title: Three-dimensional auditory localization in the echolocating bat.
abstract: Echolocating bats exhibit accurate three-dimensional (3D) auditory localization to avoid obstacles and intercept prey. The bat achieves high spatial resolution through a biological sonar system. Key features of the bat's sonar system are (1) high frequency, directional echolocation signals; (2) high frequency hearing; (3) mobile ears; and (4) measurement of distance from the time delay between sonar emission and echo reception. The bat's sonar receiver is a standard mammalian auditory system that computes azimuth from inter-aural differences and elevation from spectral filtering by the ear [1-3]. Target range is computed from echo arrival time [4,5], and the bat auditory system contains neurons that show echo delay-tuned responses to pulse-echo pairs [6]. Ultimately, information about sound source azimuth, elevation and range converge to create a unified representation of 3D space.
authors: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors: Melville J
authors: MJ
authors: Wohlgemuth
authors: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors: Jinhong
authors: J
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. Electronic address: cynthia.moss@jhu.edu.
authors: Cynthia F
authors: CF
authors: Moss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004455:Echolocation; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D013017:Sound Localization / Q000502:physiology*