Active Sensing for Three-Dimensional Auditory Localization

三维听觉定位的主动传感拟议的项目研究了动态环境中空间定位的声学信号的产生、接收和处理。 本研究以回声定位蝙蝠作为听觉定位研究的模型系统，特别强调感知和动作之间的协调操作，以表征三维空间。 回声定位蝙蝠产生超声波发声，并使用返回的回声中包含的信息来确定空间物体的方向和距离。有了这些声音信息，蝙蝠就建立了一个三维的听觉世界。该研究将结合联合收割机声学，行为和建模，以指定空间信息处理和定位的一般原则。 大棕色蝙蝠，Eptesicus fuscus，一种食虫的北美蝙蝠，产生调频（FM）声纳声音将作为三个相互关联的研究的主题：1）详细测量蝙蝠的声音定位可用的声学信息。 本研究还探讨了如何线索相关的声源方向和距离最终结合起来，代表一个听觉对象的三维空间中的位置。 2)蝙蝠主动控制声纳波束的方向和音量的行为测量，用于从环境中收集声学信息。本研究的目的是确定积极的过程，有助于蝙蝠的空间定位和跟踪回声定位，这与其他感觉运动系统的重要原则。3)感知实验将测量蝙蝠的声纳接收器沿着距离轴的分辨率。 这项研究补充了声纳信号方向和波束宽度的声学测量以及两耳处声学信号的压力变换，以允许在三维空间中对听觉定位的主动传感进行建模。本提案中描述的跨学科工作对公共部门具有重要意义，有助于教育（跨学科研究和科学培训）、技术（电话会议和雷达/声纳）和社会（人为因素）。 此外，蝙蝠对从三维空间中提取的信息的运动控制提供了一个特殊的机会来检查和开发在听觉和视觉中起桥梁作用的动作和感知模型。

Active sensing for three-dimensional auditory localizationThe proposed project examines the production, reception and processing of acoustic signals for spatial localization in a dynamic environment. The research described in this proposal utilizes the echolocating bat as a model system for the study of auditory localization, with particular emphasis on the coordinated operation between perception and action for the representation of three-dimensional space. The echolocating bat produces ultrasonic vocalizations and uses information contained in the returning echoes to determine the direction and distance of objects in space. With this acoustic information, the bat builds a three-dimensional auditory representation of the world. The research will combine acoustics, behavior and modeling to specify general principles of spatial information processing and orientation. The big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, an insectivorous North American bat that produces frequency modulated (FM) sonar sounds will serve as the subject in three inter-related studies: 1) Detailed measurements of the acoustic information available to the bat for sound localization. This study also examines how cues related to sound source direction and distance are ultimately combined to represent an auditory object's location in three-dimensional space. 2) Behavioral measurements of the bat's active control over the direction and volume of the sonar beam used to gather acoustic information from the environment. This study aims to identify the active processes that contribute to the bat's spatial orientation and tracking by echolocation, which shares important principles with other sensorimotor systems. 3) Perceptual experiments will measure the resolution of the bat's sonar receiver along the distance axis. This study complements the acoustic measures of sonar signal direction and beam width and the pressure transformation of acoustic signals at the two ears to permit modeling of active sensing for auditory localization in three-dimensional space.The interdisciplinary work described in this proposal holds importance to the public sector, contributing to education (cross-disciplinary research and scientific training), technology (teleconferencing and radar/sonar) and society (human factors). Furthermore, the bat's motor control over the information extracted from three-dimensional space presents a special opportunity to examine and develop models of action and perception that bridge work in audition and vision.