ASA 127th Meeting M.I.T. 1994 June 6-10

4aPP23. A model of the effective auditory signal processing. I: Masking experiments.

T. Dau

D. Pueschel Kollmeier

Graduate College ``Psychoacoustics,'' Carl-von-Ossietzky Univ. of Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany

A model is described that simulates the detection characteristics of the human auditory system for different psychoacoustical tasks. An optimal detection process is attached to the model after the preprocessing stages. The statistical basis was provided by the assumption of an internal Gaussian noise following nonlinear processing in the peripheral auditory system. The nonlinear processing describes essential features of human temporal processing, such as forward masking, temporal integration, and dynamic range compression. Simulations and measurements of backward, simultaneous, and forward masking are presented employing deterministic (frozen) and stochastic (running) broadband noise maskers. The stimuli were presented to the model in an paradigm (adaptive forced-choice procedure) identical to the one used with human subjects. In most cases, a very good agreement between simulated and measured thresholds is achieved.