Post-doctoral position in Cochlear Implant research in Vienna

[Bernhard Laback <Bernhard.Laback@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Post-Doctoral Research Position for Cochlear Implant Project

Tenure: up to three years

Project Overview
The project titled “Spectral cues in auditory localization with cochlear 
implants” studies possible ways to provide spectral localization cues 
(so-called pinna cues) to bilateral cochlear implant listeners. Pinna 
cues are important for the localization of sound sources in the vertical 
planes, most importantly for front/back discrimination. Project steps 
include experiments on the monaural sensitivity to spectral peaks and 
notches, on the number of channels required for encoding of pinna cues 
and speech cues, and on audio-visual learning of frequency-shifted 
spectral localization cues. Both bilateral cochlear implant listeners 
and normal hearing listeners will be tested. Individually measured as 
well as generic head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) will be applied. 
Generic HRTFs will be derived by numerical simulations.

Qualification Requirements
The position requires a background in psychoacoustics. Research 
experience in the area of spatial hearing and/or cochlear implants is a 
plus.

Main Duties
-to evaluate and run new experiments that perform several tasks defined 
in the project framework.
-to analyze the data and write progress reports and publications.

The Acoustics Research Institute offers excellent facilities for 
psychoacoustic experiments in bilateral electric and acoustic hearing. 
These include a system for direct bilateral electrical stimulation and 
an semi-anechoic room equipped for localization experiments and 
measuring HRTFs. Cooperation with ENT-departments, e.g. the Vienna 
University Hospital, ensures the access to Cochlear Implant listeners. 
The numerical acoustics division of the institute provides excellent 
facilities for performing extensive computational tasks.

Responsible to: Dr. Bernhard Laback and Prof. Dr. W.A. Deutsch 
(Acoustics Research at the Austrian Academy of Sciences).

The successful candidate will join an existing research team and should 
be able to integrate well.

The project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for three 
years. The appointment is for two years in the first instance, with a 
possible extension for a further year.

The appointment will be to a salary of € 39240.6,- p.a.

Closing date: Oct. 15th 2005.

A summary of the project can be found at:
http://www.kfs.oeaw.ac.at/research/medical_acoustics/Abstract%20CI%20HRTF.pdf

Please send applications to Bernhard Laback: Bernhard.Laback@xxxxxxxxxx


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Bernhard Laback, Ph.D.
Acoustics Research Institute
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Reichsratsstrasse 17
A-1010 Wien
Austria
Tel.: 0043-1-4277-29514
Fax.: 0043-1-4277-9295
http://www.kfs.oeaw.ac.at/
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