Evaluating auditory cognition in classroom environments across age groups from preschool children to adults using audiovisual virtual reality - EArAge-VR

在更新提案EArmen-VR中，我们将研究视听沉浸式虚拟环境，以评估课堂场景中的听觉认知，逐渐增加研究方法的现实性。关于教室环境对认知表现的影响的现有知识主要基于听觉或部分视觉检查。然而，这并不代表真实的日常情况。因此，对结合的、接近现实生活的视听调查的需求很高。在EArabio-VR中，我们的目标是（1）创建视听教室场景，验证听觉认知测试范式和评估工具（有关体验质量的性能测量和问卷），并使其可用于跨实验室的研究，包括技术不太集中的实验室。与此同时，我们的目标是（2）进一步了解复杂课堂环境中听觉认知表现的过程和机制，（3）调查各自随年龄的发展变化。基于第一阶段AUDICTIVE的EcoClass-VR项目的发现，我们将使用所创建和评估的范例。这将使我们能够分析听觉认知的语音感知，听力理解，并在虚拟教室环境中的儿童和成人相关的场景分析。在第一个资助期内创建的听觉和视觉场景将逐步合并和扩展，以实现更现实的日常生活课堂场景。这包括动态声学渲染、视听集成以及与虚拟场景的增强交互。此外，鉴于在第一个资助期内，教室噪音情景对二年级学生听力表现的影响比三年级学生和成年人大得多，样本将扩大到学前和一年级儿童以及非母语听力者（第二语言学习者）。为了能够在沉浸式环境中测试无法佩戴头戴式显示器的幼儿，我们将使用周围的屏幕创建替代设置。这允许比较听觉认知的发展变化以及收集的各年龄组的间接体验质量指标。通过重新访问从两个项目阶段收集的数据，EcoCLass-VR和EArable-VR，我们也将能够得出联合结论，并为进一步的研究提出建议，目的是为未来的测试范式标准化，发现最相关的识别场景复杂性和听觉认知各年龄组的发展变化的影响。

In the renewal proposal EArAge-VR, we will investigate audiovisual immersive virtual environments for the evaluation of auditory cognition in classroom scenarios, gradually increasing the realism of the research methodology. The existing knowledge on the effects of classroom environments on cognitive performance is predominantly based on auditory or, in parts, visual examinations. However, this does not represent real everyday situations. Thus, the demand for combined, close-to real-life audiovisual investigations is high. In EArAge-VR, we aim (1) to create audiovisual classroom scenarios and validate auditory cognition test paradigms and evaluation tools (performance measures and questionnaires concerning Quality of Experience), and make them available for research across laboratories, including less technology-focused ones. In parallel, we aim to (2) get further insight into the processes and mechanisms underlying auditory cognitive performance in complex classroom environments, and (3) investigate a respective developmental change with age. Based on the findings of the EcoClass-VR project from the first phase of AUDICTIVE, we will use a selection of the paradigms created and evaluated. This will enable us to analyze auditory cognition in terms of speech perception, listening comprehension, and listening-related scene analysis in virtual classroom environments in children and adults. The auditory and visual scenes created in the first funding period will be combined and expanded, in a stepwise manner, towards even more realistic, daily-life classroom scenarios. This incorporates dynamic acoustic rendering, audiovisual integration, and increased interaction with the virtual scenes. In addition, in view of the disproportionately strong effects of classroom noise scenarios on listening performance in second-graders in comparison to 3rd-graders and adults found in the first funding period, the sample will be expanded to preschool and first-grade children, and non-native listeners (L2-learners). To be able to test young children in an immersive environment, who cannot wear head-mounted displays, we will create alternative setups using surrounding screens. This allows for a comparison of the developmental changes regarding auditory cognition as well as the collected indirect Quality of Experience indicators across age groups. By revisiting the collected data from both project phases, EcoCLass-VR and EArAge-VR, we will also be able to draw joint conclusions and give recommendations for further research, with the aim for future standardization of the test paradigms found to be most pertinent to identify effects of scene complexity and developmental changes across age groups in auditory cognition.