The purpose of the centre is to promote research and education in the field of acoustic communication with emphasis on the signal analysis and processing principles in the human auditory system, the perceptual consequences of hearing impairment, functional models of auditory processing and perception, applications of auditory models in hearing instruments, measurement and diagnosis of auditory function in clinical and technical audiology, and speech perception.

The centre is supported by the three Danish hearing aid companies Oticon, Widex and GN Resound and their foundations, particularly in the start-up-phase of the centre. The centre employs 17 staff members.

The Centre for Applied Hearing Research (CAHR) was established in May 2003. It is part of the section Acoustic Technology (AT) at DTU Electrical Engineering, which is the electronics engineering department at DTU. This position encourages close cooperation with experts and facilities within the fields of Physical Acoustics, Room Acoustics, Electro Acoustics and more. Furthermore there are common teaching activities with the Medicine and Technology Masters Programme at the department.