16 January 2026
Thomas Stolarski, University of Sheffield CDT student presented his latest PhD poster on complex acoustic scenes from the perspective of hearing aids at the prestigious SpiN2026 conference in Paris.
Thomas’ work explores one of the most pressing challenges in modern hearing science: how hearing aid users navigate real‑world, noisy environments. His research focuses on real-time acoustic resynthesis in virtual reality, enabling controlled yet lifelike simulations of social and conversational settings. This approach allows researchers to better understand how people with hearing loss behave, communicate, and make listening decisions in everyday situations.
The project is supervised by Professor Jon Barker from the School of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield and Dr Simone Graetzer from the Salford Acoustics Research Centre. Working closely with project partner RNID, Thomas aims to develop tools that can ultimately support the design of more user‑centred hearing technologies.
Speaking about the significance of the work, Thomas highlighted the potential impact of combining VR, behavioural analysis, and advanced acoustic modelling to improve hearing aid evaluation and personalisation.
Thomas’ presentation at SpiN2026 marks an important milestone in his research journey and reflects the growing international interest in innovative methods for understanding hearing aid user experience.
