Speech perception and auditory illusions
Guided tour in the 3d_Vivid-Sound-Lab
Beyond stereo, the Vivid Sound Lab offers a unique opportunity to dip into naturalistic soundscapes. In the real world, sounds come from all directions. The 42-loudspeaker dome allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the acoustic surroundings.
Step inside and explore how sound behaves in space. Try the sound showers that ‘pour’ audio from all directions. Listen to higher-order spatial compositions that move and unfold around you. Dive into interactive speech paradigms where voices compete with realistic background noise. Take on quick localiser tasks to see if you can tell where a sound is coming from, wander through ambient and urban soundscapes and play with auditory illusions that reveal just how creative your brain can be when interpreting sound. Throughout the showcase, we will explain what you can hear, how these scenes are created, and why details such as distance, room acoustics and spatial separation matter.
Behind all this fun is a serious question: why do so many people struggle to understand speech in noisy places? This is a common difficulty, even among individuals with no measurable hearing loss, and can lead to frustration, withdrawal, and social isolation. Nevertheless, the brain is the most advanced technology for understanding speech in noisy environments. We want to understand how the brain navigates a world full of sounds and where it breaks down. Once we understand how hearing, attention, and prediction work together, we may be able to train the relevant functions, stimulate the underlying networks, and/or optimise technology to address this societal (health) issue.
Speech perception and auditory illusions
August 24 @ 12:15 - 13:15
Beyond stereo, the Vivid Sound Lab offers a unique opportunity to dip into naturalistic soundscapes. In the real world, sounds come from all directions. The 42-loudspeaker dome allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the acoustic surroundings.
Step inside and explore how sound behaves in space. Try the sound showers that ‘pour’ audio from all directions. Listen to higher-order spatial compositions that move and unfold around you. Dive into interactive speech paradigms where voices compete with realistic background noise. Take on quick localiser tasks to see if you can tell where a sound is coming from, wander through ambient and urban soundscapes and play with auditory illusions that reveal just how creative your brain can be when interpreting sound. Throughout the showcase, we will explain what you can hear, how these scenes are created, and why details such as distance, room acoustics and spatial separation matter.
Behind all this fun is a serious question: why do so many people struggle to understand speech in noisy places? This is a common difficulty, even among individuals with no measurable hearing loss, and can lead to frustration, withdrawal, and social isolation. Nevertheless, the brain is the most advanced technology for understanding speech in noisy environments. We want to understand how the brain navigates a world full of sounds and where it breaks down. Once we understand how hearing, attention, and prediction work together, we may be able to train the relevant functions, stimulate the underlying networks, and/or optimise technology to address this societal (health) issue.
