VCCA 2026

The Virtual Conference on Computational Audiology (VCCA 2026) is the latest edition of an international forum dedicated to advances at the intersection of hearing science, computational modelling, artificial intelligence, and clinical audiology. Hosted from Spain in June 2026 and organised by the Computational Audiology Network, the conference brings together researchers, clinicians, and industry partners who are shaping the future of hearing healthcare through data-driven and technology-enabled approaches.

VCCA 2026 is fully virtual, with no registration fees and global access to recorded talks via YouTube, making it one of the most inclusive platforms in the field. The programme is multidisciplinary by design, linking auditory neuroscience and computational methods with real-world clinical impact—from speech-in-noise perception and listening effort to hearing-aid innovation, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, and AI-driven diagnostic tools.

Conference dates: 25–26 June 2026

Pre-conference workshops: 18–19 June 2026

Format: Virtual (global, barrier-free access)

Organiser: Computational Audiology Network

VCCA 2026 Official Conference Website

The main conference spans two thematic days. Day 1 — Understanding Hearing: From Perception to Cognition explores how the brain processes sound, linking auditory computation, spatial processing, and cognitive effort. Sessions include cognition and listening effort, speech-in-noise and auditory scene analysis, binaural hearing, hidden hearing loss, and objective measures in hearing research. Day 2 — Transforming Hearing Science: From AI to Clinical Impact focuses on translating research into personalised hearing care, covering machine learning, tele-audiology, cochlear implants, hearing-aid innovation, and pathways from lab to clinic.

Across both days, the programme features keynote lectures, invited talks, featured abstract presentations, and podium and poster sessions—creating a rigorous yet accessible forum for exchange between basic science, computational methods, and clinical practice.

Title: Auditory Processing Differences in Stuttering: Evidence from Load Theory of Attention

Presenter: Dr. Fjorda Kazazi

Presentation type: Accepted oral / podium presentation

This talk presents experimental evidence on how auditory attention is allocated and maintained under increasing cognitive load in people who stutter, interpreted through the Load Theory of Attention. Rather than treating stuttering solely as a motor-speech phenomenon, the work examines whether differences in selective and divided auditory processing may contribute to the heightened communicative effort widely reported by speakers who stutter—particularly when listening and speaking must be coordinated under demanding conditions.

Using controlled auditory load paradigms, the presentation explores how attentional resources are deployed when perceptual and cognitive demands increase, and whether distinct patterns emerge relative to fluent controls. The findings speak directly to themes central to VCCA 2026—cognition, listening effort, and the computational characterisation of auditory processing—by offering a mechanistic framework for understanding when and why auditory processing may become vulnerable under load.

For computational and clinical audiology, the implications are twofold. First, the work highlights the value of modelling attentional capacity and load as measurable constructs that may complement traditional speech-focused assessment. Second, it points toward more precise, individualised approaches to intervention—where auditory monitoring, speech planning, and environmental complexity are considered jointly rather than in isolation. By bridging cognitive theory, experimental psychology, and hearing science, this presentation contributes to a broader agenda of linking basic auditory mechanisms with meaningful outcomes for clinical practice and hearing healthcare.

The research aligns with Dr. Kazazi's broader programme of work on executive function, attention, and neurodevelopmental conditions, including PhD research on stuttering and ADHD at University College London and funded investigation supported by the Dominic Barker Trust.

• 18–19 June 2026: Pre-conference workshops
• 25–26 June 2026: Main conference
• Registration: Free of charge via the official VCCA 2026 website