"The humans can rival the bat echolocation ability or Biosonar under certain circumstances, "notes a SINC Juan Antonio Martínez, author of the study and researcher at the Polytechnic School of UAH. The team led by scientist has launched a series of pioneering studies in the world to use echolocation underutilized capacity that human beings have.
In the first study, published in the journal Acta Acustica united with Acustica, the computer analyzes the physical properties of various sounds and proposes the most effective for use in echolocation. "The sound is almost perfect 'palatal click' clicks originating putting the tip of the tongue on the soft palate, just behind the teeth, and making a quick move back, but often it down wrong, "said Martinez.
The researcher says that palatal clicks "are very similar to sounds made by dolphins, changing the scale," though these animals have adapted bodies and can do 200 click per second and we only have 3 or 4. " With echolocation, "which is three dimensional and allows through materials that are opaque to visible radiation, can measure the distance of an object by the time between the issuance of a wave acoustics and echo reception wave or reflected on that object.
To learn how to give, receive and interpret sounds, scientists are developing a method with a series of protocols. The first step is that the individual knows to run and to identify their own sounds (they are different for each person), and then learn to use them to distinguish objects by their geometric properties, "as does the sonar boats."
So far some blind people had learned the self-taught echolocation, "by trial and error." The most popular are the American Daniel Kish, the only blind has got the certificate of another blind person guide and Ben Underwood, considered the best "Ecoloc" the world until his death in early 2009.
But to develop this ability does not require special physical conditions. "With two hours a day for a couple of weeks you can tell if you have an object forward, and in another two weeks, to distinguish a sidewalk trees," Martinez tells SINC.
scientist recommends trying the typical sound "ch" is issued when you want to silence people. The forward movement of the mouth of a pen, for example, then it shows. It is a similar phenomenon that occurs when traveling in a car with the windows down and "listen" to the holes near the edge of the road.
The next level of learning would dominate the "palatal click." To verify that the echoes of the clicks are interpreted correctly speaking investigators work with the help of a laser pointer, which points to the object where the sound goes.
A new way of seeing the world
Martinez advance SINC already working for a deaf-blind person can use in the future this method, because the echoes are perceived not only through the ear, but also through vibrations that reach the tongue and bones. "For these people in particular, and anyone in general, would be a new way of perceiving the world."
Another of the team's research focuses on establishing the biological limits of human echolocation ability, "and the first results indicate that the resolution in detail could rival even the hearing itself." In fact, researchers began to distinguish a person had before, but now they can detect some internal organs such as bone, and even "certain objects inside a bag." Scientists recognize
who are beginning in this field, but the possibilities open to developing human echolocation are enormous. This technique is very useful not only for blind people, but also for professionals such as firefighters (they could locate the holes for going out with the smoke) and rescue teams, or just a person lost in the fog.
A better understanding of the mental mechanisms of echolocation could also help to design new imaging technologies and scanners take advantage of the great capacity of penetration of clicks. Martinez stressed that these sounds "are so pervasive that even in environments as loud as the metro can feel the discontinuities that occur in the platform or in tunnels. "
References:
Juan Antonio Martinez Rojas, Jesus Alpuente Hermosilla, Pablo Luis Lopez Espi and Rocío Sánchez Montero. "Physical Analysis of Several Organic for Human Echolocation Signals: Oral Vacuum Pulses." Acta Acustica united with Acustica 95 (2): 325-330, 2009
http://acusticaweb.com/
In the first study, published in the journal Acta Acustica united with Acustica, the computer analyzes the physical properties of various sounds and proposes the most effective for use in echolocation. "The sound is almost perfect 'palatal click' clicks originating putting the tip of the tongue on the soft palate, just behind the teeth, and making a quick move back, but often it down wrong, "said Martinez.
The researcher says that palatal clicks "are very similar to sounds made by dolphins, changing the scale," though these animals have adapted bodies and can do 200 click per second and we only have 3 or 4. " With echolocation, "which is three dimensional and allows through materials that are opaque to visible radiation, can measure the distance of an object by the time between the issuance of a wave acoustics and echo reception wave or reflected on that object.
To learn how to give, receive and interpret sounds, scientists are developing a method with a series of protocols. The first step is that the individual knows to run and to identify their own sounds (they are different for each person), and then learn to use them to distinguish objects by their geometric properties, "as does the sonar boats."
So far some blind people had learned the self-taught echolocation, "by trial and error." The most popular are the American Daniel Kish, the only blind has got the certificate of another blind person guide and Ben Underwood, considered the best "Ecoloc" the world until his death in early 2009.
But to develop this ability does not require special physical conditions. "With two hours a day for a couple of weeks you can tell if you have an object forward, and in another two weeks, to distinguish a sidewalk trees," Martinez tells SINC.
scientist recommends trying the typical sound "ch" is issued when you want to silence people. The forward movement of the mouth of a pen, for example, then it shows. It is a similar phenomenon that occurs when traveling in a car with the windows down and "listen" to the holes near the edge of the road.
The next level of learning would dominate the "palatal click." To verify that the echoes of the clicks are interpreted correctly speaking investigators work with the help of a laser pointer, which points to the object where the sound goes.
A new way of seeing the world
Martinez advance SINC already working for a deaf-blind person can use in the future this method, because the echoes are perceived not only through the ear, but also through vibrations that reach the tongue and bones. "For these people in particular, and anyone in general, would be a new way of perceiving the world."
Another of the team's research focuses on establishing the biological limits of human echolocation ability, "and the first results indicate that the resolution in detail could rival even the hearing itself." In fact, researchers began to distinguish a person had before, but now they can detect some internal organs such as bone, and even "certain objects inside a bag." Scientists recognize
who are beginning in this field, but the possibilities open to developing human echolocation are enormous. This technique is very useful not only for blind people, but also for professionals such as firefighters (they could locate the holes for going out with the smoke) and rescue teams, or just a person lost in the fog.
A better understanding of the mental mechanisms of echolocation could also help to design new imaging technologies and scanners take advantage of the great capacity of penetration of clicks. Martinez stressed that these sounds "are so pervasive that even in environments as loud as the metro can feel the discontinuities that occur in the platform or in tunnels. "
References:
Juan Antonio Martinez Rojas, Jesus Alpuente Hermosilla, Pablo Luis Lopez Espi and Rocío Sánchez Montero. "Physical Analysis of Several Organic for Human Echolocation Signals: Oral Vacuum Pulses." Acta Acustica united with Acustica 95 (2): 325-330, 2009
http://acusticaweb.com/
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