Individualization of head-related transfer functions with tournament-style listening test: Listening with other's ears

A virtual auditory display (VAD) is a system for generating spatialized sound to a listener. Commonly, VAD techniques are based on convolving head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to a sound source. When HRTFs in a VAD are not fitted to a specific listener, the accuracy of localization is often low and produces large localization errors, typically appearing as frequent front-back confusion. However, the measurement of HRTFs for each listener for all sound-source directions requires a special measuring apparatus and a long measurement time with a listener’s physical load. The author has therefore proposed an individualization method of HRTFs called the Determination method of OptimuM Impulse-response by Sound Orientation (DOMISO). In this paper, DOMISO and its effects are introduced.