Dynamic Auditory Localisation: Head Tracking of Virtual Moving Sounds

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Issue Date
2014-08-01
Language
en
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Abstract
Human head tracking of moving sound sources was investigated with the use of dynamic sound stimuli. Sound motion was simulated by adjusting the relative intensities of two speakers, thus creating a dynamic head shadow e˙ect. We observed that sound localisation performance is more variable with these virtual sources, but people were well able to follow both highly predictable and completely unpredictable periodic sound movements. Analysis reveals that the responses to periodic stimuli can be described by a linear transformation. Sounds with a sudden jump in position, followed by a constant displacement in the opposite direction (step-ramp stimuli) suggest that head tracking is largely based on sound position, but that sound velocity may also play a role. Head tracking of sounds can be seen as a series of saccades, interspersed with low-velocity, smooth movements.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen