3D audio enhances military situational awareness
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Giving sound a tag – for instance a certain distinct noise meaning the movement of an enemy detachment – and giving it context in 3D space enables to a soldier to react immediately without having to read a label, even when the source is behind him. It can also appear to move in accordance with sensors detecting the movement of the tracked item on the battlefield.
During military operation in urban environments, audio is often a more primary sense than vision, providing a soldier with an early warning system. However, sounds like gunshots can bounce off densely-packed buildings, giving an incorrect location, so an artificial 3D cue through headphones could eliminate this.
The research also shows that using audio cues requires little or no training compared with interpreting readouts. By giving a perceived location that matches the actual one, a soldier instinctively knows where to turn and look. ...
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