Auditory Prosthesis Perception and Psychophysics Laboratories
Dr. Ward R. Drennan
Postdoctoral Fellow
Phone: (734) 763-5159
Fax: (734) 764-0014
Education
- Ph.D., Speech and Hearing and Cognitive Sciences, Indiana University, 1998. Mentor: Charles S. Watson
- B.S., physics, Purdue University, 1991
- Research associate, MRC Institute of Hearing Research, Scottish Section in Glasgow, Scotland
Hobbies
- Clarinet and saxophone performance
- Photography
- Cycling
- Jogging
- My personal web page: Ward's World
Research Projects
I am currently studying spectral-shape discrimination ability in listeners using cochlear prostheses. The ability to discriminate the spectrum is vital in understanding speech and discriminating musical timbre. It is a fundamental and natural skill in normal-hearing listeners, but in the profoundly hearing impaired using cochlear implants, the ability is greatly reduced. There are three goals:
- determine ability of implant users to discriminate different spectra
- determine the relationship between spectral-shape discrimination ability and the ability to understand speech and discriminate musical timbre
- investigate methods to improve this ability using state-of-the-art implant technology.
Publications
- W. R. Drennan and C. S. Watson (2001). "Sources of variation in profile analysis I: individual differences and extended training," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110 2491-2497.
- W. R. Drennan and C. S. Watson (2001). "Sources of variation in profile analysis II: roving level, component spacing and dynamic contour," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 2498-2504.
- W. R. Drennan, S. Gatehouse and C. Lever (2003) "Segregation of competing vowels: The role of spatial location," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114, 2178-2189.
