Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners
Published on: March 13, 2026
Where did that sound come from? Comparing the ability to localise using audification and audition
T Claire Davies1, Shane D Pinder, George Dodd
1University of Auckland, Mechanical Engineering, Auckland, New Zealand. c.davies@auckland.ac.nz
Purpose:
A prototype device was developed to allow individuals to hear ultrasound reflections off environmental obstacles. Previous studies have shown that this device allows for better distance judgement than audition and allows for effective passage through the centreline of apertures. The purpose of this research was to evaluate audification as a method to localise direct sound sources as compared to audition.
Method:
In an anechoic environment, participants localised point-sound sources for three conditions: auditory, audified ultrasound with receivers facing laterally, and audified ultrasound with receivers facing forward.
Results:
Azimuth localisation was similar within a range of -35° to 35° in front of the participant among all conditions. At the periphery, -70° and 70°, audified ultrasound was more accurate than audition for novice participants. No difference was evident in user elevation accuracy for these signals among the different conditions.
Conclusion:
Audification of ultrasound can be effective for localising point-source sounds in the azimuth direction, but more evidence is required to evaluate accuracy in the vertical direction. [Box: see text].
Related Concept Videos
Hearing
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
The Cochlea
Auditory Pathway
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
Auditory Perception
Sound Intensity Level
The human ear can perceive an extensive range of sound intensity, necessitating the use of the logarithmic scale to define a physical quantity—the intensity level. It is a ratio of two intensities and hence a...

