

To determine the ability of the air-conduction multiple-frequency auditory steady-state response (ASSR) technique to diagnose normal hearing (NH) and mild and moderate degrees of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), to assess patients with conductive hearing loss (CHL), to evaluate flat and sloping configurations of hearing impairment, and to provide...

To evaluate the impact of a newborn hearing screening program on the management and outcome of deaf children and to identify underlying factors that may be responsible for the differences between high and low performing implanted children. Retrospective cohort study of 391 implanted children in Flanders (Belgium). First, implanted children were sor...

The microphone in real ear (MIRE) protocol allows the assessment of hearing protector's (HPD) attenuation in situ by measuring the difference between the sound pressure outside and inside the ear canal behind the HPD. Custom-made earplugs have been designed with an inner bore to insert the MIRE probe containing two microphones, the reference microp...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) response in a clinical setting when only a feedback mechanism is available for monitoring background EMG. Sixty-one healthy subjects participated in the investigation of the within-session reliability, whereas fourteen of them were retested...

The use of in situ measurements of hearing protectors' (HPD's) attenuation following the microphone in real ear (MIRE) protocol is increasing. The attenuation is hereby calculated from the difference in sound levels outside the ear and inside the ear canal behind the HPD. Custom-made earplugs have been designed with an inner bore that allows insert...

The test-retest reliability of the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) has received limited attention. Therefore, the aim was to assess the test-retest reliability of an 80-Hz multiple-ASSR system in normal-hearing subjects by a comprehensive set of statistical methods. Twenty-nine participants (15 females) aged between 18 and 30 years contribute...

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of impulse noise on otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) while a passive non-linear earplug or an active level-dependent earmuff was worn. Since none of the standardized attenuation measurement techniques, REAT (real ear at threshold), ATF (acoustic test fixture), or MIRE (microphone in real ear), is designed to test...

Rotational testing has been used in clinical practice to explore vestibular function. Frequently used stimulus algorithms include: sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHAT), pseudorandom rotation test (PRRT), and velocity step test (VST). The aim of this study was to construct normative data as well as to evaluate the test-retest reliability of...