Binaural fusion
Encyclopedia
Binaural fusion is a cognitive process that involves the "fusion" of different auditory information presented binaurally, or to each ear
. In humans, this process is essential in understanding speech as one ear may pick up more information about the speech stimuli than the other. Each ear sends the signal it receives up the "central auditory nervous system" or CANS where it is fused as one complete "auditory picture" at the level of the brainstem.
This process is also used by both humans and animals to determine the direction from which sound
s are heard, wherein the brain compares information from each ear and then translates the differences into a unified perception of the point in space from which a sound originates. The spatial cues include differences in the arrival time and the intensity, or force, of sound waves reaching the ears from a specific point in space. These cues are processed in parallel as a series of distinct steps, eventually converging as the perception of a single sound. The difference in arrival time of sounds between the ears is used to determine the direction of a sound source in the horizontal plane.
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
. In humans, this process is essential in understanding speech as one ear may pick up more information about the speech stimuli than the other. Each ear sends the signal it receives up the "central auditory nervous system" or CANS where it is fused as one complete "auditory picture" at the level of the brainstem.
This process is also used by both humans and animals to determine the direction from which sound
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
s are heard, wherein the brain compares information from each ear and then translates the differences into a unified perception of the point in space from which a sound originates. The spatial cues include differences in the arrival time and the intensity, or force, of sound waves reaching the ears from a specific point in space. These cues are processed in parallel as a series of distinct steps, eventually converging as the perception of a single sound. The difference in arrival time of sounds between the ears is used to determine the direction of a sound source in the horizontal plane.
External links
- PNAS.org - 'How do owls localize interaurally phase-ambiguous signals?' Kourosh Saberi, Haleh Farahbod, Masakazu Konishi, California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProceedings of the National Academy of SciencesThe Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, usually referred to as PNAS, is the official journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences...
, (May 26, 1998) - http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/article_detail.asp?article_id=396 - Binaural Integration: An Overview. Deborah Moncrieff Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT