title: A summary of research investigating echolocation abilities of blind and sighted humans.
abstract: There is currently considerable interest in the consequences of loss in one sensory modality on the remaining senses. Much of this work has focused on the development of enhanced auditory abilities among blind individuals, who are often able to use sound to navigate through space. It has now been established that many blind individuals produce sound emissions and use the returning echoes to provide them with information about objects in their surroundings, in a similar manner to bats navigating in the dark. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding human echolocation. Some blind individuals develop remarkable echolocation abilities, and are able to assess the position, size, distance, shape, and material of objects using reflected sound waves. After training, normally sighted people are also able to use echolocation to perceive objects, and can develop abilities comparable to, but typically somewhat poorer than, those of blind people. The underlying cues and mechanisms, operable range, spatial acuity and neurological underpinnings of echolocation are described. Echolocation can result in functional real life benefits. It is possible that these benefits can be optimized via suitable training, especially among those with recently acquired blindness, but this requires further study. Areas for further research are identified.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ak771@cam.ac.uk.
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Kolarik
authors: Vision and Eye Research Unit (VERU), Postgraduate Medical Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Eastings 204, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: silvia.cirstea@anglia.ac.uk.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Cirstea
authors: Vision and Eye Research Unit (VERU), Postgraduate Medical Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Eastings 204, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: shahina.pardhan@anglia.ac.uk.
authors: Shahina
authors: S
authors: Pardhan
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom. Electronic address: bcjm@cam.ac.uk.
authors: Brian C J
authors: BC
authors: Moore
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001766:Blindness / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology; D004455:Echolocation / Q000502:physiology*; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Blindness; Compensatory plasticity; Echolocation; Spatial hearing