Effect of visual and vestibular information on auditory space perception

Abstract

We investigated how auditory space would be represented during linear self-motion and visually-induced self-motion (vection) (Teramoto et al., 2012, 2014). The previous studies indicated that the subjective coronal plane (SCP) was displaced during forward self-motion, while during backward motion in the case of vection. The present study investigated how auditory space perception would be altered when both visual and vestibular information were presented. A random-dot pattern simulating linear self-motion was used. At the beginning of the trial, the random-dot pattern started to move at a velocity of ±0.1 m/s. When an observer perceived vection, the velocity was changed at an acceleration of ±0.2, 0, and 0.4 m/s2. At the same time, the observer was moved forward at an acceleration of 0.2 m/s2 by using a linear-motor-driven chair. A short noise-burst was presented from a loudspeaker when the observer moved 2 m. The observers indicated the direction in which the sound was perceived relative to their coronal plane. The results showed that the direction of the SCP shift was different only when the acceleration of both visual and vestibular information was identical. These results suggest that auditory space distortion effect occurs closely related to the integration of vestibular and visual information.