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NCT Number: NCT07226167

Hearing Aid Benefit in Real-World Noisy Environments

Researchers are doing this study to understand why hearing aids often work well in controlled laboratory settings but don't provide the same level of benefit in everyday noisy environments. The questions they hope to answer are:

* What factors contribute to hearing aid benefit in noisy environments * What factors limit hearing aid benefit * How do real-world factors interact with common hearing aid settings

Participants will complete:

* Hearing and listening tests * Memory and attention assessment * Surveys on their Smartphone

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing Aid Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Adult-Onset Hearing Loss, Bilateral Sensorineural Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Erik Jorgensen, AuD, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lucas Modahl

CONTACT

[email protected]

About this study

This is study investigates how hearing aid signal processing algorithms and environmental factors in listening situations interact to affect listening outcomes. A crossover design is used to assess speech perception, listening effort, and user satisfaction across diverse acoustic contexts.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Over 18 years old
  • Symmetrical, bilateral, adult onset, sensorineural hearing loss
  • Experienced hearing aid users (> 3 months)

Exclusion criteria

  • Under 18 years old
  • Conductive or mixed hearing loss
  • Asymmetrical or unilateral hearing loss
  • Pre-lingual or childhood hearing loss onset
  • No hearing aid experience

Treatment and study plan

Hearing Aid

Device

Participants will use study-provided hearing aids for 15 minutes, 7-10 times for a week.

Primary outcomes

  1. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid signal enhancement on speech perception

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will hear 3 different, 5 minute listening scenarios and answer the same survey questions for each. They will rate perception from 0% (understood nothing) to 100% (understood everything). Percentages will be compared across the 3 scenarios.

  2. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid signal enhancement on listening effort

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will hear 3 different, 5 minute listening scenarios and answer the same survey questions for each. They will rate how hard they had to work to understand what was said from 0% (no effort) to 100% (extremely hard). Percentages will be compared across the 3 scenarios.

  3. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid signal enhancement on listening comfort

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will hear 3 different, 5 minute listening scenarios and answer the same survey questions for each. They will rate how comfortable it was to listen from 0% (very comfortable) to 100% (very uncomfortable). Percentages will be compared across the 3 scenarios.

  4. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid signal enhancement on sound quality

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will hear 3 different, 5 minute listening scenarios and answer the same survey questions for each. They will rate the sound quality from 0% (very poor) to 100% (excellent). Percentages will be compared across the 3 scenarios.

  5. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid signal enhancement on sound location

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will hear 3 different, 5 minute listening scenarios and answer the same survey questions for each. They will rate how easy it was to tell where the sound was coming from, from 0% (could not tell) to 100% (very easy). Percentages will be compared across the 3 scenarios.

  6. Compare effectiveness of hearing aid algorithms based on location

    Time frame: 1 week

    Participants will complete the same survey questions for all three algorithms. Participants will select which option best describes the environment they are in when completing the hearing survey.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Lucas Modahl

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluating the Impact of Hearing Aid Signal Enhancement Algorithms in Real-World Contexts

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Nov 10, 2025
Registry last updated
Feb 24, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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