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Echolocation for Humans

Posted by michael on from the eat-all-the-insects-you-want dept.

anoopsinha writes "An article in New Scientist reports that bat echos can be used as virtual reality guide. People wearing headphones could easily hunt down a 'virtual insect', using only the echolocation sounds. The report says that it is a 'very intuitive process.' The researchers behind the project hope that a similar system in the cockpit of fighter planes could allow pilots to track some controls using their hearing, freeing up their eyes for other tasks."

9 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Vindicated by Faust7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    When you drive, you can't look at the speedometer and the road at the same time,

    That's what I tried to tell him...

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    The coolest voice ever.
  2. Give it a try! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    It's not a skill we rely on overly, but you'll find you have it. Try closing your eyes and walking down a hallway. Eventually you'll brush against the wall. Try it again, making clicks with your tongue or other brief sounds. Even in an environment that doesn't echo much, you'll be surprised to find yourself in or near the center of the hallway at the other end.

    We did some experiments with this in cognitive theory class, and it was really, really bizarre.

    1. Re:Give it a try! by turk182x2001 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm pretty sure this is the same technique I use to find my porn movies in the dark......

  3. Applications for the blind? by ravind · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe I missed something, but can't this be used to help the blind navigate around their homes or even outdoors? It's the first thing I would think of rather than fighter pilots.

  4. A blind man does it already. by haydon4 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I remember some 5 or 6 years ago I saw a story on some daytime talk show about people overcoming their disabilities; not that it's all that unusual, but one guest in particular who has been blind since birth, actually used echolocation to get around. He made regular clicking sounds with his tounge and he could navigate down a city street without any real assistance. It was actually quite amazing. Although, I don't know any blind fighter pilots but the principal is sound. Humans do have echolocation abilities, it would just take a long time time to develop any natural ability.

  5. George Lucas isn't a fool then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    What you hear in Star Wars isn't sound in space, it's echolocation technology.

  6. Recording Microscopic Life by Basehart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    David Dunn's Angels and Insects, although not a study of audio based VR (or even featuring bat sounds for that matter), is a great place to get started listening to microscopic sounds.

    Here's an MP3 of some insects in Africa getting it on.

    If you think this stuff sounds like fun you might want to do what I did a few years ago and pick up a high quality microphone with a big diaphragm, such as an AKG C414, and get out into the woods at night and make some recordings. You'll be surprised what's out there when you start filtering out the sounds humans make and crank the volume!!

  7. shameless reply by gfody · · Score: 5, Interesting

    but.. tihs is aonhter ltitle kwon slkil

    Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

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    bite my glorious golden ass.
    1. Re:shameless reply by cybermace5 · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's old news, Slashdot editors have been on that from day one! ;-)

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