seeing ‘where’ through the ears effects of learning-by-doing and long-term sensory deprivation on localization based on image-to-sound substitution看到u201c地方u201d通过耳朵边干边学和长期的感官剥夺对定位的影响基于image-to-sound替换.pdfVIP

Seeing ‘Where’ through the Ears: Effects of Learning-by- Doing and Long-Term Sensory Deprivation on Localization Based on Image-to-Sound Substitution Michael J. Proulx*, Petra Stoerig, Eva Ludowig, Inna Knoll ¨ ¨ Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany Abstract Background: Sensory substitution devices for the blind translate inaccessible visual information into a format that intact sensory pathways can process. We here tested image-to-sound conversion-based localization of visual stimuli (LEDs and objects) in 13 blindfolded participants. Methods and Findings: Subjects were assigned to different roles as a function of two variables: visual deprivation (blindfolded continuously (Bc) for 24 hours per day for 21 days; blindfolded for the tests only (Bt)) and system use (system not used (Sn); system used for tests only (St); system used continuously for 21 days (Sc)). The effect of learning-by-doing was assessed by comparing the performance of eight subjects (BtSt) who only used the mobile substitution device for the tests, to that of three subjects who, in addition, practiced with it for four hours daily in their normal life (BtSc and BcSc); two subjects who did not use the device at all (BtSn and BcSn) allowed assessment of its use in the tasks we employed. The impact of long-term sensory deprivation was investigated by blindfolding three of those participants throughout the three week-long experiment (BcSn, BcSn/c, and BcSc); the other ten subjects were only blindfolded during the tests (BtSn, BtSc, and the eight BtSt subjects). Expectedly, the two subjects who never used the substitution device, while fast in finding the targets, had chance accuracy, whereas subjects who used the device were markedly s