Kategorie: ‘ASA’
Paper published: Exploring auditory selective attention shifts in virtual reality: An approach with matrix sentences
We are happy to share that our paper “Exploring auditory selective attention shifts in virtual reality: An approach with matrix sentences” has been published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America:
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0039864
In this study, we explored voluntary shifts of auditory selective attention in complex and more naturalistic acoustic environments. To move beyond earlier paradigms based on single-word stimuli, we introduced unpredictable German matrix sentences to simulate more realistic listening conditions.
Overall results were comparable to previous versions, but no strong reorienting effect emerged. Interaction patterns still indicate that shifting auditory attention is more demanding than maintaining it, and that preparing attention benefits performance, as reflected in decreasing reaction times for later target onsets.
This approach contributes a paradigm for investigating auditory perception and attention in dynamic room acoustic environments, helping to close the gap between laboratory setups and real-world listening.
This work was created by Carolin Breuer and Janina Fels and was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the Priority Program SPP2236 AUDICTIVE.
Paper Published: Exploring cross-modal perception in a virtual classroom: the effect of visual stimuli on auditory selective attention
A new paper “Exploring cross-modal perception in a virtual classroom: the effect of visual stimuli on auditory selective attention” has been published in Frontiers in Psychology, as part of the Research Topic “Crossing Sensory Boundaries: Multisensory Perception Through the Lens of Audition”: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1512851
In a virtual classroom environment, we investigated how visual stimuli influence auditory selective attention. Across two experiments, congruent and incongruent pictures modulated performance during an auditory attention task: concurrent visual input increased response times overall, and incongruent pictures led to more errors than congruent ones. When visual stimuli preceded the sounds, the timing mattered — positive priming at 500 ms, but semantic inhibition of return at 750 ms.
These results highlight that cross-modal priming differs from multisensory integration, and that temporal dynamics between modalities substantially shape attentional behaviour.
This work was a collaboration between Carolin Breuer, Lukas Jonathan Vollmer, Larissa Leist, Stephan Fremerey, Alexander Raake, Maria Klatte and Janina Fels.
It was funded by the Priority Programme SPP2236 AUDICITVE and the Research Training Group (RTG) 2416 – MultiSenses, MultiScales, both of which are funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Many thanks to everyone involved.
IHTA at ICA/ASA Meeting in New Orleans
From May 18 – May 23, 2025, the 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) joint with the 25th International Congress on Acoustics (ICA) takes places in New Orleans, Louisiana. Seven IHTA members have traveled to the USA in order to present their latest research and to meet the international acoustics community. The following presentations will be given with contributions from our institute:
Cosima Ermert, Andrea Bönsch, Torsten Kuhlen, Janina Fels: The impact of coverbal visual cues on speech intelligibility and cognitive load in virtual reality environments
May 20, 1:40 – 2:00 pm (UTC -5), Location: SALON F/G, Presentation Number: 2pPP3
Julia Seitz, Janina Fels: How do classroom activities influence noise levels and student’s listening effort?
Poster Session, May 20, 1:20 – 4:20 pm (UTC -5), Location: STUDIO FOYER/STUDIOS 1-4, Presentation Number: 2pSC13
E.K. Ellington Scott, Lukas Aspöck, Herbie Klinger, Michael Vorländer, Jillian Willis, Jonas Braasch: A database of anechoic modern-jazz recordings for auralization
May 20, 3:20 – 3:40 pm (UTC -5), Location: GALERIE 6, Presentation Number: 2pMUa4
Simon Kersten, Henning Taschke, Michael Vorländer: On the sound pressure distribution in the inner ear during bone conduction stimulation
May 22, 1:00 – 1:20 pm (UTC -5), Location: SALON F/G, Presentation Number: 4pPPa1
Jonas Heck, Ronny Roos, Josep Llorca-Bofí, Michael Vorländer: Complex surface impedances and spherical wave approximations in image source models for outdoor auralization
May 23, 1:20-1:40 pm (UTC -5), Location: GALERIE 5, Presentation Number: 5pNS2
You can find the full conference program and abstracts on the website https://acousticalsociety.org/new-orleans-2025/.
We are looking forward to meet you in New Orleans!
Research results on acoustic directivity patterns of road-traffic vehicles
In the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA), a research paper by our former research assistant Christian Dreier and Prof. Michael Vorländer was recently published: Speed-dependent directivity patterns of road-traffic vehicles.
This paper explores the spatial and speed-dependent directivity patterns of various road-traffic vehicles, including electric, hybrid, and combustion-powered models. By employing time-variant wave backpropagation on microphone array signals, the research reveals significant insights into how driving conditions and engine characteristics influence vehicle noise emissions. The findings are compiled in an open-access database (http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14142914), providing valuable data for noise mapping and auralization applications. The main parts of this research was supported by the HEAD-Genuit Foundation.
More details of Christian’s research will also be presented at his PhD defense, which will take place end of July 2025.
We’re happy that one of the paper’s figure was also chosen to be featured on the title page of the JASA’s current issue.
Title page of JASA, Volume 157, Issue 4
Paper published: Activity-based acoustic situations in primary schools
We are happy to share a new publication by Julia Seitz and Janina Fels. Their journal paper „Activity-based acoustic situations in primary schools: Analyzing classroom noise and listening effort“ was published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
The publication introduces the concept of „activity-based acoustic situations“ in primary schools, shedding light on the everyday sound environment in classrooms.
Key findings include that different classroom activities result in significantly different noise levels, that noise levels decrease as students age—first graders experience higher levels than fourth graders—and that subjective listening effort does not differ significantly between activities. The results highlight the importance of activity-based assessment of classroom noise to create optimal learning environments.
President-Elect of the Acoustical Society of America
In the 2024 Election of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Michael Vorländer has been elected to be the next president of the ASA. From May 2024, Michael will begin his three-year term of office, in which he will pass through the roles of President-Elect, President and Past President.
The presidency will be the culmination of many years of scientific involvement in the ASA, including being a member of ASA’s executive council, regular participation in ASA meetings, many years of activity as a reviewer and associate editor as well as the publication of numerous scientific articles in the Journal of the ASA (JASA), and also the awarding of the Wallace Clement Sabine Medal in 2018.
Congratulations Michael, to this prestigious position!
Early Career Presenter Award at the 182nd ASA Meeting
The 182nd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) was held in Denver, Colorado, from 23- 27 May 2022. At the conference, our PhD student Simon Kersten was honored with the Early Career Presenter Award by the Computational Acoustics Technical Committee of the ASA for his presentation on “Influence of the Model Parameters for the Finite Element Simulation of Bone Conduction in the Human Head”.
In this work, the influence of the various material parameters that are to be determined for finite-element models of human heads in bone conduction research was illustrated using a simple ellipsoid model. This research is part of the CRC 1330 HAPPAA funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
Congratulations to Simon for this award!
Wallace Clement Sabine Award 2018 für Prof. Michael Vorländer
Die Wallace Clement Sabine Medal der Acoustical Society of America (ASA) wird seit 1957 an Wissenschaftler verliehen, die sich in den Bereichen Raum- und Bauakustik besondere Verdienste erworben haben.
Diese Ehrung wurde bei der letzten ASA-Tagung im November 2018 an Prof. Dr. Michael Vorländer verliehen.
Medaillenübergabe durch ASA-Präsidentin Lily Wang an Michael Vorländer
