Raymond L. Goldsworthy, PhD

Associate Professor of Research Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Psychology, and Biomedical Engineering

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Overview

Raymond Goldsworthy, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Research Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Keck School of Medicine) and director of the Bionic Ear Lab.

Ray received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Kentucky in 1997 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences and Technology from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005. After completing his doctoral studies, Ray led development teams at Sensimetrics Corporation to design signal processing strategies for cochlear implants and hearing aids, and to provide auditory rehabilitation software to help people with hearing loss make the most of their hearing. Ray joined the University of Southern California as an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology in January, 2014. Ray is a cochlear implant user and is passionate about the interplay of auditory experience, auditory perception, and medical bionics for improving the lives of people with hearing loss.

Ray’s research combines psychoacoustics, signal processing, and auditory rehabilitation towards improving hearing for the hearing impaired with emphasis on cochlear implant technology. Ray’s research examines relationships between fundamental limits of auditory resolution with speech recognition. This line of research provides a foundation for quantifying auditory capacity, and sets the stage for systematically exploring signal processing solutions to enhance hearing for the impaired. Ray’s signal processing research focuses on strategies that are inspired by the dynamic processes observed in healthy hearing. These strategies range from spatial beamformers modeled after binaural hearing to cochlear implant stimulation strategies inspired by auditory nerve physiology. Combining psychoacoustics and signal processing ultimately requires careful attention to auditory rehabilitation since cochlear implant and hearing aid users generally require dedicated time and training to learn how to use new information provided by enhanced signal processing solutions.

Research Funding

  • Encoding Temporal Fine Structure for Cochlear Implants
    NIH · R01DC018044 · Mar 1, 2020 – Apr 30, 2029 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Music Appreciation after Cochlear Implantation
    NIH · R01DC018701 · Sep 12, 2019 – Aug 31, 2024 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • SOFTWARE FOR AUDITORY PROSTHESIS RESEARCH
    NIH · R44DC010524 · May 24, 2010 – Jun 30, 2014 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • SOFTWARE FOR AUDITORY PROSTHESIS RESEARCH
    NIH · R43DC010524 · May 24, 2010 – May 30, 2011 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • NOISE REDUCTION FOR COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
    NIH · R44DC007034 · Sep 6, 2004 – Jul 31, 2009 · Role: Principal Investigator

Publications

  • Cochlear implant electrode place and pulse rate discrimination improve with training without cross cue transfer. J Acoust Soc Am. 2026 Aug 01; 160(2):1436-1449.. View in PubMed
  • Audio-tactile association improves pitch perception in listeners with and without cochlear implants. Brain Res. 2026 Mar 15; 1875:150182.. View in PubMed
  • How Switching Musical Instruments Affects Pitch Discrimination for Cochlear Implant Users. Ear Hear. 2025 Jul-Aug 01; 46(4):997-1008.. View in PubMed
  • Investigating Hemodynamic Patterns During Beat Processing in Cochlear Implant Users: Insights from a Finger Tapping Study. Audit Percept Cogn. 2025; 8(2):132-156.. View in PubMed
  • Limitations on Temporal Processing by Cochlear Implant Users: A Compilation of Viewpoints. Trends Hear. 2025 Jan-Dec; 29:23312165251317006.. View in PubMed
  • Musically evoked emotions in cochlear implant users and those with no known hearing loss. Hear Res. 2025 03; 458:109196.. View in PubMed
  • The relationship between channel interaction, electrode placement, and speech perception in adult cochlear implant users. J Acoust Soc Am. 2024 12 01; 156(6):4289-4302.. View in PubMed
  • Characterizing the relationship between modulation sensitivity and pitch resolution in cochlear implant users. Hear Res. 2024 07; 448:109026.. View in PubMed
  • The Relationship of Pitch Discrimination with Segregation of Tonal and Speech Streams for Cochlear Implant Users. Trends Hear. 2024 Jan-Dec; 28:23312165241305049.. View in PubMed
  • Cochlear Implant Users can Effectively Combine Place and Timing Cues for Pitch Perception. Ear Hear. 2023 Nov-Dec 01; 44(6):1410-1422.. View in PubMed