Binaural processing model based on contralateral inhibition. III. Dependence on temporal parameters.

Abstract

This paper and two accompanying papers [Breebaart et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 1074-1088 (2001); 110, 1089-1104 (2001)] describe a computational model for the signal processing of the binaural auditory system. The model consists of several stages of monaural and binaural preprocessing combined with an optimal detector. Simulations of binaural masking experiments were performed as a function of temporal stimulus parameters and compared to psychophysical data adapted from literature. For this purpose, the model was used as an artificial observer in a three-interval, forced-choice procedure. All model parameters were kept constant for all simulations. Model predictions were obtained as a function of the interaural correlation of a masking noise and as a function of both masker and signal duration. Furthermore, maskers with a time-varying interaural correlation were used. Predictions were also obtained for stimuli with time-varying interaural time or intensity differences. Finally, binaural forward-masking conditions were simulated. The results show that the combination of a temporal integrator followed by an optimal detector in the time domain can account for all conditions that were tested, except for those using periodically varying interaural time differences (ITDs) and those measuring interaural correlation just-noticeable differences (jnd's) as a function of bandwidth.