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Dr Kei Kobayashi
Doctor of Philosophy in Electronics Engineering
Biography
Dr. Kei Kobayashi received his Ph.D (Speech enhancement for hearing loss) from Sophia University after working for 10 years in Sony headquarters Japan. He has a plenty of engineering experience from software/hardware design, project management, to manufacturing for consumer electronics projects such as digital hearing aids, infrared headphones, speakers, integrated remotes and computer OS. At 2005, he moved to NZ and joined in the University as research fellow in audiology, acoustics and currently in psychology (speech and hearing). His research interest is psychoacoustics, speech processing and acoustics. He is especially interested in developing its assistive listening technology / instruments for hearing loss. In his private time, he is supporting well-being for hard of hearing communities in Asia-Pacific countries. He has profound hearing loss since 6 month old and his hearing aid use and engineering expertise allows an appreciation of hearing loss and its challenge to improve quality of life for the community.
Research | Current
- Speech intelligibility
- Speech / Music enhancement
- Speech perception assessments / Sound reproduction system
- Collaborative activities with hard of hearing communities
[Projects]
- "Improving auditory access for children with cochlear implants", 2020.
- "Mircrophone array system for binaural hearing aids", 2019-2020.
- "Psychoacoustics technology for hearing loss and the commercialisation", 2016-2018.
- “Increasing listening quality of music for Hearing loss”, Psychoacoustic model and MPEG-Audio encoder for hearing loss, 2013-2015.
- "Adaptation Level Theory on tinnitus", 2013-2014.
- "Quality of music for hearing Loss", 2013
- “Multi-sensory integration and tinnitus”, Audio, visual and tactile devices, 2013-2014.
- “Tinnitus assessment software and hearing aids with TSG” with a hearing aids company, 2012-2013.
- "Virtual sound treatment for tinnitus project", 2010.
- "Auditory intensive game for tinnitus treatment", 2010.
- "Various tinnitus training program" with Tinnitus Research Initiative, 2008-2010.
[Patents]
- “Psychoacoustic technology for hearing loss”, 2018.
- “Interactive gaming system”, 2012.
- “Tinnitus treatment system and method”, 2012.
Distinctions/Honours
Examples of his various software for student's testing.
- Speech analysis
- Hearing balance analysis
- Sound reproduction for SPIN test
- Sound localization
- Audiovisual presentation system for hearing loss
- Extended high frequency amplification system
- Absolute threshold and different threshold audiometry program
- SPIN (Speech in noise) test / Acceptable noise level test
- “Dangerous decibel” (Public open audiology seminar)
- Spatial selective attention training (PDA)
- Vibrotactile testing program for tinnitus
- Acoustic Residual Inhibition for tinnitus (EEG)
- Prediction / Steaming paradigm for tinnitus (EEG)
- The diotic/dichotic selective auditory attention program (EEG)
- Short-term adaptation effects
- Excitatory and inhibitory selective attention training
- DPOAE acquisition
- Chirp ABR acquisition system
Areas of expertise
- Software development
- Digital signal processing
- Psychoacoustics (Psychology of hearing)
- Speech
- Electronics
- Acoustics
Committees/Professional groups/Services
International speech communication association
Acoustical society of Japan
Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)
- Searchfield, G. D., Spiegel, D. P., Poppe, T. N. E. R., Durai, M., Jensen, M., Kobayashi, K., ... Sundram, F. (2020). A proof-of-concept study comparing tinnitus and neural connectivity changes following multisensory perceptual training with and without a low-dose of fluoxetine. The International journal of neuroscience, 1-12. 10.1080/00207454.2020.1746310
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/51558
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Grant Searchfield, Frederick Sundram, Benjamin Thompson - Durai, M., Sanders, M., Kobayashi, K., & Searchfield, G. D. (2019). Auditory Streaming and Prediction in Tinnitus Sufferers. Ear and hearing, 40 (2), 345-357. 10.1097/aud.0000000000000620
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Grant Searchfield - Searchfield, G. D., Mowbray, R., Raveh, D., & Kobayashi, K. (2019). Good vibrations: A proof-of-concept study of the preferred temporal characteristics in surf-like sounds for tinnitus therapy. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 43 (3), 216-229.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Grant Searchfield - Durai, M., Kobayashi, K., & Searchfield, G. D. (2018). A feasibility study of predictable and unpredictable surf-like sounds for tinnitus therapy using personal music players. International journal of audiology, 57 (9), 707-713. 10.1080/14992027.2018.1476783
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Grant Searchfield - Searchfield, G. D., Linford, T., Kobayashi, K., Crowhen, D., & Latzel, M. (2018). The performance of an automatic acoustic-based program classifier compared to hearing aid users' manual selection of listening programs. International journal of audiology, 57 (3), 201-212. 10.1080/14992027.2017.1392048
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Grant Searchfield - Iwagami, E., Arai, T., Yasu, K., & Kobayashi, K. (2018). Misperception of Japanese words with devoiced vowels and/or geminate consonants by young and elderly listeners. Acoustical Science and Technology, 39 (2), 109-118. 10.1250/ast.39.109
- Iwagami, E., Arai, T., Yasu, K., Yanagisawa, E., & Kobayashi, K. (2016). Perception of geminate consonants and devoiced vowels in Japanese by elderly and young listeners. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 140 (4), 3439-3439. 10.1121/1.4971086
- Yasu, K., Arai, T., Kobayashi, K., & Shindo, M. (2016). Relationship between auditory degradation and fricatives/affricates production and perception in elderly listeners. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 140 (4), 3365-3365. 10.1121/1.4970742
Contact details
- Media Contact
Primary office location
M&HS BUILDING 507 - Bldg 507
Level 2, Room 2084
28 PARK AVE
GRAFTON
AUCKLAND 1023
New Zealand