Document Detail


Toward orthogonal non-individualised head-related transfer functions for forward and backward directional sound: cluster analysis and an experimental study.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20496243     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Individualised head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) have been shown to accurately simulate forward and backward directional sounds. This study explores directional simulation for non-individualised HRTFs by determining orthogonal HRTFs for listeners to choose between. Using spectral features previously shown to aid forward-backward differentiation, 196 non-individualised HRTFs were clustered into six orthogonal groups and the centre HRTF of each group was selected as representative. An experiment with 15 listeners was conducted to evaluate the benefits of choosing between six centre-front and six centre-back directional sounds rather than the single front/back sounds produced by MIT-KEMAR HRTFs. Sound localisation error was significantly reduced by 22% and 65% of listeners reduced their front-back confusion rates. The significant reduction was maintained when the number of HRTFs was reduced from six to five. This represents a preliminary success in bridging the gap between individual and non-individual HRTFs for applications such as spatial surround sound systems. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Due to different pinna shapes, directional sound stimuli generated by non-individualised HRTFs suffer from serious front-back confusion. The reported work demonstrates a way to reduce front-back confusion for centre-back sounds generated from non-individualised HRTFs.
Authors:
R H Y So; B Ngan; A Horner; J Braasch; J Blauert; K L Leung
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Ergonomics     Volume:  53     ISSN:  1366-5847     ISO Abbreviation:  Ergonomics     Publication Date:  2010 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-24     Completed Date:  2010-10-06     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0373220     Medline TA:  Ergonomics     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  767-81     Citation Subset:  IM; S    
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, PRC. rhyso@ust.hk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Algorithms
Analysis of Variance
Auditory Perception / physiology*
Biomechanics
Cluster Analysis
Computer Simulation
Female
Head / physiology*
Human Engineering
Humans
Male
Movement*
Posture*
Questionnaires
Sound Localization / physiology*
Statistics as Topic
Statistics, Nonparametric
Young Adult

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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