We recently attended the 48th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC 2026), in Toronto, Canada. Two of our researchers presented posters on our ongoing work, on acoustic edge evoked potentials as indicators of attentional engagement in cinematic experience, and on decomposed facial flow as a correlate of effortful listening. In addition, Prof. Dr. Dr. Daniel J. Strauss gave a talk on understanding speech in “noise” and effortful listening in the soundscapes of the Anthropocene, highlighting the mismatch between evolutionarily shaped auditory priors and the acoustic environments of today. We look back on insightful presentations and a great exchange with the biomedical engineering community.
