Localization of sound presented via a spatial audio display during visually induced vection in pitch, roll, and yaw.

INTRODUCTION

There is growing interest in the potential application of 3D audio displays to impart spatial information to aircraft pilots. As the aviation environment is dynamic, the effect on sound localization of the visual and vestibular stimulation resulting from motion during flight needs to be assessed. In this study, we investigated whether sound localization is affected by visual cues to self-motion.

METHOD

Participants localized bursts of broadband acoustic noise presented from the frontal hemifield under conditions of yaw, pitch, and roll vection (around the z-, y-, and x-axis, respectively) induced by wide-field visual motion of a projected sinusoidal grating. Lateral and elevation components of localization errors were measured.

RESULTS

Average signed lateral and elevation errors were less than 1.6 degrees for all vection conditions. The effects of vection condition on lateral and elevation errors were not statistically significant. Also, the interactions between vection condition and sound-source location for these errors were not significant. The magnitudes of the 95% confidence intervals for the differences in lateral and elevation errors between the no-vection condition and each of the other vection conditions did not exceed 3 degrees.

CONCLUSION

In the presence of visual cues to yawing, pitching, or rolling self-motion, the perception of auditory space is generally consistent with the available head-centered auditory cues to sound-source location. These results support the application of 3D audio displays in dynamic visual environments such as that experienced during flight.