Comparación de la distancia auditiva percibida entre fuentes de sonido reales y virtuales

Comparison of perceived auditory distance between real and virtual sound sources

Lombera, E. N. Laboratorio de Acústica y Percepción Sonora (LAPSo), Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, CONICET, R. S. Peña 352, Bernal, Buenos Aires, B1876BXD, Argentina.

Manuel Viskovic, M. Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF). Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. CONICET. Sáenz Peña, Argentina.

Cerviño, J. Laboratorio de Acústica y Percepción Sonora (LAPSo), Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, CONICET, R. S. Peña 352, Bernal, Buenos Aires, B1876BXD, Argentina.

Vergara, R. Laboratorio de Acústica y Percepción Sonora (LAPSo), Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, CONICET, R. S. Peña 352, Bernal, Buenos Aires, B1876BXD, Argentina. ramiro.vergara@unq.edu.ar

Abstract

Virtual acoustic technology has been commonly used in psychoacoustic experiments as a means of realistically simulating the acoustic environment. Of course, beyond the advantages of virtual technology, a researcher will consider it essential that virtual acoustic technology manages to generate realistic environments. However, comparative studies on the perception of auditory distance between real and virtual environments are scarce. In this study we compared the perceived distance of real sources and three different types of virtual sources: individualized HRTF, non-individualized HRTF, and non-individualized simulated. In all cases, the stimulus was a musical fragment played from sources located in front of the listener at the following distances: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 meters. The stimuli were played through open headphones in the same room where the HRTFs were recorded. Our results showed that the responses obtained with the simulated room were significantly more biased than those obtained with real sources. In contrast, the responses obtained with both individualized and non-individualized HRTFs were indistinguishable from those obtained in the real setting. Our main findings were: 1- When played through open-back headphones and in the same room where they were recorded, the HRTF recording technique robustly simulates the distance from the sound source. 2- Under these conditions, the use of non-individualized HRTFs was sufficient to robustly simulate the distance from the sound source.

Keywords:

auditory distance perception

virtual reality

auditory context.

Resumen

La tecnología acústica virtual se ha utilizado habitualmente en experimentos psicoacústicos como un medio para simular de forma realista el entorno acústico. Por supuesto, más allá de las ventajas de la tecnología virtual, un investigador considerará fundamental que la tecnología acústica virtual consiga generar entornos realistas. Sin embargo, los estudios comparativos sobre la percepción de la distancia auditiva entre entornos reales y virtuales son escasos. En este estudio comparamos la distancia percibida de fuentes reales y tres tipos diferentes de fuentes virtuales: HRTF individualizadas, HRTF no individualizadas y simuladas no individualizadas. En todos los casos, el estímulo fue un fragmento musical reproducido desde fuentes ubicadas frente al oyente a las siguientes distancias: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 y 6 metros. Los estímulos se reprodujeron a través de auriculares abiertos en la misma habitación donde se grabaron los HRTFs. Nuestros resultados mostraron que las respuestas obtenidas con la sala simulada estaban significativamente más sesgadas que las obtenidas con fuentes reales. Por el contrario, las respuestas obtenidas con HRTFs tanto individualizadas como no individualizadas fueron indistinguibles de las obtenidas en el entorno real. Nuestros principales hallazgos fueron: 1- Cuando se reproducen a través de auriculares abiertos y en la misma habitación donde se grabaron, la técnica de grabación HRTF simula de forma robusta la distancia desde la fuente de sonido. 2- En estas condiciones, el uso de HRTF no individualizados fue suficiente para simular de forma robusta la distancia desde la fuente de sonido.

Palabras clave:

percepción auditiva de distancia

realidad virtual

contexto auditivo.

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