Abstract
Virtual auditory space (VAS) refers to a technology where the source signal is convolved with filters called head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) and presented over headphones to recreate the signal at the eardrum that would have been received from a source in the free-field. VAS is a powerful tool because it allows the simulation of complex and realistic scenarios (e.g., echoes, reverberation, moving sources) that are impossible or too complicated for free-field setups, which often contain distortions caused by the setup itself (e.g., stereotactic bench, headholder). Crucial points of VAS are the measurement, equalization and interpolation of the HRTF. Different methods will be reviewed and the results of VAS and free-field stimulation for humans, guinea pigs, and barn owls will be compared. For barn owls, the amplitude spectra of virtual sounds were within ±1 dB of amplitude spectra of free-field sounds measured near the eardrum. The neuronal responses to free-field and VAS presentations were nearly indistinguishable. For research with humans and guinea pigs, it was necessary to use the HRTF of each individual, whereas in the barn owl, only minor differences between the neuronal responses to the individual and nonindividual HRTF were observed. [Work supported by DFG, NIDCD, and NATO.]
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