Re: Speech intelligibility and spatial information (Al Bregman )

Subject: Re: Speech intelligibility and spatial information
From:    Al Bregman  <al.bregman(at)MCGILL.CA>
Date:    Fri, 14 Sep 2001 16:29:09 -0400

Dear David,

That's my impression too.  It seems that I can focus on sounds
more precisely with my eyes open.

Al

----- Original Message -----
From: David Landsberger <David_Landsberger(at)brown.edu>
To: Al Bregman <al.bregman(at)MCGILL.CA>
Sent: 14-Sep-01 3:58 PM
Subject: Re: Speech intelligibility and spatial information


> I have no idea if there is data to this effect.  If there is,
I'd like to
> hear about it.  Anecdotally, I would assume that
intelligibility would
> increase only because the spatial information would help the
viewer attend
> to the signal. For example I know when I'm listening carefully
to my
> stereo, I look directly at the speakers. I always know the
spatial location
> of the sound, even if I am not looking at the speakers.
Furthermore,
> looking at the speakers provides me no additional information.
Yet
> somehow, looking at the speakers helps me attend to the
stimulus.
>
> Forgive me if this is totally irrelevant, but it was my first
reaction to
> seeing your question.
>
> David
>
> At 01:28 PM 9/14/2001 -0400, you wrote:
> >Dear list,
> >
> >Does anybody know the answer to this?
> >
> >Suppose a person (P) is talking in a background of other
speech
> >sounds.  Does anybody know of data that tell whether  the
> >intelligibility of P's speech  increases when the listener is
> >presented with visual information which gives the exact
location
> >of P in space?  There is a computer model by Nakagawa, Okuno,
and
> >Kitano (AAAI-99)  that makes this assumption, but are there
any
> >data on human listeners?  I am asking only about spatial
> >information supplied by vision, not spatial information
derived
> >by the auditory system from the signal itself.
> >
> >Al
> >-------------------------------------------------
> >Albert S. Bregman, Emeritus Professor
> >Dept of Psychology, McGill University
> >1205 Docteur Penfield Avenue
> >Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1B1
> >
> >Office:
> >      Phone:  +1 (514) 398-6103
> >      Fax: +1 (514) 398-4896
> >Home phone & Fax: +1 (514) 484-2592
> >Email:   al.bregman(at)mcgill.ca
> >-------------------------------------------------
>
>
> -----
> David Landsberger, Ph.D.
> Department of Psychology
> Brown University
> Providence, RI 02912
>
>