Timing: Used to locate sound sources
• Not PERCEIVED directly, but critical for
LOCATING sources of sound in space:
– Interaural Time Difference (ITD) as a source moves away from the
midsaggital plane.
– Adult humans: maximum ITD is 700
microseconds.
– We can locate sources to an accuracy of a
few degrees. This means we can measure
ITD with an accuracy of ~ 10
microseconds
– Thus, auditory system needs to keep
track of time to the same accuracy.
– Unique to auditory system (vs. visual
or touch)