# CogHear: Cognitive Hearing workshop series

> **NIH NIH R13** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $40,000

## Abstract

Abstract
The proposal outlines a plan to organize a series of workshops on cognitively-controlled listening
devices. The meetings aim to advance scientific inquiry and computational tools for decoding brain
activity and assessing cognitive functions in order to control assistive listening devices used in everyday
environments. The field pushes forth current limitations in technologies such as hearing aids which take
a bottom-up, hearing-centric approach. Instead, we explore scientific and engineering solutions to
leverage both hearing and cognitive functions to deliver improved communication capabilities. The
format of these workshops is aimed as a hands-on structure where interdisciplinary teams including
senior researchers and younger trainees and students work together during 4 days to pilot new ideas,
exchange approaches and compare methodologies around themes relevant to auditory cognition. The
workshops, to be held every 18 months, aim to foster a nascent community of researchers spanning
hearing scientists, cognitive and brain scientists, engineers and computer scientists. Benefits from the
cross-training and large-scale collaborations throughout these fields will facilitate translating readouts
of the mental state of listeners into effective feedback mechanisms to control hearing prosthetics and
shape the listening experience. The workshop aims to engage a wider community and particularly
cultivate participation of women and under-represented minorities as well as giving a voice to junior
researchers. Beyond the scientific and engineering scholarly contributions, the proposed workshops will
provide know-how to develop systems able to implement cognitive-aware listening devices and as such
can expand the industry of cognitive robotics and assistive devices. A close partnership between the
research community and industry present valuable opportunities for translational impact that benefit the
field in general.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9913770
- **Project number:** 1R13DC018475-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mounya Elhilali
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $40,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9913770

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9913770, CogHear: Cognitive Hearing workshop series (1R13DC018475-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9913770. Licensed CC0.

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