Related Experiment Videos
Auditory localization in the horizontal plane with single and double hearing protection
Douglas S Brungart1, Alexander J Kordik, Brian D Simpson
1Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA. douglas.brungart@wpafb.af.mil
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|September 25, 2003
Summary
Wearing double hearing protection, such as earplugs and earmuffs together, severely impairs sound localization accuracy, especially for higher frequencies. This effect is listener-dependent and may involve mechanisms like bone conduction.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Perception
- Acoustics
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Single hearing protection devices (earplugs, earmuffs) are known to affect sound localization.
- Limited research exists on sound localization accuracy when using double hearing protection (earplugs and earmuffs simultaneously).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of double hearing protection on sound localization accuracy.
- To determine how different sound durations and frequencies affect localization with double hearing protection.
Main Methods:
- Participants localized pink noise signals (short or continuous) under single (earplugs or earmuffs) and double hearing protection conditions.
- Acoustic signals originated from 24 horizontal plane locations.
- Further experiments examined listener variability and frequency-dependent effects.
Main Results:
- Double hearing protection significantly degraded left-right localization accuracy, even with continuous sounds.
- Localization accuracy varied considerably among listeners with double hearing protection.
- Higher frequencies (above 500 Hz) were more affected by double hearing protection than lower frequencies (at or below 250 Hz).
Conclusions:
- Simultaneous use of earplugs and earmuffs causes severe sound localization disruption.
- Mechanisms like bone conduction may contribute to the impaired localization under double hearing protection conditions.