Upper limits of auditory motion perception

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One of the major challenges to the auditory system in everyday listening is to track moving sound sources to predict their future path (e.g. an approaching car, a buzzing mosquito). However, our understanding of the perceptual (and physiological) underpinnings of auditory motion is still lagging compared to our understanding of static sound localization. If we know relatively little about auditory motion perception, we know even less about our ability to discriminate the velocity of moving sounds. Only a handful of studies have investigated auditory velocity perception and those that did used relatively slow velocities. But, we recently demonstrated that listeners are able to perceive the motion of rotating sounds at much higher velocities. Furthermore, most research on sound localization has been conducted in anechoic (or 'dry') environments. However, in almost all natural environments spatial hearing is challenged by the presence of reverberation. Detrimental effects of reverberation on static sound localization have been reported, but its effect on auditory motion will be investigated systematically for the first time in this program by repeating experiments in a large concert hall. Finally, this program will characterize various spatialization techniques for the positioning of virtual sound sources in terms of their ability to reproduce acoustic motion around the listener. This program investigates the relative contribution of different perceptual mechanisms used to localize moving sounds by manipulating the characteristics of the sound (spectral content), its movement (velocity, trajectories) and the environment (reverberation, presentation mode). The short-term goal is to identify the necessary and sufficient cues for auditory motion detection for circular and linear trajectories using experimental conditions and behavioural tasks designed to push the limits of the auditory system. The long-term goal of this program is to understand the perceptual underpinnings of auditory motion in order to extend or reconcile current theory regarding motion perception. Future directions include investigating how visual, auditory and haptic information can be used together to provide complementary motion information.