In the Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science (CATSS) lab, Dr. Nelson's team is working on the development and refinement of sensory aids for sensory loss. Most of Dr. Nelson’s work is focused on auditory perception and device evaluation. Specifically, they believe that auditory sensory aids (hearing aids and cochlear implants) have progressed to the point where speech intelligibility is conveyed quite successfully, at least for understanding in quiet environments. They believe the next stage is improving the sound quality and ease of listening for users of these sensory aids. Improving these abilities would ensure that the central auditory system has acclimated to the new inputs, and is processing them as natural acoustic information. Visual and vestibular implants are in earlier stages of development, but show promise to improve sensory input to the brain to improve quality of life for millions of Americans.
