TY - JOUR
T1 - Do we need individual head-related transfer functions for vertical localization? The case study of a spectral notch distance metric
AU - Geronazzo, Michele
AU - Spagnol, Simone
AU - Avanzini, Federico
PY - 2018/7/1
Y1 - 2018/7/1
N2 - This paper deals with the issue of individualizing the head-related transfer function (HRTF) rendering process for auditory elevation perception. Is it possible to find a nonindividual, personalized HRTF set that allows a listener to have an equally accurate localization performance than with his/her individual HRTFs? We propose a psychoacoustically motivated, anthropometry based mismatch function between HRTF pairs that exploits the close relation between the listener's pinna geometry and localization cues. This is evaluated using an auditory model that computes a mapping between HRTF spectra and perceived spatial locations. Results on a large number of subjects in the center for image processing and integrated computing (CIPIC) and acoustics research institute (ARI) HRTF databases suggest that there exists a nonindividual HRTF set, which allows a listener to have an equally accurate vertical localization than with individual HRTFs. Furthermore, we find the optimal parameterization of the proposed mismatch function, i.e., the one that best reflects the information given by the auditory model. Our findings show that the selection procedure yields statistically significant improvements with respect to dummy-head HRTFs or random HRTF selection, with potentially high impact from an applicative point of view.
AB - This paper deals with the issue of individualizing the head-related transfer function (HRTF) rendering process for auditory elevation perception. Is it possible to find a nonindividual, personalized HRTF set that allows a listener to have an equally accurate localization performance than with his/her individual HRTFs? We propose a psychoacoustically motivated, anthropometry based mismatch function between HRTF pairs that exploits the close relation between the listener's pinna geometry and localization cues. This is evaluated using an auditory model that computes a mapping between HRTF spectra and perceived spatial locations. Results on a large number of subjects in the center for image processing and integrated computing (CIPIC) and acoustics research institute (ARI) HRTF databases suggest that there exists a nonindividual HRTF set, which allows a listener to have an equally accurate vertical localization than with individual HRTFs. Furthermore, we find the optimal parameterization of the proposed mismatch function, i.e., the one that best reflects the information given by the auditory model. Our findings show that the selection procedure yields statistically significant improvements with respect to dummy-head HRTFs or random HRTF selection, with potentially high impact from an applicative point of view.
KW - HRTF selection
KW - Spatial audio
KW - auditory models
KW - head-related transfer functions (HRTFs)
KW - individualized HRTFs
KW - spectral notch metric
KW - vertical localization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042443005&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/TASLP.2018.2821846
DO - 10.1109/TASLP.2018.2821846
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2329-9290
VL - 26
SP - 1247
EP - 1260
JO - IEEE/ACM Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing
JF - IEEE/ACM Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing
IS - 7
ER -