The human ear not only transforms mechanical impulses into electrical ones and allows us to perceive sound but also measures the finest accelerations and thus keeps us in balance. Malfunctions of this organ therefore can have quite unpleasant consequences. In the case of a disease of the middle ear, for example, the patient can hear worse or not at all, which in turn is accompanied by a long series of limitations. With inner ear disease, on the other hand, patients are often unable to maintain balance or control the movement of their eyes. These people can hardly move in everyday life and suffer from loss of control and anxiety. Diseases of both kinds are subject of the research of the Audiology Research Group.

Mirroring the anatomy of the human ear, the group consists of two sub-groups: Researchers led by Christof Stieger are developing methods to measure their effectiveness by observing the vibrations of the stirrup, an element that transfers movement between the incus and the cochlea. The better we are able to measure these movements, the better we can measure the effectiveness of implants and thus support their development. Researchers led by Flurin Honegger are developing methods to measure disturbances of balance as well as uncontrollable eye movement. Since these do not regress at the same rate during the healing process, exact measuring is needed to better understand the disease and support healing processes of the human ear.