A motion based setup for peri-personal space estimation with virtual auditory displays

Abstract

The core idea of the work is to reveal the presence of changes in action preparation as a function of sounds movements (e.g. direction of arrivals and trajectories in space) and sounds semantics (e.g. threatening or pleasant) when they are sent within the Peri-Personal-Space (PPS) of blindfolded listeners. This near-field acoustics is known to activate direct pathways from the motor cortex to the muscular periphery, as a prompt preparation against threats. The proposed system is thought to aid particularly to people with sensory or cognitive impairments.