Auditory orientation and distance estimation of sighted humans using virtual echolocation with artificial and self-generated sounds.

Active echolocation of sighted humans using predefined synthetic and self-emitted sounds, as habitually used by blind individuals, was investigated. Using virtual acoustics, distance estimation and directional localization of a wall in different rooms were assessed. A virtual source was attached to either the head or hand with realistic or increased source directivity.

Acoustically driven orientation and navigation in enclosed spaces.

Awareness of space, and subsequent orientation and navigation in rooms, is dominated by the visual system. However, humans are able to extract auditory information about their surroundings from early reflections and reverberation in enclosed spaces. To better understand orientation and navigation based on acoustic cues only, three virtual corridor layouts (I-, U-, and Z-shaped) were presented using real-time virtual acoustics in a three-dimensional 86-channel loudspeaker array.

Reducing instability of inter-subject covariance of FDG uptake networks using structure-weighted sparse estimation approach.

Purpose: Sparse inverse covariance estimation (SICE) is increasingly utilized to estimate inter-subject covariance of FDG uptake (FDG) as proxy of metabolic brain connectivity. However, this statistical method suffers from the lack of robustness in the connectivity estimation. Patterns of FDG were observed to be spatially similar with patterns of structural connectivity as obtained from DTI imaging.

Mapping covariance in brain FDG uptake to structural connectivity.

Purpose: Inter-subject covariance of regional 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET measures (FDG) as proxy of brain connectivity has been gaining an increasing acceptance in the community. Yet, it is still unclear to what extent FDG is underlied by actual structural connectivity via white matter fiber tracts. In this study, we quantified the degree of spatial overlap between FDG and structural connectivity networks.

The vocal development of the pale spear-nosed bat is dependent on auditory feedback.

Human vocal development and speech learning require acoustic feedback, and humans who are born deaf do not acquire a normal adult speech capacity. Most other mammals display a largely innate vocal repertoire. Like humans, bats are thought to be one of the few taxa capable of vocal learning as they can acquire new vocalizations by modifying vocalizations according to auditory experiences.

Frequency modulation of rattlesnake acoustic display affects acoustic distance perception in humans.

The estimation of one's distance to a potential threat is essential for any animal's survival. Rattlesnakes inform about their presence by generating acoustic broadband rattling sounds. Rattlesnakes generate their acoustic signals by clashing a series of keratinous segments onto each other, which are located at the tip of their tails.

The percept of reverberation is not affected by visual room impression in virtual environments.

Humans possess mechanisms to suppress distracting early sound reflections, summarized as the precedence effect. Recent work shows that precedence is affected by visual stimulation. This paper investigates possible effects of visual stimulation on the perception of later reflections, i.

Psychophysical evidence for auditory motion parallax.

Distance is important: From an ecological perspective, knowledge about the distance to either prey or predator is vital. However, the distance of an unknown sound source is particularly difficult to assess, especially in anechoic environments. In vision, changes in perspective resulting from observer motion produce a reliable, consistent, and unambiguous impression of depth known as motion parallax.

Health Applications for Corporate Health Management.

Introduction: Many corporate organizations around the world are looking at new ways to improve the health and well-being of their employees. Many have begun to use m-health approaches and unique applications (apps) to provide assistance. In Germany, both m-health and occupational health management (OHM) are growing quickly.

[Communication of psychiatric hospitals' specialization].

Objective: To analyze whether specialization of psychiatric hospitals results in quality improvement, and whether it can and should be measured and communicated to patients and ambulatory care physicians.

Methods: Depth interviews with key deciders in the German psychiatric care system.

Results: There are several specializations within the system of psychiatric hospital care which can be communicated to patients and physicians; this would facilitate choice of hospital.

Changes in connexin43 in early ocular surface development.

Purpose: In the limbo-corneal epithelium the stem and early precursor epithelial cell pool is confined to the limbal rim. Among the features associated with this spatial segregation is the general paucity of connexin43 (Cx43) within the limbal basal cell population and its complete absence in resident stem cells. The limbo-corneal epithelial lineage derives from a Cx43-positive (Cx43+) embryonic outer ectoderm.