معرفی
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Blau is a Professor at Jade University of Applied Sciences in Oldenburg, Germany, working within the Department of Civil Engineering Geoinformation Health Technology under the School of Technology and Health for People. He leads the Institute for Hearing Technology and Audiology and conducts research on sound transmission to and perception by the human auditory system, and the design of technical systems that interact with this system.
His research interests focus on understanding how sound is transmitted to and perceived by the individual human auditory system, and how technical systems (including hearing systems, medical implants, or concert halls) can be designed to interact with this system. His work spans ear canal modeling, hearing aid technology, head-related transfer functions, and individualized audio systems. He has developed methods for predicting sound pressure at the eardrum, modeling infant ears, and improving binaural audio rendering.
Analysis of his publication record reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on individualized approaches to hearing technology. His work has evolved from basic ear canal modeling to sophisticated applications in hearing aids, virtual environments, and infant hearing assessment. Key themes include the development of models that account for individual anatomical differences, the creation of databases for acoustic research, and the improvement of spatial audio rendering techniques.
Prof. Blau has supervised multiple PhD students whose work has contributed significantly to the field. His former students include Tobias Sankowsky-Rothe (2023), Mina Fallahi (2021), Eugen Razumow (2015), and current students Felix Stärz and Reinhild Roden. His research has practical applications in hearing aid design, hearing assessment for infants, and virtual reality audio systems.
He leads the Institute for Hearing Technology and Audiology at Jade University, which maintains the IHA database of human geometries including torso, head and complete outer ears for acoustic research. This database, available on Zenodo, contains complete ear canals up to the eardrums, making it an ideal tool for studying interactions with in-ear hearing systems.
