Sound-source localization when listeners and/or sound sources move

Abstract

In the dynamic everyday world, sound sources and/or listeners move when animals attempt to localize sound sources. Determining sound-source locations in these dynamic scenarios requires several computations by the brain. The auditory-spatial cues (Interaural Time Differences, ITDs; Interaural Level Differences, ITDS; and spectral cues associated with the head-related transfer function, HRTF) indicate the location of sound sources relative to the head. When the source and/or listener move, these cues change and by knowing the position of the head, the brain could determine which moved and where it moved based on the auditory-spatial cue changes. If interaural cues (ITDs or ILDs) are used for sound-source localization, cone-of-confusion errors occur, and head motion can resolve front-back, cone of-confusion errors. The elevation of a sound source, not effected by cone-of-confusion errors, might be able to be determined when both the source and listener move. This presentation will describe work in the Spatial Hearing Lab at ASU related to how sound source and listener motion affect sound source-location judgements in these scenarios. [Research supported by grants from NIDCD, WAY: R01-DC015214 and MTP: F32-DC016808.]