Abstract
The directional and distance perceptions related to horizontal plain localization and distance at various azimuthal angles in terms of sound localization acuity of congenital blind and sighted people was investigated. The study was conducted in a soundproof room with twelve loudspeakers arranged at 30 degrees intervals in a circle with a radius of 1.5 m. Sound localization error was calculated as the average of the differences between the azimuth of a sound source and the azimuth of the sound localization perceived by all the listeners. The two conditions of the study included condition with listener's head fixed (CHF) and condition with listener's head free to rotate (CHR). The sound localization error of the blind listeners were lower than that of the sighted listeners. The results showed that the acuity of the blind is significantly superior to that of the sighted for both sound localization and distance perception at any azimuth of the horizontal plane.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 290-293 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Acoustical Science and Technology |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Keywords
- Auditory scanning
- Distance perception
- Sound localization
- Visual impairments
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Acoustics and Ultrasonics