Psychoacoustic evaluation of broadband and conventional reversing alarms localization accuracy

Abstract

Three psychoacoustic tests assessed whether a recently developed class of vehicle reversing alarms with broadband signal characteristics would be more accurately localized than conventional equivalents. Vehicle reversing conditions were simulated by mounting sample alarms on a linear slide whose velocity and displacement could be controlled by computer. Reversals of 4 m displacement were recorded at two velocities (1 m/s and 2 m/s) and at azimuthal orientations varying in 50 increments. The first two tests presented direct hit trajectories recorded with a binaural microphone (Crown SASS‐P) and Kemar Mannequin, respectively; a third test presented near miss trajectories with the recording centerline perpendicular to the alarm trajectory and at linear displacements of 0.5 m and 1 m. Participants listened to trajectories over supra‐aural headphones and selected the closest match from computer depictions of all possible trajectories. Results for all three tests revealed no significant advantage in localization acuity for the broadband alarm.