The objective of the proposed research continues to be a comprehensive, systematic and parametric evaluation of the roles that spectral locus and temporal variation play in selected binaural experiments. By being able to produce interaural temporal disparities within selected aspects of narrow bands of noise, we hope to extend great knowledge of how the human's ability to lateralize, to discriminate and to detect is affected by the spectral region and spectral composition of sounds that are processed via binaural interactions. One large subset of experiments concerns lateralization and is directed toward the specific aim of evaluating, as a function of spectral locus and temporal variations, the relative potency of (1) interaural temporal delays (ITDs) of only the envelope of a narrow band of noise; (2) ITDs of only the phase-modulated component of a narrow band of noise; (3) ITDs present in combinations of envelope, carrier and/or phase-modulated components of narrow bands of noise. Another subset of experiments will be directed toward measuring lateralization while varying the putative pattern of activity along the frequency vs. internal delay plane that is a major (physiologically supported) feature of all modern theories and models of binaural hearing. To do so, we propose to measure extent of laterality both with an """"""""acoustic pointer"""""""" and by having listeners indicate with a light-pen/computer terminal where on a caricature of a human head they hear sounds within their own heads. We also proposed experiments concerning detection of interaural delays as a function of the spectral locus of the delay when the subject is presented stimuli that are composed of either broadband noises or several bands of noise which span a large range of frequencies. The purpose of these experiments is to evaluate exactly which regions of interfering sound make difficult the binaural processing of delays which occur only at high spectral frequencies. In addition to contributing to our understanding of normal hearing, this program of research should also help us being to understand how people with sensorineural hearing losses process sounds binaurally.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01NS020174-05
Application #
3400384
Study Section
Hearing Research Study Section (HAR)
Project Start
1987-06-01
Project End
1991-02-28
Budget Start
1987-06-01
Budget End
1988-02-29
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Type
School of Medicine & Dentistry
DUNS #
City
Farmington
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06030
Trahiotis, C; Bernstein, L R; Buell, T N et al. (1990) On the use of adaptive procedures in binaural experiments. J Acoust Soc Am 87:1359-61
Trahiotis, C; Bernstein, L R (1990) Detectability of interaural delays over select spectral regions: effects of flanking noise. J Acoust Soc Am 87:810-3
Trahiotis, C; Stern, R M (1989) Lateralization of bands of noise: effects of bandwidth and differences of interaural time and phase. J Acoust Soc Am 86:1285-93
Stern, R M; Zeiberg, A S; Trahiotis, C (1988) Lateralization of complex binaural stimuli: a weighted-image model. J Acoust Soc Am 84:156-65
Schiano, J L; Trahiotis, C (1987) A programmable-delay line. Hear Res 26:165-70
Schiano, J L; Trahiotis, C; Bernstein, L R (1986) Lateralization of low-frequency tones and narrow bands of noise. J Acoust Soc Am 79:1563-70
Smoski, W J; Trahiotis, C (1986) Discrimination of interaural temporal disparities by normal-hearing listeners and listeners with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. J Acoust Soc Am 79:1541-7
Trahiotis, C; Bernstein, L R (1986) Lateralization of bands of noise and sinusoidally amplitude-modulated tones: effects of spectral locus and bandwidth. J Acoust Soc Am 79:1950-7
Bernstein, L R; Trahiotis, C (1985) Lateralization of low-frequency, complex waveforms: the use of envelope-based temporal disparities. J Acoust Soc Am 77:1868-80
Bernstein, L R; Trahiotis, C (1985) Lateralization of sinusoidally amplitude-modulated tones: effects of spectral locus and temporal variation. J Acoust Soc Am 78:514-23