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Dr Lore Thaler's Outputs (55)

Human echolocation for target detection is more accurate with emissions containing higher spectral frequencies, and this is explained by echo intensity (2018)
Journal Article
Norman, L., & Thaler, L. (2018). Human echolocation for target detection is more accurate with emissions containing higher spectral frequencies, and this is explained by echo intensity. i-Perception, 9(3), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041669518776984

Humans can learn to use acoustic echoes to detect and classify objects. Echolocators typically use tongue clicks to induce these echoes, and there is some evidence that higher spectral frequency content of an echolocator’s tongue click is associated... Read More about Human echolocation for target detection is more accurate with emissions containing higher spectral frequencies, and this is explained by echo intensity.

Human echolocation: 2D shape discrimination using features extracted from acoustic echoes (2018)
Journal Article
Yu, X., Thaler, L., Baker, C., Smith, G., & Zhao, L. (2018). Human echolocation: 2D shape discrimination using features extracted from acoustic echoes. Electronics Letters, 54(12), 785-787. https://doi.org/10.1049/el.2018.0680

Some blind humans have developed the ability to perceive their silent surrounding by using echolocation based on tongue clicks. Past research has also shown that blind echolocators can use information gained from multiple echoic ‘views’, provided thr... Read More about Human echolocation: 2D shape discrimination using features extracted from acoustic echoes.

Human Echolocators adjust loudness and number of clicks for detection of reflectors at various azimuth angles (2018)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., De Vos, H., Kish, D., Antoniou, M., Baker, C., & Hornikx, M. (2018). Human Echolocators adjust loudness and number of clicks for detection of reflectors at various azimuth angles. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1873), Article 20172735. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.2735

In bats it has been shown that they adjust their emissions to situational demands. Here we report similar findings for human echolocation. We asked eight blind expert echolocators to detect reflectors positioned at various azimuth angles. The same 17... Read More about Human Echolocators adjust loudness and number of clicks for detection of reflectors at various azimuth angles.

Visual sensory stimulation interferes with people’s ability to echolocate object size (2017)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., & Foresteire, D. (2017). Visual sensory stimulation interferes with people’s ability to echolocate object size. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 13069. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12967-3

Echolocation is the ability to use sound-echoes to infer spatial information about the environment. People can echolocate for example by making mouth clicks. Previous research suggests that echolocation in blind people activates brain areas that proc... Read More about Visual sensory stimulation interferes with people’s ability to echolocate object size.

Mouth-Clicks used by Blind Expert Human Echolocators – Signal Description and Model Based Signal Synthesis (2017)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., Reich, G. M., Zhang, X., Wang, D., Smith, G. E., Tao, Z., …Antoniou, M. (2017). Mouth-Clicks used by Blind Expert Human Echolocators – Signal Description and Model Based Signal Synthesis. PLoS Computational Biology, 13(8), Article e1005670. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005670

Echolocation is the ability to use sound-echoes to infer spatial information about the environment. Some blind people have developed extraordinary proficiency in echolocation using mouth-clicks. The first step of human biosonar is the transmission (m... Read More about Mouth-Clicks used by Blind Expert Human Echolocators – Signal Description and Model Based Signal Synthesis.

Human Echolocation - Spatial Resolution and Signal Properties (2017)
Book Chapter
Norman, L., & Thaler, L. (2017). Human Echolocation - Spatial Resolution and Signal Properties. In A. Balleri, H. Griffiths, & C. Baker (Eds.), Biologically-inspired radar and sonar : lessons from nature (209-227). Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). https://doi.org/10.1049/sbra514e_ch10

This paper will focus on the echolocation abilities of humans, describing the acoustic properties of their emissions as well as the acuity with which they are able to discriminate certain object properties - distance, angle (horizontal and vertical),... Read More about Human Echolocation - Spatial Resolution and Signal Properties.

Human echolocation: Waveform Analysis of Tongue Clicks (2017)
Journal Article
Zhang, X., Reich, G., Antoniou, M., Cherniakov, M., Baker, C., Thaler, L., …Smith, G. (2017). Human echolocation: Waveform Analysis of Tongue Clicks. Electronics Letters, 53(9), 580-582. https://doi.org/10.1049/el.2017.0454

Some blind individuals have the ability to detect and classify objects in complex scenes by using echolocation based on ‘tongue clicks’. A waveform analysis of the tongue clicks collected from three blind individuals is presented who use tongue-click... Read More about Human echolocation: Waveform Analysis of Tongue Clicks.

Echolocation in humans: an overview (2016)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., & Goodale, M. (2016). Echolocation in humans: an overview. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 7(6), 382-393. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1408

Bats and dolphins are known for their ability to use echolocation. They emit bursts of sounds and listen to the echoes that bounce back to detect the objects in their environment. What is not as well-known is that some blind people have learned to do... Read More about Echolocation in humans: an overview.

People's ability to detect objects using click-based echolocation: A direct comparison between mouth-clicks and clicks made by a loudspeaker (2016)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., & Castillo-Serrano, J. (2016). People's ability to detect objects using click-based echolocation: A direct comparison between mouth-clicks and clicks made by a loudspeaker. PLoS ONE, 11(5), Article e0154868. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154868

Echolocation is the ability to use reflected sound to obtain information about the spatial environment. Echolocation is an active process that requires both the production of the emission as well as the sensory processing of the resultant sound. Appr... Read More about People's ability to detect objects using click-based echolocation: A direct comparison between mouth-clicks and clicks made by a loudspeaker.

A selective impairment of perception of sound motion direction in peripheral space: A case study (2015)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., Paciocco, J., Daley, M., Lesniak, G., Purcell, D., Fraser, J., …Culham, J. (2018). A selective impairment of perception of sound motion direction in peripheral space: A case study. Neuropsychologia, 80, 79-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.11.008

It is still an open question if the auditory system, similar to the visual system, processes auditory motion independently from other aspects of spatial hearing, such as static location. Here, we report psychophysical data from a patient (female, 42... Read More about A selective impairment of perception of sound motion direction in peripheral space: A case study.

Neural Correlates of Human Echolocation of Path Direction During Walking (2015)
Journal Article
Fiehler, K., Schütz, I., Meller, T., & Thaler, L. (2015). Neural Correlates of Human Echolocation of Path Direction During Walking. Multisensory Research, 28(1-2), 195-226. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134808-00002491

Echolocation can be used by blind and sighted humans to navigate their environment. The current study investigated the neural activity underlying processing of path direction during walking. Brain activity was measured with fMRI in three blind echolo... Read More about Neural Correlates of Human Echolocation of Path Direction During Walking.

The role of head movements in the discrimination of 2-D shape by blind echolocation experts (2014)
Journal Article
Milne, J., Goodale, M., & Thaler, L. (2014). The role of head movements in the discrimination of 2-D shape by blind echolocation experts. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 76(6), 1828-1837. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-014-0695-2

Similar to certain bats and dolphins, some blind humans can use sound echoes to perceive their silent surroundings. By producing an auditory signal (e.g., a tongue click) and listening to the returning echoes, these individuals can obtain information... Read More about The role of head movements in the discrimination of 2-D shape by blind echolocation experts.

Parahippocampal cortex is involved in material processing via echoes in blind echolocation experts (2014)
Journal Article
Milne, J., Arnott, S., Kish, D., Goodale, M., & Thaler, L. (2015). Parahippocampal cortex is involved in material processing via echoes in blind echolocation experts. Vision Research, 109(Part B), 139-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2014.07.004

Some blind humans use sound to navigate by emitting mouth-clicks and listening to the echoes that reflect from silent objects and surfaces in their surroundings. These echoes contain information about the size, shape, location, and material propertie... Read More about Parahippocampal cortex is involved in material processing via echoes in blind echolocation experts.

Correlation between vividness of visual imagery and echolocation ability in sighted, echo-naïve people (2014)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., Wilson, R. C., & Gee, B. K. (2014). Correlation between vividness of visual imagery and echolocation ability in sighted, echo-naïve people. Experimental Brain Research, 232(6), 1915-1925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-014-3883-3

The ability of humans to echolocate has been recognized since the 1940s. Little is known about what determines individual differences in echolocation ability, however. Although hearing ability has been suggested as an important factor in blind people... Read More about Correlation between vividness of visual imagery and echolocation ability in sighted, echo-naïve people.

A blind human expert echolocator shows size constancy for objects perceived by echoes (2014)
Journal Article
Milne, J., Anello, M., Goodale, M., & Thaler, L. (2015). A blind human expert echolocator shows size constancy for objects perceived by echoes. Neurocase: The Neural Basis of Cognition, 21(4), 465-470. https://doi.org/10.1080/13554794.2014.922994

Some blind humans make clicking noises with their mouth and use the reflected echoes to perceive objects and surfaces. This technique can operate as a crude substitute for vision, allowing human echolocators to perceive silent, distal objects. Here,... Read More about A blind human expert echolocator shows size constancy for objects perceived by echoes.

Neural Correlates of Motion Processing through Echolocation, Source Hearing and Vision in Blind Echolocation Experts and Sighted Echolocation Novices (2014)
Journal Article
Thaler, L., Milne, J., Arnott, S., Kish, D., & Goodale, M. (2014). Neural Correlates of Motion Processing through Echolocation, Source Hearing and Vision in Blind Echolocation Experts and Sighted Echolocation Novices. Journal of Neurophysiology, 111(1), 112-127. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00501.2013

We have shown in previous research (Thaler L, Arnott SR, Goodale MA. PLoS One 6: e20162, 2011) that motion processing through echolocation activates temporal-occipital cortex in blind echolocation experts. Here we investigated how neural substrates o... Read More about Neural Correlates of Motion Processing through Echolocation, Source Hearing and Vision in Blind Echolocation Experts and Sighted Echolocation Novices.

Wahrnehmung (2013)
Book Chapter
Schlicht, T., Vetter, P., Thaler, L., & Moss, C. (2013). Wahrnehmung. In A. Stephan, & S. Walter (Eds.), Handbuch Kognitionswissenschaft (472-487). J.B. Metzler

Echolocation may have real-life advantages for blind people: an analysis of survey data (2013)
Journal Article
Thaler, L. (2013). Echolocation may have real-life advantages for blind people: an analysis of survey data. Frontiers in Physiology, 4, Article 98. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2013.00098

Some people can echolocate by making sonar emissions (e.g., mouth-clicks, finger snaps, feet shuffling, humming, cane tapping, etc.) and listening to the returning echoes. To date there are no statistics available about how many blind people use echo... Read More about Echolocation may have real-life advantages for blind people: an analysis of survey data.

Shape-specific activation of occipital cortex in an early blind echolocation expert (2013)
Journal Article
Arnott, S., Thaler, L., Milne, J., Kish, D., & Goodale, M. (2013). Shape-specific activation of occipital cortex in an early blind echolocation expert. Neuropsychologia, 51(5), 938-949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.01.024

We have previously reported that an early-blind echolocating individual (EB) showed robust occipital activation when he identified distant, silent objects based on echoes from his tongue clicks (Thaler, Arnott, & Goodale, 2011). In the present study... Read More about Shape-specific activation of occipital cortex in an early blind echolocation expert.