The Where and When of Tracking Sound Sources Head-based auditory motion tracking integrates velocity and spatial error within a common delayed frame

Head-based tracking of a physically moving loudspeaker in 2D by 14 participants shows substantial delays and measurable spatial discrepancies, explained by a hybrid velocity–discrepancy model.

• Why it matters: The study addresses how the auditory system integrates delayed, uncertain sensory cues to guide head movements during combined horizontal and vertical source motion.
• What they did: Head movements were recorded from 14 participants following unpredictable 2D loudspeaker trajectories, and a hybrid model combined source velocity with spatial error at matched delayed time points.
• The result: The hybrid model predicts head velocity on previously unseen trajectories more accurately than using either velocity or spatial discrepancy alone, and using preceding head orientation improves prediction.

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