The HEARing CRC

Building on decades of research and innovation to deliver better hearing healthcare for Australia.

Hearing loss affects one in six Australians and is projected to affect one in four by 2050. It reduces people’s ability to communicate, impacting education, employment and relationships.

Solution-focused collaborative research

The HEARing CRC—comprised of 23 member organisations including Macquarie University, 7 of which co-located at the Australian Hearing Hub such as Australian Hearing and Cochlear — is dedicated to the common purpose of creating sound value™ through research.

Growing Australian industry, commerce and economy

The key objective of the HEARing CRC is to enhance Australia’s industrial, commercial and economic growth through an integrated, cooperative research program focused on prevention and mitigation of hearing loss. They provide education and outreach programs and have commercialised their research findings to move towards this goal.

Research programs

Four research programs are underway at the Centre alongside a Commercialisation Program which includes clinical trials and research development. The Research Programs include:

The listening brain

This program is developing accurate diagnostic tools to allow practitioners to target remediation. The research is based on new insights into how the brain’s processing of sound is affected by hearing loss and auditory processing disorders.

The intelligent interface

Developing the next-generation of hearing aids and cochlear implants, with three key focus areas: enhancing performance in background noise; processing requirements for unilateral deafness or for tonal language speakers; and overcoming barriers to take-up and use of technology.

Individualised solutions

Matching technology and services to individuals, optimising outcomes and increasing cost-effectiveness.

Enhanced service capacity

In rural areas, people with hearing loss rely on clinicians visiting their communities or must travel long distances to metropolitan centres. This research will develop new hearing services: automated self-fitting devices and web-based solutions.

The HEARing CRC team

The HEARing CRC’s Chief Executive Officer is Professor Robert Cowan, who is Principal Research Fellow of the University of Melbourne and Adjunct Professor at Macquarie University. Professor Sakkie Pretorius and Professor David McAlpinerepresent Macquarie University on the HEARing CRC Board of Directors. Associate-Professor Catherine McMahon is the Key Scientist responsible for the HEARing CRC research program at Macquarie University, and Dr Isabelle Boisvert is Research Program Coordinator for the HEARing CRC. A number of HEARing CRC projects are lead and supported by other outstanding Macquarie University academics and HDR students.