Dynamically varying binaural information provides cues as to the movement of sound sources, as well as cues that allow listeners to perceptually segregate individual sound sources in multi-source environments. The proposed experiments focus on the manner in which the auditory system processes time-varying interaural information. These experiments are designed to provide insight into possible binaural limitations in temporal processing. The first experiment will provide a direct comparison in the same group of listeners between monaural measures of temporal resolution and temporal resolution of time-varying interaural differences of level. Characterization of the relationship between monaural and binaural temporal processing can produce insight as to the types of cues (temporal or spectral) available to the auditory system in various listening situations. The second experiment will assess the existence and nature of interference between binaural modulators at various relative modulation frequencies. In a general sense, the results will be applicable to situations in which detection of movement of one sound source must be performed in the presence of other moving sound sources. The auditory system is exquisitely sensitive to interaural differences. The metric used to describe interaural differences implies that the auditory system extracts a similar statistic during binaural processing. The third proposed experiment will differentiate between possible cues used to discriminate interaural differences in stimulus envelopes. This, in turn, will provide clues as to the nature of processing that is most likely performed by the binaural system in extracting interaural envelope differences.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03DC005343-02
Application #
6622512
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDC1-SRB-O (24))
Program Officer
Donahue, Amy
Project Start
2002-02-01
Project End
2004-12-31
Budget Start
2003-01-01
Budget End
2003-12-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$74,250
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
555917996
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455
Stellmack, Mark A; Viemeister, Neal F; Byrne, Andrew J (2005) Comparing monaural and interaural temporal windows: effects of a temporal fringe on sensitivity to intensity differences. J Acoust Soc Am 118:3218-28
Stellmack, Mark A; Viemeister, Neal F; Byrne, Andrew J (2005) Monaural and interaural temporal modulation transfer functions measured with 5-kHz carriers. J Acoust Soc Am 118:2507-18
Stellmack, Mark A; Viemeister, Neal F; Byrne, Andrew J (2005) Discrimination of interaural phase differences in the envelopes of sinusoidally amplitude-modulated 4-kHz tones as a function of modulation depth. J Acoust Soc Am 118:346-52
Stellmack, Mark A; Viemeister, Neal F; Byrne, Andrew J (2004) Monaural and interaural intensity discrimination: level effects and the ""binaural advantage"". J Acoust Soc Am 116:1149-59