Virtual 5.1 surround sound localization using head-tracking devices

We investigated the impact of exploratory head movements on sound localization accuracy using real and virtual 5.1 loudspeaker arrays. Head orientation data in the horizontal plane was provided either by the Microsoft Kinect face-tracking or Oculus Rift´s built-in Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which resulted in significantly different precision and accuracy of measurements. In both cases, results suggest improvements in virtual source localization accuracy in the front and rear quadrants.