Proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area encompass all aspects of middle ear implants, bone-anchored implants, cochlear implants, auditory brainstem implants, and auditory midbrain implants. We seek submissions that span from clinical research to basic science to translational research, enhance understanding of basic mechanisms, factors that affect patient performance with an auditory implant as well as new clinical or research approaches or methods. Interprofessional education, practice, and/or research that addresses the implementation of interprofessional competencies within curricular or practice models or the evaluation of collaborative care outcomes specific to implantables should be included in this topic area. Matters related to diversity, equity, inclusion or healthcare disparities, neuroaffirming practices, and social determinants of health in adults specific to implantables should be included in this topic area.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to emerging, innovative, cochlear implants, middle ear implants, and bone anchored implants
• Auditory Electrophysiology
• Neuroimaging
• Speech/language development
• Genetics
• Cellular/molecular mechanisms
• Innovations in implant design including hardware engineering, software engineering, and signal processing algorithm development
• Psychophysics

Professional Education and Example Clinical Areas

• Expansion in candidacy and clinical management (e.g. single sided deafness, hearing preservation, auditory brainstem implants, auditory midbrain implants, implantation in very young or very elderly, telehealth)
• Interprofessional practice (e.g. incorporating social work, psychologists, CI coordinators) in auditory implantables
• Evidence-based changes and/or optimization of clinical practices in auditory implantables
• Case studies
• Clinical trials

Note that the above areas are suggestions and the list is not intended to be exhaustive and all encompassing.

Related Topics

Proposals involving this population but with a primary focus on:

• Language, literacy, phonological processing, and auditory skill development of pediatric implant recipients should be submitted to the Listening, Language, and Speech in Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing topic area.
• Existing diagnostic tests with low clinical uptake in the pediatric population should be submitted to the Hearing, Balance, Tinnitus – Assessment and Intervention: Pediatric topic area.
• Existing diagnostic tests with low clinical uptake in the adult population should be submitted to the Hearing, Balance, Tinnitus – Assessment and Intervention: Adult topic area.