Al Lotze

Photo of Al Lotze
Research Assistant

Publications

Projects

Assessment of Speechreading with Dual Sensory Loss: Visual and Hearing Impairments

The purpose of this research study is to test subjects who have various hearing and vision problems on their lipreading, visual and auditory skills in order to understand the relationships between lipreading and visual impairment. We then can explore training strategies to improve auditory and visual communication.

Effects of Noise Exposure Across the Lifespan on Balance and Stability in Older Adults

Falls in older adults are common, have high societal and monetary costs, often lead to injury and can even be fatal. It is known that noise can damage the vestibular periphery resulting in postural instability and compromised balance. This project investigates how natural aging is accelerated by lifetime noise exposure, and how that can lead to impaired vestibular function, contributing to propensity to fall.

Realistic Hearing Aid Outcomes

The primary objective of this project is to develop a set of realistic outcome measures that relate to the real-world use of hearing aids. A second objective is to evaluate the extent to which these measures are predictive of hearing aid benefit and user satisfaction after the client has worn the hearing aid for two or more months and has acclimatized to the instrument.

The Specific Aims are as follows

Aim #1: Develop and evaluate an outcome measure that takes into account the interactive nature of human communication and which is predictive of the extent to which a person with a hearing loss is…

Labs

Shanidze Lab

Our laboratory is interested in the mechanisms of eye and head movement and coordination and how those mechanisms are altered when visual or vestibular inputs are compromised.

Centers