Dr K.A. van der Heijden (Kiki)

In my research, I investigate the computational mechanisms underlying the neural encoding of sound in the auditory pathway in normal and hearing-impaired listeners.

To gain insight into neural sound location processing in naturalistic spatial hearing, I use an interdisciplinary approach combining cognitive neuroscience and artificial intelligence: I develop neurobiological-inspired deep neural network models of sound location processing in subcortical auditory structures and the auditory cortex. These models are validated against measurements of neural activity in the brainstem and cortex acquired with ultra high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 7 Tesla.

Additionally, I investigate how listeners extract relevant information such as sound location and speaker identity from complex auditory scenes (e.g. with multiple talkers), and how listeners utilize this information to attend to the sound source of interest and accomplish a task. To answer these questions, I use computational modelling to analyze intracranial measurements of neuronal activity in the cortex (i.e. electrocorticography [ECoG], and stereotactic electroencephalography [sEEG]). I conduct this line of research as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Neural Acoustic Processing Lab at Columbia University (New York, United States).

Ultimately, my aim is to arrive at a better understanding of neural sound processing in normal listeners and to build on this knowledge to develop solutions for hearing impaired listeners (e.g. cochlear implant users).

• Natural Computing & Neurotechnology
• Perception, Action and Decision-making

• Artificial cognitive systems