3D sound memory in virtual environments

Virtual auditory environments (VAEs) are created by processing digital sounds such that they convey a 3D location to the listener. This technology has the potential to augment systems in which an operator tracks the positions of targets. Prior work has established that listeners can locate sounds in VAEs, however less is known concerning listener memory for virtual sounds. In this study, three experimental tasks assessed listener recall of sound positions and identities, using free and cued recall, with one or more delays. Overall, accuracy degrades as listeners recall the environment, however when using free recall, listeners exhibited less degradation.