Kaibao Nie, Ph.D.

Acting Instructor . niek@u.washington.edu

Department of Otolaryngology - HNS

Dr. Nie has expertise in developing innovative algorithms to improve performance in implantable neural  prosthetic devices. He is also expert at the implementation of algorithms using assembly languages in a customized DSP core.   Dr. Nie will be responsible for the development of algorithms to process movement information and stimulate the vestibular system using natural stimuli combining stochastic noise with signals representing the transformation of head velocity and acceleration through transfer functions appropriate for each end organ.   Dr. Nie will work with Dr. Rubinstein on the software implementation of the simulation technology used in this project, and in the authorship of papers related to this endeavor.

Education (top)±

  • 1999 - Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering :: Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
  • 1991 - M.S. Electrical Engineering :: Shandong University, Jinan, China
  • 1988 - Ph.D., Biomededical Engineering :: Shandong University, Jinan, China

Research / Teaching Experience (top)±

  • 10/2004 - Research Engineer :: Starkey Labs, Inc, Minnesota
  • 6/2001-10/2004 - Postdoctoral Researcher, Otolaryngology :: University of California, Irvine
  • 199-2001 - Associate Professor, Electronics :: Shandong University, China
  • 1996-1999 - Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering :: Tsingua University, Beijing, China

Publications (top)±

F.G. Zeng, K.B. Nie, G.S. Stickney, Y.Y. Kong, M. Vongphoe, A. Bhargave, C. Wei, and K. Cao. Speech recognition with amplitude and frequency modulations. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), vol.102, pp. 2293-2298, 2005


K.B. Nie, G.S. Stickney, and F.G. Zeng. Encoding frequency modulation to improve cochlear implant performance in noise. IEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 52, pp. 64-73, 2005


N. Lan, K.B. Nie, S.K. Gao, and F.G. Zeng. A novel speech processing strategy for cochlear implant incorporating Chinese tonal information. IEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, 2004


F.G. Zeng, K.B. Nie, S. Liu, and G. Stickney et al, On the dichotomy in auditory perception between temporal envelope and fine Structure cues, Journal of Acoustic Society of America, vol.116, pp.1351-1354, 2004

J. Liu, K.B. Nie, and ZY He. Blind Separation by redundancy reduction in a recurrent neural network. Chinese Journal of Electronics, Vol.10 (3): 415-419, 2001.


J. Liu, K.B. Nie, and ZY He. Separation of nonlinear mixture of signals. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, Vol.25 No.1, 2003.


C.X. Li, K.B. Nie, and J. Liu. Pitch extraction based on the glottal closure instant detection. Shandong Journal of Biomedical Engineering, Vol.22 No.1, 17-22, 2003


X.H. Han, K.B. Nie and J. Liu. Progress of signal processing for cochlear implants. Biomedical Engineering Magazine, Vol.20 No.2, PP. 340-345, 2003


X.J. Wu, X.H. Han and K.B. Nie. Speaker recognition combining the vector quantization and Fuzzy C-Means Clustering, Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, Vol.24 No.6, pp.845-850, 2002


J. Liu and K.B. Nie. Blind source separation based on a recurrent neural network. JOURNAL OF CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS, 2001 (Vol.6), pp. 45-50.


K.B. Nie, D. Chen and Z.J. Chen. A high accuracy AC/DC conversion system with the log and anti-log circuits.  J. of Applied Science, vol.18,No.1,2000


K.B. Nie, N. Lan, S.K. Gao and F.S. Yang. Review of speech processing strategies for cochlear implants. Biomedical Engineering Magazine, vol.16, No.3, 1999


K.B. Nie, N. Lan and S.K.. Gao. Implementation of the CIS speech processing strategy for cochlear implants using Wavelet Transform, J. of Tsinghua University, Vol.39 No.9, 1999


K.B. Nie, N. Lan and S.K. Gao. Acoustical simulation of speech processing strategy for cochlear implants. Beijing Biomedical Engineering Magazine. Vol.18 No.4, 1999

Conference Papers (top)


K.B. Nie, and F.G. Zeng. A perception-based speech processing strategy for coclear implants and speech coding. The 26th IEEE EMBS conference, San Francisco, Sep. 2004


K.B. Nie, and F.G. Zeng. Speech perception with temporal envelope cues: study with an artificial neural network and principal component analysis. The 26th IEEE EMBS conference, San Francisco, Sep. 2004


K.B. Nie, G. Stickney, and F.G. Zeng. Improving Cochlear Implant Performance Using the Frequency Modulation Cues. Proceeding of 2003 Conference on Implantable Auditory Prostheses, pp. 139, Asilomar, 2003

K.B. Nie, G. Stickney, and F.G. Zeng. Independent contributions of amplitude and frequency modulations to auditory perception: I. Consonant, vowel, and sentence recognition. The 26th ARO Midwinter Meeting for hearing and balance, 2003


F.G. Zeng, K.B. Nie, and G. Stickney, et.al. Facts and artifacts in auditory chimaeras. The 26th ARO Midwinter Meeting for hearing and balance, 2003


G. Stickney, K.B. Nie, and F.G. Zeng. Realistic listening improved by adding fine structure. The First Pan-American/Iberian Meeting on Acoustics in Cancun, Mexico, 2002


J. Liu, A.M. Shkel, K.B. Nie, and F.G. Zeng. System Design and Experimental Evaluation of a MEMS-based Semicircular Canal Prosthesis. Proceeding of the 1st International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering. Capri Island, Italy, 2003


K.B. Nie and F.G. Zeng. Signal processing in cochlear implants. The 3rd Annual Research Symposium Organized by the Department of Otolaryngology, UC Irvine


G. Stickney and K.B. Nie. Improving the performance of auditory prostheses. The Fourth UCI Neuroscience Symposium, October, 2002


F.G. Zeng, K.B. Nie and G. Stickney. New digital signal processing techniques to
benefit listeners with profound deafness. The 2001 Tech Coast Life Science Innovation Conference, UC Irvine, 2001


X.H. Han and K.B. Nie. Implementation of CIS speech signal processing for cochlear implants using Bark scale frequency band partition. The 8th International Conference on Neural Information Processing, Shanghai, China, 2001


K.B. Nie, J Liu, Analysis of Speech Identification Results of the CIS Speech Processor for Cochlear Implants with and without Tonal Information, Proc. of  the Asia-Pacific Congress on Biomedical Engineering, Hangzhou, China, 2000


K.B. Nie, S.K. Gao and N. Lan, Wavelet-based feature extraction of speech signals for cochlear implants. Proceeding of 21th Annual International conference of the IEEE EMBS, Atlanta, USA, 1999


K.B. Nie, N. Lan and S.K. Gao. A speech processing strategy for cochlear implants based on tonal information of Chinese language. IEEE/EMBS'98, Hong Kong, Oct. 1998


K.B. Nie, N. Lan and S.K. Gao. Implementation of CIS speech processing strategy for cochlear implants by using Wavelet Transform, The 4th Int. Conf. on Signal Processing, Beijing, Oct. 1998

Patents (top)±

F.G. Zeng and K.B. Nie. Frequency-Amplitude-Modulation-Encoding (FAME) strategy for cochlear implants and audio compression. USA Patent No.: US20030044034A1. Issued on: March 6, 2003

H.H. Lin, K.B. Nie, and  B. Wang.  Microprocessor-based Home Heatmeter for Central Heating Control (No. 00257157.9), 2001

Grants (top)±

DC02267 - Fan-Gang Zeng, FG, Principal Investigator, Nie, K NIH Postdoctoral Fellow
Intensity encoding in acoustic and electric hearing                                                                
National Institutes of Health.  

DC02618 – Starr, A, Principal Investigator, Zeng FG, Co-Investigator, Nie K NIH Postdoctoral Fellow
Hearing deficits due to auditory neuropathy
National Institutes of Health

Nie, K, Co-Investigator
Spectral and temporal cues in speech perception with cochlear implants
Med-El North America.

Nie, K, Principal Investigator
Speech processing strategy for cochlear implants based on the characteristics of Chinese language
China Natural Science Fund (CNSF)

Nie, K, Principal Investigator
Detection and processing of the Otoacoustic Emission signal
Shandong Natural Science Fund (SDNSF)

Nie, K, Principal Investigator
Ultrasound fetal heart-rate monitor
MAIDI Medical Electronics Co. Ltd.

Nie, K, Principal Investigator
DSP-based image processing system for Optical Character Recognition
Funded by a local company

Nie, K, Principal Investigator
Microprocessor-based home heatmeter and network
Funded by a local company

Nie, K, Co-Investigator
Hand function restoration with Functional Electrical Stimulation
China Natural Science Fund (CNSF)

Nie, K, Co-Investigator
Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Its application in Blind Separation of mixed speech signals
Funded by the Shandong Natural Science Fund (SDNSF)