Dr Kei Kobayashi

Doctor of Philosophy in Electronics Engineering

Honorary Academic

In: Mechanical Engineering » Faculty of 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 Audiology section in the University as research fellow where he has contributed to various auditory research and software (see list below). He is currently in Communication Acoustics Lab in Acoustics Research Centre in the City campus. His research interest is digital signal processing and acoustics for hearing instruments. 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

Communication acoustics & acoustic testing service (ATS) for hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, headphones, speakers and mobiles
Comprehensive testing/measurement software and sound reproduction system
Psychoacoustics DSP: speech / music enhancement

[Projects]

"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

Skills/Equipment

LabVIEW, Matlab, C, C++, Odeon, Listen SoundCheck, National instruments (Multichannel audio I/O system, etc.), TDT, RME, B&K (artificial ear, ear simulator, free-field/pressure-field microphones, turntable, Etc.), G.R.A.S KEMAR (Head and torso simulator), Genelec loudspeakers, ambisonic microphones, Various audiometry equipment, NeuroBehavioral Systems, Biosemi, BESA, EEGLab, Arrington Eye tracker, Arduino, Etc.

Facilities (ATS)

Anechoic chamber, Reverberant rooms, Listening room (IEC/TR60268-13)

Listings of his various software system development in Audiology.

Selective attention training game
Vibrotactile testing program for tinnitus
Acoustic Residual Inhibition for tinnitus (EEG)
Desired Listening Level
Prediction / Steaming paradigm for tinnitus (EEG)
Short-term adaptation effects
Sound Localization
ABR (Physiology department)
Sound player with gain control
Speech in noise
Long Term Average Speech Spectrum
Audiovisual presentation system for hearing loss
Extended high frequency amplification system using Sound Design Technologies digital hybrid
Auditory test program using a round robin tournament and two-alternative force-choice method.
Excitatory and inhibitory selective attention training
Acceptable Noise Level
Auditory selective attention (EEG) with loudness control for hearing loss
“Dangerous decibel” (Public open audiology seminar)
Spatial selective attention training (PDA)
The diotic/dichotic selective auditory attention program (EEG)
NIHL
Frequency response and long-term average spectrum analysis program
Absolute threshold and different threshold audiometry program
DPOAE acquisition
Chirp ABR acquisition system

Areas of expertise

Software development
Digital signal processing
Psychoacoustics of hearing
Electronics
Acoustics (Acoustic testing service)

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Acoustical Society of Japan

Acoustic testing service http://www.acoustics.auckland.ac.nz/

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
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/41843
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