scholarly journals Effects of stimulus order on auditory distance discrimination of virtual nearby sound sources

2017 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. EL375-EL380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Spagnol ◽  
Rebekka Hoffmann ◽  
Árni Kristjánsson ◽  
Federico Avanzini
Keyword(s):  
Sound Sources ◽  
Stimulus Order ◽  
Auditory Distance ◽  
Distance Discrimination

scholarly journals On the influence of non-individual binaural cues and the impact of level normalization on auditory distance estimation of nearby sound sources

Acta Acustica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Johannes M. Arend ◽  
Heinrich R. Liesefeld ◽  
Christoph Pörschmann
Keyword(s):  
Distance Estimation ◽  
Relative Distance ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Binaural Cues ◽  
Auditory Distance ◽  
Normalization Methods ◽  
Forced Choice Task ◽  
Interaural Level Differences ◽  
The Impact

Nearby sound sources provide distinct binaural cues, mainly in the form of interaural level differences, which vary with respect to distance and azimuth. However, there is a long-standing controversy regarding whether humans can actually utilize binaural cues for distance estimation of nearby sources. Therefore, we conducted three experiments using non-individual binaural synthesis. In Experiment 1, subjects had to estimate the relative distance of loudness-normalized and non-normalized nearby sources in static and dynamic binaural rendering in a multi-stimulus comparison task under anechoic conditions. Loudness normalization was used as a plausible method to compensate for noticeable intensity differences between stimuli. With the employed loudness normalization, nominal distance did not significantly affect distance ratings for most conditions despite the presence of non-individual binaural distance cues. In Experiment 2, subjects had to judge the relative distance between loudness-normalized sources in dynamic binaural rendering in a forced-choice task. Below chance performance in this more sensitive task revealed that the employed loudness normalization strongly affected distance estimation. As this finding indicated a general issue with loudness normalization for studies on relative distance estimation, Experiment 3 directly tested the validity of loudness normalization and a frequently used amplitude normalization. Results showed that both normalization methods lead to remaining (incorrect) intensity cues, which subjects most likely used for relative distance estimation. The experiments revealed that both examined normalization methods have consequential drawbacks. These drawbacks might in parts explain conflicting findings regarding the effectiveness of binaural cues for relative distance estimation in the literature.

scholarly journals Sound Spectrum Influences Auditory Distance Perception of Sound Sources Located in a Room Environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Spiousas ◽  
Pablo E. Etchemendy ◽  
Manuel C. Eguia ◽  
Esteban R. Calcagno ◽  
Ezequiel Abregú ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Distance Perception ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Auditory Distance ◽  
Sound Spectrum

scholarly journals Effects of interpersonal familiarity on the auditory distance perception of level-equalized reverberant speech

Acta Acustica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Özgen Demirkaplan ◽  
Hüseyin Hacıhabiboğlu
Keyword(s):  
Distance Perception ◽  
Speech Signals ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Auditory Distance ◽  
Subjective Experiment ◽  
Listening Task ◽  
Reverberant Speech ◽  
Binaural Listening ◽  
Semantic Properties

Familiarity with sound sources is known to have a modulatory effect on auditory distance perception. However, the level of familiarity that can affect distance perception is not clearly understood. A subjective experiment that aims to investigate the effects of interpersonal familiarity on auditory distance perception with level-equalized stimuli is reported. The experiment involves a binaural listening task where different source distances between 0.5 and 16 m were emulated by convolving dry speech signals with measured binaural room impulse responses. The experimental paradigm involved level-equalized stimuli comprising speech signals recorded from different-gender couples who have self-reported to have known each other for more than a year with daily interaction. Each subject judged the distances of a total of 15 different speech stimuli from their partner as well as spectrally most similar and most dissimilar strangers, for six different emulated distances. The main finding is that a similar but unfamiliar speaker is localized to be further away than a familiar speaker. Another finding is that the semantic properties of speech can potentially have a modulating effect on auditory distance judgements.

Role of pinnae and head movements in localizing pure tones 1The authors would like to thank Mr. Remi Humbert for implementing the experiment in Turbo Pascal and for his further assistance.

1999 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara S. Muller ◽  
Pierre Bovet
Keyword(s):  
Sound Source ◽  
Head Movement ◽  
Movement Analysis ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Localization Accuracy ◽  
Sound Effects ◽  
Posterior Quadrant ◽  
Localization Performance ◽  
Pure Tones

Twelve blindfolded subjects localized two different pure tones, randomly played by eight sound sources in the horizontal plane. Either subjects could get information supplied by their pinnae (external ear) and their head movements or not. We found that pinnae, as well as head movements, had a marked influence on auditory localization performance with this type of sound. Effects of pinnae and head movements seemed to be additive; the absence of one or the other factor provoked the same loss of localization accuracy and even much the same error pattern. Head movement analysis showed that subjects turn their face towards the emitting sound source, except for sources exactly in the front or exactly in the rear, which are identified by turning the head to both sides. The head movement amplitude increased smoothly as the sound source moved from the anterior to the posterior quadrant.

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