Connection Research group - NTNU Community

Connection - Research group

Update in progress.

A community is embodied by connection among its members. Inclusion in a community depends on connection via a shared means and system of communicative exchange. We are connected by a shared facility to see, hear, smell, taste and touch and exchange information by means of these senses. They are used in speech, emotion, mutual tastes, appreciation and reaction to scents, shared rhythm, and the arts, just to name a few. This contributes to the development of expectations which facilitate our daily activities (e.g., a ticking clock) and can be tweaked to stimulate interest (e.g., jazz). However, if the means for contact with others in the community is disrupted (e.g., reduced hearing or vision, neurological disease), connection between individuals can begin to break down and over time, this disruption may undermine trust, diminish empathy, and create barriers to meaningful interaction, ultimately affecting both personal relationships and broader social cohesion. In short, connection within a community makes a substantial contribution to life quality.

What if we could develop methods and leverage knowledge about our senses and the communicative systems to contribute to the maintenance of connection with a community? As an example, speech is a goldmine of information and modern technology (including AI) can assist with early detection of communication anomalies such that early intervention can facilitate maintaining social connection.

Our long-term goal is to contribute innovative scientific knowledge through interdisciplinary research, with a focus on the network of information that connects a community.

Projects

Speech Test for Early Parkinson's Symptoms - STEPS

Parkison's disease (PD) is a progressive degenerative neurological condition affecting motor control. Early symptoms of PD include changes in speech due to altered fine motor and respiratory control which, in turn, are realised in acoustic speech signal. Thsi project investigates the poetenial use of acoustic variations in speech as potential early markers for Parkinson's diagnosis.

Team

Sara Martin
Dawn Behne
Yue Wang
Peter Svensson
Saurabh Garg
Ute Gabriel
Raul Martinez Fernandez

Activities

2025-2026 Funding for innovation through SU Faculty, NTNU

Psychoacoustic Mechanisms of Sound Perception

Psychoacoustic investigations incorporating measures such as frequency modulation detection, temporal fine structure sensitivity and difference limen for frequency demonstrate that sound perception relies on both temporal and place‑based coding mechanisms. These findings provide important insights into how distinct auditory mechanisms affect perceptual abilities in individuals with normal hearing and hearing impairment.

Team

Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj
Brian Moore
Vinaya Manchaiah
Carlos Jurado
Sandhya Vinay
De Wet Swanepoel

Global Hearing Care

Through the activities of the European Federation of Audiology Societies (EFAS), coordinated efforts are directed toward strengthening the visibility and impact of hearing care across Europe and internationally. This work emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, translational research and equitable access to hearing healthcare.

Team

Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj
Robert Trotic
Debi Vickers
Ulrich Hoppe
Christof Stieger

I Hear You

The I Hear You initiatives in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Europe focus on developing accessible, scalable and cost‑effective hearing‑screening approaches for children. These projects aim to improve early detection of hearing loss in diverse and resource‑limited settings by creating screening tools that are language‑independent, culturally adaptable and suitable for large‑scale implementation. The work contributes to global hearing‑health equity by supporting UN‑aligned sustainable models that facilitate access to hearing services for all, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Team

Arne Henning Eide
Tone Øderud
Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj
Tron Tronstad
Cosmas Mnyanyi
Peter Shija

News

- Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj – Newly elected president of the European Federation of Audiology Societies

- Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj have been invited to hold a keynote talk in Indian Speech and Hearing Association, January 2026.

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