1. Resumé
Health and age related disorders are increasing European and global socio-eco-nomic challenges (OECD horizon scan of megatrends and technology trends in the context of future research policy, 2016: p. 47) As an example: within EU 80 million people suffer from hearing loss and the number is growing due to new behavioral patterns and personalized music players. Novel cross-disciplinary research and in-novation initiatives to bring the identified mechanisms into operable and tested so-lutions is required. Furthermore, there is a need for raised awareness and increased research and innovation activities with respect to better diagnosis, more individual-ized solutions, better processes and outcome measurements, better understanding of auditory processing in the brain, as well as better integration of all aspects of us-ers’ life.
2. Samfundsudfordringer og/eller muligheder
The impact of hearing loss in adulthood has little recognition. However, it is linked with higher unemployment, poor health, depression, dementia, and increased mor-tality. Hearing loss is unusual in that its effects cross the health, social care and ed-ucation domains of service provision and affect every aspect of people’s lives (The Real Cost of Adult Hearing Loss: reducing its impact by increasing access to the lat-est hearing technologies, 2014).
Hearing loss is ranked as the eighth most important contributor to years of life lost through disability in the top 20 leading causes of burden of disease, in terms of disability adjusted life years (WHO, The Global Burden of Disease study, 2008). 16% of the population (~80 million in EU alone) suffers from hearing loss and the num-ber is growing due to new behavioral patterns and personalized music players (Evaluation of the Social and Economic Costs of Hearing Impairment, 2006).
Novel cross-disciplinary research and innovation initiatives to bring the identified mechanisms into operable and tested solutions is required. Furthermore, there is a need for raised awareness and increased research and innovation activities with re-spect to better diagnosis, more individualized solutions, better processes and out-come measurements, better understanding of auditory processing in the brain, and better integration of all aspects of users’ life.
3. Forskningsbehov
Sound Solutions for Healthcare span numerous areas of applications and related scientific disciplines: 1) Supporting people with hearing loss; 2) Listening to and analyzing signals of the body; 3) Sound as music interventions; and 4) Reduction of undesired & damaging noise.
Two concrete and relevant research agendas are outlined below:
Interactive Computational Modeling of Music-Induced Emotions: The main pur-pose of music listening is the desire to regulate subjects' emotional state. Music in-tervention mechanisms that can regulate subject’s emotional states have great im-pact for addressing societal challenges related to psychiatric disorders such as de-pression, sleep disorders, and stress. However, the transformation of basic clinical and therapeutic knowledge into validated operational technology requires a multi-disciplinary research effort with focus on an integrated approach: from music inter-vention mechanisms, over technology development to demonstration with end us-ers. This research will foster further development of specific health care and well-being solutions.
Data-driven automated personalized user-fitting of hearing instruments: Hearing instruments involves complex processing of audio that needs to be optimized for the individual user’s needs. Traditional fitting is based on limited audiological measurement and assessments. An opportunity to advance the state of the art is possible by using real-time measurements and recording of sound environment as well as users’ behavior, state, and intention. The proposed research will focus on machine learning based big data analytics that drives the dual purpose of an overall understanding of issues, trends and structure in the hearing challenge that hearing impaired users is experiencing in everyday situations, and as well as data that can drive the design of individual fitting algorithms.
4. Forhold vedrørende udmøntning og implementering af forsknings-indsatsen
The demand for research in novel and non-invasive solutions in prophylactic prac-tice, diagnostics, and therapy is growing due to demographic change and relies on truly trans-disciplinary and trans-European efforts.
The related science areas cover e.g. data science, sensor technology, acoustics, au-diology, personalized medicine, neuroscience, and physiological technologies (an OECD horizon scan of megatrends and technology trends in the context of future research policy, 2016: p. 57).
5. Danske forudsætninger
With more than 40% of the world’s hearing instruments being produced by Danish manufacturers, Denmark has a unique industrial as well as research based position and opportunity for global leadership in sound and music healthcare solutions.
As regards new health-ICT solutions and technology areas Denmark’s strong sound ecosystem covers: audiology; acoustics; electro and psychoacoustics; micro and or-dinary transducer technology; auditory diagnostics and monitoring systems; assis-tive technologies and medical devices; digital media systems, signal processing and machine learning; designed sound; neuroimaging and cognitive engineering; quan-tified-self technology; and sensor technology.
6. Mål, effekt og perspektiver
Besides the major health benefits that can be achieved, novel initiatives can lever-age and enhance an existing Danish position of strength with great export potential for services and products. In addition, Denmark will be able to continue to be a pioneer in this research field and help to formulate new international standards.
7. Kontaktperson
Jan Larsen, Professor, PhD
Director, Danish Sound Innovation Network, DTU Compute
janla@dtu.dk
+45 2243 0025
8. Forslagets prioritering
Danish Sound Innovation Network has three strategic areas with equal research, innovation and growth potential. Hence, we have submitted three equally prioritized inputs to this phase of FORSK2025.