The Relationship between Moving Sound Image and Directional Orientation without Visual Information

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 07610108
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 教育・社会系心理学
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Tadayuki Ibaraki University, Fuculty of Education, assistant professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (50225877)
• Project Period (FY): 1995 – 1997
• Keywords: Visual Handicap / Mobility Aids / Directional Orientation / Sound Stimulus / Moving Sound Image / Rihabilitation / Walk / Blind

Research Abstract

1.Objective
The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between auditory information and directional orientation during walking or postural control, and then to discuss the role of auditory information for directional orientation during walking or postural control in blind persons.
2.Experiment I
The relationship between directional orientation and auditory information was investigated. The subjects were 12 sight and 15 blind. The subjects with their eyes closed stepped on circular mat in 8 auditory conditions for 120 seconds.
(1) In the no-tone condition, the subjects rotated in stepping, so it was apparently not effectiv for directional orientation.
(2) In the speaker-tone conditions, most subjects stepped almost without any rotation. In other words these conditions were effectiv for directional orientaion.
(3) In the earphone-tone conditions, the subjects rotated the same as in no-tone condition. Thus there were apparently not effectiv for directional orientation.
3. Experi ment II
The relationship between postural control and auditory information was investigated. The subjects were 9 sight adults. The subjects attached two earphones stood stationary and upright on a strain-gauge platform with their eyes closed. Magnitude of body sway for 130 seconds was measured using the platform. In the no-tone condition, the subjects stood without auditory information from the earphones. In the moving-tone condition, tone moving periodically to lateral direction was emitted from the earphones. In the no-moving-tone condition, no-moving tone was emitted from the earphones.
Magnitude of body sway in the moving-tone or the no-moving-tone condition was larger than that in the no-tone condition. Magnitude of body sway in moving-tone condition was larger than that in the no-moving-tone condition. Magnitude of lateral sway remarkably increased in the moving-tone condition.
4. Discussion
When the tone moving periodically to lateral direction was emitted, the subjects were not able to walk straight and stably. In case of presentation of obstacle information with audible sound by mobility aids for the blind, it is necessary to be careful to keep safe walking.