Auditory Localization
Auditory localization is the ability to recognize the location from which a sound is emanating (Goldstine, 2002). There are many practical reasons for studying auditory localization. For example, previous research states that visual cues are necessary in locating a particular sound (Culling, 2000). However, blind people do not have the luxury of sight to help them locate a sound. Therefore, the ability to locate sound based only on auditory ability is important. It is also important to study different auditory processes. For example, when studying a way for a blind person to maneuver through an environment, it is helpful to know that people can most accurately locate sounds that happen directly in front of them; sounds that are far off, to the side, or behind the head are the least likely to be properly located (Goldstein, 2002).
Three coordinate systems are utilized when attempting to locate a specific sound. The azimuth coordinate determines if a sound is located to the left or the right of a listener. The elevation coordinate differentiates between sounds that are up or down relative to the listener. Finally, the distance coordinate determines how far away a sound is from the receiver (Goldstine, 2002). Different aspects of the coordinate systems are also essential to sound localization. For example, when identifying the azimuth in a sound, three acoustic cues are used: spectral cues, interaural time differences (ITD), and interaural level differences (ILD) (Lorenzi, Gatehouse, & Lever, 1999). When dealing with sound localizaton, spectral cues are teh distribution of frequencies reaching teh ear. Brungart and Durlach (1999) (as seen in Shinn-Cunning, Santarelli, & Kopco, 1999) believed that as the ...
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...Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 26 (6), 760-1769.
Goldstein, E. (2002). Sensation and perception (Rev. ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Wadsworth-Thomsom Learning.
Lorenzi, C., Gatehouse, S., & Lever, C. (1999). Sound localization in noise in hearing impaired listeners. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 105 (6), 3454-3463.
Lorenzi, C., Gatehouse, S., & Lever, C. (1999). Sound localization in noise in normal hearing listeners. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 105 (3), 1810-1820.
McDonald, J., Teder-Salejarvi, W, & Hillyard, S. (2000). Involuntary orienting to sound improves visual perception. Nature, 407, 906-907.
Shinn-Cunningham, B., Santarelli, S., & Kopco, N. (1999). Tori of Confusion: Binaural localization cues for sources within reach of the listener. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 107 (3), 1627-1636.
Spradley, T. S., & Spradley, J. P. (1978). Deaf Like Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University.
Spradley, T. S., & Spradley, J. P. (1978). Deaf Like Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University.
Hearing allows us to take in noises from the surrounding environment and gives us a sense of where things are in relation to us. All those little folds on the outside of the ear, called the tonotopic organization, make it so sound waves in the air are directed to the ear canal, where they can be further processed. Once in the ear, the sound waves vibrate the ear drum, which tell the ear exactly what frequency it is sensing. The vibration of the ear drum is not quite enough to send a signal to the brain, so it needs to be amplified, which is where the three tiny bones in the ear come into play. The malleus or hammer, incus or anvil, and stapes or stirrup amplify this sound and send it to the cochlea. The cochlea conducts the sound signal through a fluid with a higher inertia than air, so this is why the signal from the ear drum needs to be amplified. It is much harder to move the fluid than it is to move the air. The cochlea basically takes these physical vibrations and turns them into electrical impulses that can be sent to the brain. This is...
An ethical dilemma is defined as a moral issue, where a situation has two equivalent undesirable alternatives and neither choice will resolve the ethical predicament.
Therefore, I plan on closely examining audiology not only in a clinical setting but also in a research setting after my first year in USF’s program. I plan on closely examining innovative audiological strategies, as a graduate student, inside and outside of the classroom, while immersing myself in the intellectual community within the department. While my future classmates at USF may claim that they were born audiologists, I am proud to proclaim, as I have reflected on my journey thus far, that I have gained an intellect and love for audiology that drives my unrelenting passion for the field.
Specific Purpose: To help people to understand what Audism is and that the lack of an ability to hear does not mean they are incapable of performing tasks.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (November 2002). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp
Bahan, Ben. Hoffmeister, Robert. Lane, Harlan. A Journey into the Deaf World. USA: Dawn Sign Press.
Stratospheric ozone absorbs 97-99% of ultraviolet radiation. As this protective layer continues to dissentigrate, human health will suffer. One American dies every hour from skin cancer, a direct result of ozone depletion by anthropogenic chemicals, primarily CFCs, which damage the ozone layer. Alternate chemicals are now being used in the place of CFCs that will not damage statospheric ozone, and there is international recognition of the importance of developing these chemicals. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty which limits the production of ozone depleting substances. Still, human health is at risk from the deletion of ozone, and the risk factor will continue to rise unless people and industries become more aware of the implications connected with everyday use of chemicals which destroy stratospheric ozone.
... did not have a history of troubled behavior or personal connection to the victim, were capable of being involved in such a random, yet passionate act of violence. Virk was a ‘punching bag’ for the internal anxiety or frustration these girls faced, which essentially leads back to parent’s inability to detect these issues and societies failure to provide support for these girls. The autopsy reports showed that Virk would have most likely died solely from her head injuries from the severe beating she took, essentially making every person present that night underneath the bridge responsible for Virk’s death. Although female violence has been on the rise, the media did play an essential role in creating fear of female violence in Canada. While the story of the murder of Reena Virk is both ruthless and alarming, not many similar cases have occurred in the past 17 years.
Hearing loss is often overlooked because our hearing is an invisible sense that is always expected to be in action. Yet, there are people everywhere that suffer from the effects of hearing loss. It is important to study and understand all aspects of the many different types and reasons for hearing loss. The loss of this particular sense can be socially debilitating. It can affect the communication skills of the person, not only in receiving information, but also in giving the correct response. This paper focuses primarily on hearing loss in the elderly. One thing that affects older individuals' communication is the difficulty they often experience when recognizing time compressed speech. Time compressed speech involves fast and unclear conversational speech. Many older listeners can detect the sound of the speech being spoken, but it is still unclear (Pichora-Fuller, 2000). In order to help with diagnosis and rehabilitation, we need to understand why speech is unclear even when it is audible. The answer to that question would also help in the development of hearing aids and other communication devices. Also, as we come to understand the reasoning behind this question and as we become more knowledgeable about what older adults can and cannot hear, we can better accommodate them in our day to day interactions.
On the other hand, the Kendall Support Services Team (2003) indicates that FM hearing aids allow children to hear at the same volume regardless of where they are seated. In fact, FM systems may cover over 100 feet and are portable (Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). These systems require teachers to wear microphones and students to wear special hearing aids (Kendall Support Services Team, 2003). Similarly, soundfield systems amplify the instructor’s voice, not only for the deaf students, but for the w...
Although discovered in 1839, Binaural Beats are still a relatively unknown concept to most doctors of rehabilitation or therapy (Manley 1) .The term Binaural Beats is given to the phenomenon in which two tones of very slightly differing frequencies are presented to a subject wearing headphones, the effect of the similar tone...
For e.g. a source to the left, the sound wave will arrive at the left ear slightly louder than at the right ear.” (Binaural sound source localization - Basics.) As the sound travels thru a medium such as air, its strength will dissipate. Our ears can detect this change and retrieve location data based on the loudness and frequency distribution detected by both
What distinguishes sound waves from most other waves is that humans easily can perceive the frequency and amplitude of the wave. The frequency governs the pitch of the note produced, while the amplitude relates to the sound le...