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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition

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Published on: July 21, 2020

Eye position affects audio-visual fusion in darkness.

David Hartnagel¹, Alain Bichot, Corinne Roumes

¹Institut de Médecine Aérospatiale du Service de Santé des Armées, BP 73, 91223 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. dhartnagel@imassa.fr

|February 13, 2008

Summary

Audio-visual (AV) fusion, the perception of unity from sight and sound, remains dependent on gaze direction even in complete darkness. This suggests the spatial reference frame for AV fusion is neither head- nor eye-centered.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sensory Perception
Multisensory Integration

Background:

Audio-visual (AV) fusion describes the unified perception of simultaneous visual and auditory stimuli.
The spatial extent of AV fusion is influenced by stimulus eccentricity and is known to be gaze-dependent in luminous environments.
Previous research suggests the reference frame for AV fusion may not be solely head- or eye-centered.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the frame of reference for audio-visual (AV) fusion in complete darkness.
To determine the role of egocentric and allocentric visual cues in AV fusion.
To test the hypothesis that the reference frame for bimodal space is neither head- nor eye-centered.

Main Methods:

Experiments were conducted in total darkness to eliminate allocentric visual cues.
Synchronized auditory and visual stimuli were presented with varying spatial disparities.
Participants judged the unity of the stimuli, indicating 'fusion' or 'no fusion'.

Main Results:

Audio-visual (AV) fusion was found to be gaze-dependent even in the absence of visual cues.
The results confirmed that the reference frame for bimodal space is not head-centered.
The findings also indicated that the reference frame is not eye-centered.

Conclusions:

Gaze direction plays a crucial role in audio-visual (AV) fusion, irrespective of the presence of visual cues.
The spatial reference frame for multisensory integration in darkness is independent of head and eye orientation.
This study provides evidence for a more complex reference frame system in audio-visual perception.