People fitted with synthetic owl ears learn to localize sound (a little) better
People are very good at pinpointing the source of a sound, but not as good as barn owls. With their ears, barn owls can pinpoint the source of a sound with exceptional accuracy, which comes in handy when they hunt for prey at night. Their asymmetrical ears are a unique adaptation in the animal kingdom.
With their exceptional hearing, barn owls are able to pinpoint the source of a sound with remarkable accuracy, hunting for prey at night using their asymmetrical ears. Humans, while good at determining where a sound is coming from on a horizontal plane, are also adept at locating sound on a vertical plane due to the shape of our ears.
When a sound arrives from above, it sounds different from a sound coming from below. The researchers from the Donders Institute at Radboud University wondered what would happen if people were fitted with barn owl ears, which alters the shape of the human ear and makes vertical hearing impossible. To investigate this, they fitted 11 people with rubber earpieces modeled on barn owl ears and had them wear them all day for anywhere between 3 and 58 days.
Being uncomfortable with the ear molds and having to answer questions during the day, the participants were tested daily in a dark, quiet room with speakers placed around them. They had to locate the source of the sound and turn towards it. After some time, the participants were able to relearn how to hear vertically, although not as well as before wearing the molds.
This demonstrates the brain's flexibility in adapting to new auditory cues, even when its design is not inherently suited for it. The researchers hope to develop devices that convey sound characteristics similar to barn owls, potentially benefiting hearing aid technology in the future.
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