Sound localization in noise: The effect of signal-to-noise ratio

Good, Michael; Gilkey, Robert H.

doi:10.1121/1.415233

Cited by 139 publications

(102 citation statements)

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“…In order to be better commensurate with the study of Bridgeman, Aiken, et al (1997), we used the same stimuli in the first experiment: a 300-Hz square wave with a duty cycle of 0.5 and abrupt onsets and offsets. As has been shown by Good and Gilkey (1996; see also Good et al, 1997), the accuracy of sound localization decreases when the signal-to-noise ratio is lowered, particularly for vertical judgments. Although their results are not directly comparable with ours (signal-to-noise ratios ranged from 114 to 213 dB relative to the subject's detection threshold), we found in preliminary studies that localization performance decreased when targets and frames were presented at the same intensity.…”

Section: Experiments 1 Methodsmentioning

confidence: 66%

The influence of the acoustic context on vertical sound localization in the median plane

Getzmann

2003

Perception & Psychophysics

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The influence of background sounds (frames) on verticallocalization of single sound sources (targets) was examined in four experiments. Loudspeakers (five targets and four frames) were positioned in the median plane, ranging from 130º to 230º above and below the subject's ear level.The subjects determined the vertical position of the targets by either verbal judgments or manual pointing. Frame and target sounds were presented concurrently or successively with a 1-sec interval; both consisted of (1) 300-Hz square waves, (2) noise, or (3) targets of noise and frames of 300-Hz square waves. Particularly in the second condition, the subjects consistently shifted the apparent target positions away from the frame locations. This contrast effect persisted even 1 sec after the offset of the frames. No effect was found with different waveforms for the frame and the target. Results are related to recent findings indicating a similar effect in the azimuthal dimension. Possibly the effect is based on a mechanism in which the auditory system adapts to recently heard sound source positions.

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Section: Experiments 1 Methodsmentioning

confidence: 66%

The influence of the acoustic context on vertical sound localization in the median plane

Getzmann

2003

Perception & Psychophysics

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“…Listeners thus heard 42 presentations with 1 NF before moving onto another NF. Performance was evaluated using r 2 , based on the correlation of the actual ITD vs the response ITD (Good and Gilkey 1996). This metric was chosen to look specifically at lateralization ability because a variety of biases could be observed (left side, right side, and center), which would yield extremely poor accuracy even if the listener had reasonable sensitivity to ITDs.…”

Section: Lateralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Temporal Fine Structure on the Lateralization of Speech and on Speech Understanding in Noise

Drennan

Won

Dasika

et al. 2007

JARO

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This study evaluated the role of temporal fine structure in the lateralization and understanding of speech in six normal-hearing listeners. Interaural time differences (ITDs) were introduced to invoke lateralization. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were evaluated in backgrounds of two-talker babble and speech-shaped noise. Two-syllable words with ITDs of 0 and 700 ms were used as targets. A vocoder technique, which systematically randomized fine structure, was used to evaluate the effects of fine structure on these tasks. Randomization of temporal fine structure was found to significantly reduce the ability of normal-hearing listeners to lateralize words, although for many listeners, good lateralization performance was achieved with as much as 80% fine-structure randomization. Most listeners demonstrated some rudimentary ability to lateralize with 100% fine-structure randomization. When ITDs were 0 ms, randomization of fine structure had a much greater effect on SRT in two-talker babble than in speech-shaped noise. Binaural advantages were also observed. In steady noise, the difference in SRT between words with 0-vs 700-ms ITDs was, on average, 6 dB with no fine-structure randomization and 2 dB with 100% fine-structure randomization. In two-talker babble this difference was 1.9 dB and, for most listeners, showed little effect of the degree of finestructure randomization. These results suggest that (1) improved delivery of temporal fine structure would improve speech understanding in noise for implant recipients, (2) bilateral implant recipients might benefit from temporal envelope ITDs, and (3) improved delivery of temporal information could improve binaural benefits.

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“…For instance, adding a second source of equal or lesser intensity only slightly degrades the localizability and speech intelligibility of the first source (Good and Gilkey, 1996;Blauert, 1997;Best et al, 2004). Although reverberation in echoic environments may contribute to the quality of a sound, the sound coming directly from an active source often dominates localization (for review, see Litovsky et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Localization and Identification of Concurrent Sounds in the Owl's Auditory Space Map

Keller¹,

Takahashi²

2005

J. Neurosci.

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In nature, sounds from multiple sources sum at the eardrums, generating complex cues for sound localization and identification. In this clutter, the auditory system must determine "what is where." We examined this process in the auditory space map of the barn owl's (Tyto alba) inferior colliculus using two spatially separated sources simultaneously emitting uncorrelated noise bursts, which were uniquely identified by different frequencies of sinusoidal amplitude modulation. Spatial response profiles of isolated neurons were constructed by testing the source-pair centered at various locations in virtual auditory space. The neurons responded whenever a source was placed within the receptive field, generating two clearly segregated foci of activity at appropriate loci. The spike trains were locked strongly to the amplitude modulation of the source within the receptive field, whereas the other source had minimal influence. Two sources amplitude modulated at the same rate were resolved successfully, suggesting that source separation is based on differences of fine structure. The spike rate and synchrony were stronger for whichever source had the stronger average binaural level. A computational model showed that neuronal activity was primarily proportional to the degree of matching between the momentary binaural cues and the preferred values of the neuron. The model showed that individual neurons respond to and synchronize with sources in their receptive field if there are frequencies having an average binaural-level advantage over a second source. Frequencies with interaural phase differences that are shared by both sources may also evoke activity, which may be synchronized with the amplitude modulations from either source.

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Sound localization in noise: The effect of signal-to-noise ratio

Cited by 139 publications

References 0 publications

The influence of the acoustic context on vertical sound localization in the median plane

The influence of the acoustic context on vertical sound localization in the median plane

Effects of Temporal Fine Structure on the Lateralization of Speech and on Speech Understanding in Noise

Localization and Identification of Concurrent Sounds in the Owl's Auditory Space Map

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