From the Audiometric Booth to Real‑World Soundscapes: Over Forty Years of Cochlear Implant Research Leading to Ecological Audiology

François Bergeron, PhD Full Professor, Director, Audiology Program, Researcher, Quebec cochlear implant program Researcher, Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et insertion sociale Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval Québec City, Québec, Canada Abstract Over more than four decades, cochlear implant research has profoundly transformed the management of individuals with severe-to-profound hearing...

No immediate practice change warranted; this is a narrative historical review, but it reinforces a growing consensus that real-world hearing assessments should complement standard booth testing for cochlear implant users.

A four-decade longitudinal perspective on cochlear implant research highlights the field's shift toward ecological audiology, signalling that outcome measures anchored in real-world listening are becoming the new standard of care.

1. 01Covers 40+ years of cochlear implant research at Université Laval, Canada.
2. 02Traces evolution from audiometric booth (controlled clinic) testing to real-world soundscape assessment.
3. 03Introduces 'ecological audiology' as a framework for evaluating hearing in everyday environments.
4. 04Authored by Dr. François Bergeron, situating this as an expert retrospective narrative review.
5. 05Published via Canadian Audiologist, a professional blog/journal hybrid platform.

Journal

Canadian Audiologist

Publication type

review

Evidence level

5

Population

Cochlear implant recipients studied over 40+ years at Université Laval

Intervention

Ecological audiology outcome measurement in real-world soundscapes

Comparator

Traditional audiometric booth testing