Project
Design and Evaluation of Stimulation Artifact Suppression Algorithms in EEG Data, for Electrically Evoked Auditory Steady-State Responses (EASSR) Based on Testing in Cochlear Implant Users
Cochlear implants (CIs) aim to restore hearing in severely to profoundly deaf adults, children and infants. Electrically evoked auditory steady-state responses (EASSRs) are neural responses to continuous modulated CI pulse trains, and can be objectively detected at the modulation frequency in the electro-encephalogram (EEG). EASSRs can, e.g., potentially be used to determine appropriate stimulation levels during CI fitting, without behavioral input from the subjects. However, EASSRs are distorted by electrical artifacts, caused by the CI's radio frequency link and by the electrical pulses used to stimulate the auditory nerve. Therefore, the aim of this project is to evaluate existing stimulation artifact suppression algorithms as well as to design and evaluate novel such algorithms for improved performance.