July 2026: Workshop “Across Cultures, Across Power: Intercultural Communication, Everyday Racism and Inclusive Practice”
In two sessions the PhDs of the RTG took part in a workshop held by Annelie Wambeek and Nadine Binder. The workshop was open to all PhDs of the University and a few external PhDs joined as well.
While discussing cultural backgrounds, disciplinary norms and social identities, there was room to reflect on own experiences, roles, privileges and spheres of influence. The two coaches gave examples for practical strategies for self-care, allyship, calling in and calling out, appreciative communication and inclusive collaboration. This will shape how the PhDs continue to collaborate and communicate together.
July 2026: Presenting at the 23rd IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics
In July 2026 Buğse Yüceer and Prof. Dr. Karin Wolf-Ostermann attended the 23rd IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. As part of the HEARAZ Research Training Group, Buğse Yüceer presented a poster on the role of hearing assistance technologies in supporting the social health of individuals with care and support needs.
The scoping review highlighted the potential of hearing technologies to support communication, social participation, and relationship quality, while also identifying stigma related to hearing loss and hearing aid use as an important challenge.
The congress provided an excellent opportunity to present ongoing research, exchange ideas with international experts, and engage with current discussions on healthy ageing, hearing, and social health.
April 2026: Assessment of the Northwest Alliance
The universities of Oldenburg and Bremen are jointly applying for the title of ‘University of Excellence’ as ‘Northwest Alliance: Connecting for Tomorrow”. A site visit by international experts took place on 28–29 April 2026. HEARAZ was also represented, presenting its research in the priority areas of “Brain Health – Hearing & Assistive Technologies” and “Human-Centred AI”.
March 2026: Second Meeting of the Hearaz Research Advisory Board
On 26 March 2026, the Hearaz Research Advisory Board met for its second session at the University of Oldenburg. The meeting was opened by Prof. Dr. Andreas Hein, who welcomed the advisory board members and briefly introduced the vision and goals of the HEARAZ research training group.
During the meeting, early-career researchers presented their projects on dysphagia detection and microsleep recognition using hearable technologies. The discussions focused on patient-centered research questions, technical challenges, and ethical and practical aspects of the planned studies.
Board members contributed valuable perspectives from everyday life and patient experience. Topics such as data privacy, usability, and the real-life relevance of the research approaches were discussed in detail.
The meeting once again highlighted the importance of participatory research within HEARAZ. Through close collaboration between researchers and advisory board members, the project aims to develop technologies that better reflect the real needs of users and patients.
March 2026: 28th Annual Conference of the German Society of Audiology (DGA)
The 28th annual conference of the DGA (German Society of Audiology) took place at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg from March 4th to 6th, 2026. The conference program was packed with numerous presentations on hearing technology and audiology, focusing on the theme “From Precision Audiology to Practice.”
The HEARAZ RTG was strongly represented, particularly on the first day of the event, with presentations, tutorials, and session chairs led by PIs Tanja Schultz, Tania Zieschang, Birger Kollmeier, Andreas Hein, Andreas Radeloff, and Mark Schweda.
The PhD students attended many of these events over the three days. They used the breaks, the evening event on Wednesday, and the Junior Lunch on Friday to network and exchange. Vincent Gräfen also presented his poster, “Ear-level Biosensor technology and its application for networked technical assistance systems,” during the poster session.
February 2026: Winter-Retreat
From February 9th to 11th, our Winter Retreat took place in Varel. The focus was on the doctoral theses of the PhD candidates. During the poster sessions and supervisory meetings, we discussed the current status of each project and the next steps in depth. Another highlight was the visit of our guest speaker, Prof. Dr. Gordon Cheng, who shared fascinating insights into his research areas.
Early 2026: Lab Visit at the NeuRA Institute in Sydney
Early this year, Lea Feld travelled to the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) Institute in Sydney for two months, supported by a DAAD research fellowship. The focus was her PhD project: she investigates how gait perturbations such as slipping and tripping can be detected using an ear-worn sensor, with the goal of identifying fall risks in older adults at an early stage. Since the response to such gait perturbations is closely linked to individual fall risk – and hearing aids, as a widely used everyday technology, enable unobtrusive monitoring – this approach holds great potential for fall prevention in daily life.
At the NeuRA Institute, Lea had the opportunity to evaluate her gait perturbation detection algorithm under more realistic conditions: in addition to measurements on a perturbation treadmill, trials were conducted on a specialised walkway where slippery plates or flipping elements deliberately induce slipping and tripping events (see image). A publication with the results is currently being written.
Beyond the professional experience, the stay was above all one thing: a real highlight. The team welcomed Lea so warmly from the very first moment that she felt at home straight away. Morning writing sessions, table tennis at lunch and spontaneous trips to the beach after work quickly became a kind of everyday routine that felt more like a little adventure.
And then there was Australia itself: a nature that surprises you anew every day. Encounters with animals you usually only know from documentaries, and an incredible variety of birds whose calls accompanied the walk to work. This mix of openness, lightness and a vivid natural environment made the stay something truly special.
December 2025: Kick-off Meeting of the Hearaz Research Advisory Board
On 11 December 2025, the Hearaz Research Advisory Board met for the first time at the University of Oldenburg. The kick-off meeting marked the start of a close collaboration between researchers and Advisory Board members, whose perspectives and experiences play a key role in shaping the Hearaz research projects. During the meeting, participants were introduced to the Hearaz graduate program and discussed the purpose and responsibilities of the Research Advisory Board. The meeting concluded with an outlook on future activities and the continued involvement of the Advisory Board in the Hearaz projects.
During the meeting, participants were introduced to the Hearaz graduate program and discussed the purpose and responsibilities of the Research Advisory Board. The meeting concluded with an outlook on future activities and the continued involvement of the Advisory Board in the Hearaz projects.
November 2026: Night of Biosignals
The ‘Night of Biosignals’ took place on 7 November. Five HEARAZ PIs also attended the event. Recordings of the presentations can be viewed on the Biosignals Technical Committee’s YouTube page.
Contributions from HEARAZ:
Prof. Hein & Prof. Schultz: Ohrganisiert – das Ohr als digitale Schaltzentrale
- Prof. Hein & Prof. Schultz: Ohrganisiert – das Ohr als digitale Schaltzentrale
- Prof. Radeloff: Vom gesunden Ohr zum Hörimplantat
- PD Dr. Brütt: Messen und mitgestalten – Citizen Science und Biosignale
- Prof. Kollmeier: Von Hörgeräten und Hearables bis zum smarten Gesundheits-Babelfisch am Ohr
HEARAZ-Colloquium
October 2025: Participation in IEEE-EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics
One of our associated PhD students attended the IEEE BHI 25 conference from the 26th to the 29th of October 2025. There, he presented a poster poster about radar-based sleep-wake classification in acute stroke patients. Positive discussions took place with visitors to the poster, and a broad exchange of ideas and networks with numerous participants was possible.
September 2025: HEARAZ Summer School in Leer
From 3 to 5 September, the first summer school of the Research Training Group took place at the Ostfriesen-Hof in Leer. Over three inspiring days, PhD candidates and principal investigators came together to exchange ideas, discuss internal developments, and future directions.
A highlight of the event was the poster session, where all PhDs presented their work and received valuable feedback from the PIs. The program was rounded off by a social evening of traditional nine-pin bowling, offering a relaxed setting to connect and get to know each other beyond the academic setting.
July 2025: Participation in the 1st Oldenburg Open Science Conference
On July 18, four doctoral researchers from the HEARAZ Research Training Group participated in the 1st Oldenburg Open Science Conference. As part of the program, one of the doctoral researchers presented her work in a poster session entitled: “Exploring the Role of Hearing Assistance Technologies on the Social Health of Individuals in Need of Care and Support: A Scoping Review Protocol”.
The poster introduced a preregistered scoping review protocol that explores how hearing assistance technologies ranging from traditional hearing aids to emerging hearables affect social health and participation among individuals in need of care and support. Particular emphasis was placed on dimensions of social health such as social interaction, participation, loneliness, and well-being.
The conference provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the importance of Open Science practices such as preregistration, methodological transparency, and protocol sharing. At the same time, it offered a platform for the HEARAZ researchers to engage with colleagues from various disciplines, exchange experiences, and discuss strategies for implementing Open Science in applied health and care research.
July 2025: Attending IEEE EMBC 2025 in Copenhagen
From July 14th to 17th, one of our PhD students attended the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC) 2025 in Copenhagen. As part of the HEARAZ Research Training Group, Lea Feld presented her work in a poster session. The contribution was titled „Stiffness and Damping in Human Walking Across Different Directions and Walking Trials“.
A notable part of the conference was a mini symposium on “Ear-centered sensing for wearable monitoring and interaction,” which directly related to the focus of the HEARAZ GRK. The session featured presentations on topics such as gait analysis, human activity recognition, heart rate estimation, and person authentication using chewing artifacts – all highlighting the growing role of the ear as a sensor position. Attending the conference offered a valuable opportunity to engage with current research in the field, receive feedback on ongoing research, and build connections with other researchers working on related topics.
July 2025: Workshop: “Beyond the Lab: Integrating Patient Perspectives into Doctoral Studies”
The PhD candidates of the HEARAZ research training group were invited to join a two-day workshop on Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in health and social care research. The event was organized and delivered by PD Dr. Anna Levke Brütt (University of Oldenburg) together with Dr. Elspeth Mathie and Prof. Julia Jones from the University of Hertfordshire, England. At the venue, the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg in Delmenhorst, everyone came together to learn about the theory and practice of PPI – especially when it comes to successfully integrating it into research projects in areas such as dementia, learning disabilities, and psychiatry. On the second day, the PhD candidates were able to develop and present ideas on how to incorporate PPI into their own PhD projects, followed by individual feedback and group discussions on possible challenges. The workshop presented valuable insights and paved the way for integrating PPI in the HEARAZ RTG.
June 2025: First Meeting of the HEARAZ Industry Advisory Board
Directly following this year’s Hearing Instrument Developers Forum in Oldenburg, the first meeting of the HEARAZ Industry Advisory Board took place. Participants included representatives from the graduate college as well as from various hearing aid companies. The main focus was on introducing HEARAZ, exploring shared interests, and identifying potential opportunities for collaboration. As part of the meeting, three doctoral researchers from the college presented their projects and received direct feedback from industry professionals.
The meeting provided valuable insights for both sides, and a follow-up is already planned for November of this year.
Lecture Series
| Date & Time | Location | PI | Subject |
| 11.04.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – V03 0-E002 | Hein (& Schultz) | Introduction: Hearables and Overview |
| 25.04.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – A07 0-025 | Zieschang & Radeloff | Clinical Practice: Diseases from a Medical and Nursing Perspective – Geriatrics & ENT |
| 23.05.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | HB – CART 0.01 | Schultz & Hein | Technical Fundamentals: Biosignals |
| 06.06.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – W30-0-033/34 | Kollmeier (& Schultz) | Technical Fundamentals: Signal Processing |
| 20.06.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – W30-0-033/34 | Kollmeier | Technical Fundamentals: Hearing Aids & Acoustics |
| 27.06.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – V03 2-A208 | Brütt | Clinical Research Methods: Assessments, Diagnostics, Questionnaires |
| 04.07.2025 – 10:00-12:00 | OL – V03 0-E002 | Hein & Schweda | Clinical Research Methods: Research Data Management & Ethics |
| 08.07.2025 – 08:30-10:00 | online | Wolf-Ostermann | Clinical Research Methods: Study Design |
| 14.07.2025 – 08:30-10:00 | online | Wolf-Ostermann | Clinical Research Methods: Literature Review |
February-March 2025: Hearables Workshop
Hearables and scientific studies:
This workshop covered the fundamentals of hearables and scientific studies. Doctoral students developed their own research questions and worked in groups to plan, conduct and evaluate small-scale studies.
Participants also visited the University of Oldenburg’s Virtual Reality Lab.
December 2024: PhD-KickOff Event
Interdisciplinary work:
At the PhD kick-off event in Varel, networking and the opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary work were the main focus.
