Abstract:

Spatial audio displays are created by processing digital sounds such that they convey a spatial location to the listener. These displays are used as a supplementary channel when the visual channel is overloaded or when visual cues are absent. This technology can be used to aid decision-makers in complex, dynamic tasks such as urban combat simulation, flight simulations, mission rehearsals, air traffic control, military command and control, and emergency services. Accurate spatial sound rendering is a primary focus in this research area, with spatial sound memory receiving less attention. The present study assesses the effects of visual augmentation on spatial sound location and identity memory. The chosen visual augmentations were a Cartesian and polar grid. The work presented in this paper discovered that the addition of visual augmentation improved location and identity memory without degrading search time performance.