Binaural cues for detection of signals in noise: Experiments and models
Abstract
One of the most important functions of the binaural auditory system is detection in noise. Binaural cues provide a signi cant advantage over the cues available for monaural or diotic detection. However, the details of which cues, or combinations of cues, are used by listeners for binaural detection is still not well understood. Experiments and models that have used reproducible (frozen) noise maskers that allow close examination and manipulation of binaural cues for detection, focussing on recent work on this topic from our group [Davidson et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 1889-1905 (2009); Davidson et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 1906-1925 (2009)], are brie y reviewed here. Experimental results show that a nonlinear combination of ne-structure and envelope cues is required to explain the performance of listeners. Most models for binaural detection depend strongly on either interaural time differences or interaural level differences, or on the variations of these cues over time. These models do not display the same type of interaction of these cues that is observed for human listeners.
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