Modeling the Haas effect: a first step for solving the CASA problem

Abstract

Auditory scene analysis and its older cousin, the Haas/precedence effect both involve the same acoustic and auditory phenomena. In each case it is necessary to explain the ear's ability both to hear and pay attention to sources within a background of reverberations. Thus, a successful model of the Haas effect should be capable of being extended to CASA applications. We present a model based on a vector space of elementary meaning that is somewhat similar to Divenyi's (1995) "three cardinal dimensions". Test results replicating the Haas effect demonstrate ability to select and track, without foreknowledge, the azimuth direction of arrival of acoustic sources in a background of reverberations and environment noise.