Binaural infrasound perception

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jesko L. Verhey
• Subject Area: Acoustics
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 513548136

An increasing number of individuals are being exposed to infrasound, e.g. due to the energy transition. This can lead to a significant reduction in the quality of life due to a range of complaints (sleep disturbances, concentration disorders, restlessness, migraines). Several studies indicate that infrasound is perceived by the auditory system. How infrasound is processed by the auditory system is still largely unclear. For example, it is not yet clear to what extent the concepts of binaural perception known from the classical audible frequency range can be transferred to infrasound perception. Insights into binaural processing are of great interest because environmental sounds usually reach both ears and the brain has to form from the signals arriving at both ears a unified percept. The goal of the project is to describe aspects of binaural perception of infrasound experimentally and with models, so that in the future the effects of infrasound on humans can be better studied. At the beginning of the project, a binaural reproduction system will be developed on the basis of an already established low-distortion reproduction system, which is designed for monaural infrasound reproduction. In listening tests, this binaural reproduction system is then used to determine thresholds in quiet (infrasound without background noise) and masking thresholds (infrasound in the presence of background noise). It is tested if concepts for binaural processing in the classical audible frequency range are also valid in the infrasound frequency range. These concepts include not only an improvement of perception by binaural presentation (binaural integration) but also that the auditory system is able to better detect a target signal in the presence of a noise by comparing the two ear signals (binaural unmasking). In addition, it will be investigated whether listeners can also perceive binaural beats for infrasound stimuli, which, in the classical audible frequency range, are seen as further evidence for specific binaural processing. For the aspect of binaural beats, in addition to auditory experiments, the electrical response of the brain is recorded by electroencephalography (EEG). Based on the experimental results, models of binaural infrasound perception will be developed. The long-term goal is to use the findings of the project for the protection against possible health damages caused by infrasound and the adequate description of the emission of infrasound sources. The findings will thus be of importance both for health protection in general and specifically with regard to the energy transition (infrasound emissions from heat pumps, wind turbines, and other technical facilities).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants