Auditory Occlusion Based on the Human Body in the Direct Sound Path: Measured and Perceivable Effects

Audio plays a key role in the sense of immersion and presence in VR, as it correlates to improved enjoyment of content. We share results of a perception study on the ability of listeners to recognise auditory occlusion due to the presence of a human being in the direct sound path. We ran two-alternative forced choice trials to test for effects of occluder body type and distance from sound source on recognition of auditory occlusion. Results show that audio cues allow listeners to significantly detect the presence or absence of an occluder, and that position of the occluder relative to the listener and sound source, as well as occluder body type modulate detection rates. Synthesised audio achieved, in selected conditions, better occlusion detection than recorded audio. The work provides details on what filtering occurs across 26 1/3 octave frequency bands when a person comes between a listener and a sound source. This research will inform the recreation of auditory effects in virtual shared spaces aimed at music and dancing, due to the presence of other avatars.