Human Research and Engineering Directorate Research Areas

Auditory Displays

Advisor: TR Letowski

Key words: acoustic signals, auditory perception, psychoacoustics

The human auditory system is designed to provide information about the identity of acoustic sources and their location in space. An auditory (audio) display is a communication device that utilizes auditory channel (hearing) for proving information about the status of the system. The information may have natural acoustic origin or can be acoustic representation of non-acoustic information (sensory translation).

Practical applications of auditory displays range from the generation of audible warning signals, through auralization of video images, to the generation of virtual environments for training purposes. Modern signal processing techniques have made it possible to capitalize on the ear’s unique spatial capabilities for displaying a wide range of spatially oriented information from navigation guidance to simultaneous multichannel communication in the whole 360° spherical angle.

To take advantage of these capabilities, we need to understand the mechanisms by which the human ear detects, identifies, and localizes sounds under various operational conditions. We are studying the perception of sonic events in natural and virtual three-dimensional auditory space, focusing on the details of the acoustic signal that results in the accurate externalization of sounds.

To design effective auditory displays, our other main focus is on the design and evaluation of sounds that convey particular meaning. These studies have both the basic and applied character. Their ultimate goal is to develop easy to use spatial auditory displays for a variety of military and non-military applications.