Linearizing Auditory Distance Estimates by Means of Virtual Acoustics

Auditory distance estimates are not linearly related to physical distances: people tend to overestimate close physical distances, and underestimate far distances [I]. We have modeled a virtual listening environment whose objective is to provide a linear relationship between perceived and physical distance. The simulated environment consists of a trapezoidal membrane with specific absorbing properties at the boundaries. A physics-based model simulates acoustic wave propagation in this virtual space and provides auditory distance cues, namely intensity and direct-to-reverberant energy ratio. Simulations predict the linearity of the psychophysical function relating physical distance to perceiv…