Sound Localization During Head Movement Using an Acoustical Telepresence Robot: TeleHead

摘要

Using our developed acoustical telepresence robot, TeleHead, we have so far confirmed that not only stationary binaural features, but also dynamic cues from head movement play important roles in sound localization. In this study, aiming towards the realization of an ideal acoustical telepresence robot, we clarify the relation between the head movement and the accuracy of sound localization in sound localization experiments. We examined two factors related to head movement that should have an impact on sound localization accuracy: observation from multiple postures and dynamic information during head movement. The results suggest that both factors improve the accuracy of sound localization in experiments. Moreover, even when we can use only one of these factors, the accuracy of sound localization is almost the same as the subject's original accuracy. The results confirm that even under very bad communication, control and head-shape conditions, the synchronization of head movement is important for building an acoustical telepresence robot. They also point to the possibility of building an acoustical telepresence robot with a dummy head of a general shape. This is meaningful from the viewpoint of engineering. In addition, it suggests the strong robustness of the human sound localization function.