The Effect of Head Movement on the Perception of Source Elevation

Research Student: Tommy Ashby
Principal Supervisor: Dr Russell Mason
Co-Supervisor: Dr Tim Brookes
Supported by: EPSRC

Start date: 2010
End date: 2015

Project Outline

Most auditory localisation studies and models focus on azimuth localisation on the equatorial plane. Studies that focus on elevation localisation predominantly investigate pinna and spectral cues. However, listeners move their heads when localising and there is evidence that these movements might create additional dynamic/interaural localisation cues that improve elevation localisation response accuracy.

This research addresses the primary research question: how do head movements affect a listener’s elevation localisation response accuracy?

A spatial model has already been developed that derives cues from listener head movement. It is necessary to verify whether these cues are actually used by real listeners and, if so, how these cues function. Secondary research aims are: to optimise localisation experimental methods for elevation and head movement studies; to find out what cues, created by head movement, can lead to improved localisation accuracy; and to find the listening conditions that allow these head movement cues to manifest themselves.

The findings will allow a more perceptually accurate head-movement-aware spatial localisation model to be developed.

Publications

• Ashby, T. (2015) 'The effect of yaw based head movement on the perception of source elevation'. PhD Thesis, Institute of Sound Recording, University of Surrey.
  Full text is available at: epubs.surrey.ac.uk/809514
• Ashby T, Brookes T, Mason R. (2014) 'Towards a head-movement-aware spatial localisation model: Elevation'. 21st International Congress on Sound and Vibration 2014, ICSV 2014, 4, pp. 2808-2815.
• Ashby T, Mason RD, Brookes T. 'Elevation localisation response accuracy on vertical planes of differing azimuth'. Audio Engineering Society Preprint, 136th Audio Engineering Society Convention 9046
• Ashby T, Mason RD, Brookes T. (2013) 'Head movements in three-dimensional localisation'. Audio Engineering Society Preprint Audio Engineering Society Preprint, Rome, Italy: 134th Audio Engineering Society Convention 8881
• Ashby T, Mason R, Brookes T. (2011) 'Prediction of perceived elevation using multiple psuedo-binaural microphones'. London, UK : Audio Engineering Society Audio Engineering Society Preprint, London, UK: 130th Audio Engineering Society Convention
  Full text is available at: epubs.surrey.ac.uk/712910

Data Archive

The data generated by this project (including code, listening test interfaces and results) are available in this repository:

• Head Movement Elevation Perception Dataset doi: 10.5281/zenodo.19034