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Human click-based echolocation: Effects of blindness and age, and real-life implications in a 10-week training
Liam J Norman1, Caitlin Dodsworth1, Denise Foresteire1
1Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Age and blindness do not significantly limit the ability to learn click-based echolocation. This auditory skill training shows positive impacts on mobility and independence for blind individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory rehabilitation
- Human adaptation
Background:
- Learning novel sensory skills is key to brain plasticity and aiding individuals with sensory impairments.
- Click-based echolocation is a complex auditory skill that can potentially enhance navigation and environmental awareness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how blindness and age affect the learning of click-based echolocation.
- To assess the efficacy of echolocation training for improving mobility and well-being in blind individuals.
Main Methods:
- A 10-week training study involving 20 sessions of practical and virtual navigation tasks.
- Participants included blind and sighted individuals across a wide age range (21-79 years).
- A 3-month follow-up survey assessed the impact of training on daily life for blind participants.
Main Results:
- Both blind and sighted participants showed significant improvement in echolocation skills, with some reaching expert levels.
- Neither age nor blindness limited the learning rate or the ability to generalize skills to new tasks.
- Sighted participants occasionally outperformed blind participants, potentially due to younger age or better binaural hearing.
Conclusions:
- The capacity to learn click-based echolocation is largely independent of age and visual status.
- Echolocation training offers significant benefits for mobility, independence, and well-being in individuals with vision loss.
- Findings support the use of echolocation training as a rehabilitative tool for those experiencing vision loss.
