Dynamic binaural sound localization based on variations of interaural time delays and system rotations

This work develops the mathematical model for a steerable binaural system that determines the instantaneous direction of a sound source in space. The model combines system angular speed and interaural time delays (ITDs) in a differential equation, which allows monitoring the change of source position in the binaural reference frame and therefore resolves the confusion about azimuth and elevation. The work includes the analysis of error propagation and presents results from a real-time application that was performed on a digital signal processing device. Theory and experiments demonstrate that the azimuthal angle to the sound source is accurately yielded in the case of horizontal rotations, whereas the elevation angle is estimated with large uncertainty. This paper also proves the equivalence of the ITD derivative and the Doppler shift appearing between the binaurally captured audio signals. The equation of this Doppler shift is applicable for any kind of motion. It shows that weak binaural pitch differences may represent an additional cue in localization of sound. Finally, the paper develops practical applications from this relationship, such as the synthesizing of binaural images of pure and complex tones emitted by a moving source, and the generation of multiple frequency images for binaural beat experiments.