Hearing

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Overview | Understanding hearing | Hearing functions (4) | Env. context | Design guidance | Pop. stats. (2)

Hearing functions

Introduction | Sound detection | Speech discrimination | Sound localisation

Three major hearing functions are considered in design applications.

  • Sound detection is the ability to detect beeps, tones and other sound output from various products.
  • Speech discrimination is the ability to detect and understand speech in quiet and noisy environments.
  • Sound localisation is the ability to tell which direction a sound is coming from.
A phone is hidden amongst other items on a car dashboard.

Sound detection ability is needed to realise that a phone is ringing, while localisation ability helps to locate the phone, and speech discrimination is necessary to understand what the caller is saying