How to Echolocate: For the Blind, VI and Sighted Whether you are blind, visually impaired or fully sighted, you can see more using echolocation.

Beginner Lessons If you have heard of echolocation and would like to start understanding it better and using it in your daily life, this is the place to start.

Lesson #1: Experience Echolocation for the First Time in a Car

Lesson #2: Knowing What to Listen For

Lesson #3: Tune Your Senses for Echolocation, Exercise 1

Lesson #4: Tune Your Senses for Echolocation, Exercise 2

Lesson #5: Realizing the Reality of Echolocation

Lesson #6: Stationary vs. Mobile Echolocation

Lesson #7: How to Detect an Object for the First Time

Lesson #8: How to See Objects to the Right and Left

Lesson #9: How to See Objects Above and Below

Beginner Echolocation Lesson #1 - Echolocating While Riding in a Car As I ride to work in the morning, I 've been leaving the passenger's side window open. This is a good way of directing my listening attention in one discrete direction. Also, being in the car works well, because it emits quite a bit of sound that is quite constant and covers a fairly broad spectrum of audio. And it is fairly quiet inside the car, so it makes it easy to hear the sound reflections coming in through the window. As I drive by objects on the side of the road it's apparent that they are detectable via audible variances, but I can't decipher what they might be quite yet. It seems that practicing echolocation will at first involve relating sound reflections to objects that I can otherwise identify and then relate the sound patterns to them. If we could remember these patterns we could apply them to anysimilar object we encounter in the future. Here are a few things I could detect and couple of rules that seem to make sense:

Telephone Poles

Since a telephone pole is round the sound bounces off of it in all directions equally. The sound reflection pattern can be described as a "swell". As you approach the pole you can hear reflections gradually fade in and peak as you pass it and fade out evenly. This would be the same for any round object that you are passing along the direction of its curvature. The object, and this goes for all objects as far as I can tell, will have a greater magnitude of sound returning to your ear the closer you are to it. Sound degrades (or disperses) over distance so it makes sense that the closer you are the "more" sound waves you will be receiving.

Mailboxes

I was struck when I noticed the difference between telephone poles and mailboxes. The response curve of a mailbox is generally slightly smaller due to it's size (of course they are usually closer to the road than poles) but the interesting thing was that since they have a flatface (the door) the response curve is more of a square wave than a sinusoid (like the telephone pole). Inother words, the amplitude of the sound reflection increases quickly when you areexactly perpendicular to the flat face, and then drops off quickly once you pass. So they have a much more brief presence.

Parked Cars

Of course moving cars are easy, they emit their own sound! But parked cars are unique in that you can recognize the metallic material they are made of because of the higher frequencies they reflect. For some reason it seems that wooden fences, tree clusters, and trash cans don't reflect these higher

frequencies. This is probably due to there more absorbative properties. When frequencies start getting absorbed, usually the higher once are first to go since low frequencies, by nature, travel greater distances.

Fencing

Flat fencing is generally fairly distinct, switching "on" quickly when you approach and "off" quickly when it ends, and generally remains very constant when you are passing it. Wooden fencing doesn't generally reflect the higher tones.Metal fencing, in particular, the "3"-shaped metal extrusion gaurd rails that you see everywhere, is different in that it seems to reflect the lower frequencies and the higher frequencies (probably due to thenon-absorbative material) but there doesn't seem to be a lot ofmid-range tones being reflected. I don't have an explanation for that, and I may be wrong about it. Maybe I'll record some of these and do some analysis.I plan to continue my findings here as I discover them. If anyone has anything to add to help me out I would much appreciate it if you left comments!

Beginner Lesson #2 - The Basics of Echolocation - How to Know What to Listen For

Image via WikipediaIf you've never tried to echolocate before and don'treally know what it is, then read this article, it will give you an idea of what to listen for.

One of the first times I noticed the effects of echolocation, I was sitting at my desk at work, and listening to the radio. The speakers were biased to one side of my head, and I raised a hand up on the opposite side of my head - maybe one foot away - and found that the sound reflected off my hand and into the ear that was getting less music. Try this, and now move your hand around a listen for the soundreflections. If it's not obvious enough with just your hand, try a folder or binder (something larger, flatter, and more rigid will be a better reflector). The image above illustrates why flatter surfaces make better reflectors. Sound reflects off of objects similar to the way light does.

Now try twisting your hand or binder back and forth, but keeping it in one place so that you're reflecting the sound away from your ear, and then directly at your ear, and then away in the other direction. It should appear as if the sound source is passing by, while really, it is just the shape of the

reflecting object creating different effects.

The effects you will hear from this exercise are quite a bit more pronounced than the effects you will see when you start using clicking to echolocate, but this should give you a good idea of what kind of effects can be observed when sound reflects directly off of a small object.

Beginner Lesson #3 - How to Tune your Senses for Echolocation - Exercise #1

If I haven't already said this, echolocation is not an ability that you'reborn with; something you either have or don't have, it is a skill thatcan be learned. Any hearing person can learn it if they are willing.

Your hearing senses will need to be sensitized in order to start tuninginto hearing the different subtleties related to echolocation. Theseinclude phase shift, reverb, stereo effects, equalization, panning andmore. These are all subtleties that musicians train themselves to beaware of, and you can do the same with the intention of using them to improve your echolocation skills.

Sensitization Exercise #1: Listening intently to music

If you listen to a lot of music, this is a good way to begin sensitizing, however, start listening more intently. Try to pick out every different instrument in a particular song. Begin noticing subtleties such as:

1. Which speaker is each instrument coming from? Or is it coming from both? This is called "panning", and often times songs will "pan" one guitar further to the left speaker and another guitar further to the right. This is done to give the effect that the guitars are in two different places on a stage. Once you've started to pick up on this effect, you should be able to point directly to where each instrument appears to be coming from, which should be somewhere in between the two speakers depending on how much it is panned one way or the other.

2. Determine how "far away" each instrument (including vocals) appears. This is basically accomplished by the recording company by adding more or less echo to the signal. If a longer echo (or reverb) is added to an instrument it will give it the effect of being in a large room and possibly far away. If a short echo (or delay) is added, it will give the effect of having very nearby walls and will be closer and more intimate. Generally vocal tracks have more delay added so that the singer seems closer and more pronounced to the listener.

3. Compare songs. Listen to how different songs compare to each other and how different recording companies like to mix songs.

Doing all of the above will help you to get started in sensitizing your ears to echolocation. This first

Image via Wikipedia

exercise is something you can do on your own, but exercise #2, you will probably need a partner for.

Beginner Lesson #4 - How to Tune your Senses for Echolocation - Exercise #2

time you do it. This doesn't have to be a long time. Just a few clicks while focusing and listening intently. Now, immediately, go outside and get a good distance away from the building or any other large object and make the same clicking sound.

Did it sound like you expected it to? Did it sound different than when you were in the bathroom? If you answer yes, then you have experienced the effects of echolocation.

Why does it sound different?The click sounds different to you because you are hearing it as it bounces off of the objects around you and comes back to your ear. In the bathroom there are many more objects for the sound to bounce off of that are much closer to you. This creates a "reverb" or very quick echo. When you are not surrounded by objects the sound is much more "dead" meaning you hear it as it leaves your mouth and it does not return to you, hence it does not have the same reverb or echo qualities.

What's reverb? Sounds complicated...It doesn't matter if you don't know what reverb is. The only thing that matters is that you realized that there is some sort of fundamental difference between the two sounds you made. Once you realize that, honing your skill is just becoming increasingly aware of the subtleties in the sound. If you can sense the difference between a bathroom space and outdoor space, then with practice, you can sense the difference between an object 5 feet away and an object 10 feet away. Of course with an infinite amountof practice there is no limit to the differences you will be able to sense.

Enjoy! And welcome to the wonderful world of echolocation.

Beginner Echolocation Lesson #6 - Stationary Echolocating vs. Mobile Echolocating

It is generally more confusing to try to echolocate while walking or moving around as opposed to trying it while sitting or standing in one place. This is because there are many more uncontrolled variables while moving around. It's easier to maintain focus on a sound when there aren't so many things going on.

In any scientific experiment it is crucial to change only one variable at a time. If you are walking around there may be objects around you that are changing the tone of the sound in ways you are not aware of. If you sit in one place and change one variable it will be much easier to identify, and most importantly LEARN the differences in the sound. In other words, if you hold up a flat object like a book or plate in front of your face, only one thing has changed about your environment. If you change your location and walk up to a wall then many things have changed about your environment and it will be more difficult for you to distinguish between the different sounds and it might take you longer to seethe effects of this lesson.

Remember, take it slow. Keep it simple. Have fun, and enjoy the journey!

Beginner Echolocation Lesson #7 - Surface Training This exercise will help you understand how to sense the perimeter of an object. Remember that even if these exercises seem simple to you, every time you practice echolocation, even if just for a few minutes, it will help you develop your skill and tune your senses. So keep practicing diligently and the harder lessons will start to become easier.

1. Pick a flat object, not cloth, something like a piece of cardboard or wood. The shape doesn't matter, as long as it is about 12" across. A piece of paper is not great because it can make sounds of its own and we do not want that interfering with our training. Give this object to a friend of family member to help you train.

2. Find a spot outdoors or a large room without too many objects around. 1. If you are inside, point yourself toward the corner of the room and not directly at a flat

wall. This will make it easier to differentiate between the object and the wall. 3. Use your echolocating beacon and listen intently to the echoes it creates. 4. Instruct your partner to slowly slide the flat object in front of you about 12-18 inches away

from your face. Don't tell them when to do it, just tell them to do it at random. It's important that it is slow so that you don't hear any of the sounds related to them moving the object, like the rustling of clothes, changing their grip on the object, or air rushing around the corners of the object.

5. Raise your hand when you have sensed the object so that they know you have sensed it and they can then remove it from in front of you.

6. When you sense the object being removed from in front of you lower your hand. 7. Do this repeatedly instructing your training partner to move the object further away from you

after you are comfortable in one spot. 1. At a certain distance, it will become difficult for your training partner to completely

remove the object from in front of you without walking ten feet to one side. You will certainly hear their footsteps and subconsciously use that as a clue, so instead of moving the object, just instruct them to turn it 90 degrees to that it is no longer facing you.

See how far away you can get and still accurately sense the object.Enjoy!

Beginner Echolocation Lesson #8 - Seeing Right and Left

To begin determining direction and placement of objects around you, one of the skills you will need is to be able to differentiate between objects to your right and objects to your left.

1. With a partner, start by using a dinner plate or similarly sized rigid sheet of plastic, metal or wood and have your partner hold it up to one side of your head. Perhaps not directly on the side,but out in front of you to the right or left at about a 45-degree angle.

2. If you are sighted or partially sighted, of course you'll need to close your eyes or wear a blindfold.

3. Instruct your partner to move it to within 12 inches of your face, and then without notice, remove it from your view. Keep clicking or performing whichever signal works best for you.

4. For this exercise, the flat surface of the object should always be facing directly toward you. Thiswill ensure that the strongest, clearest response is reflected back toward you.

5. It is important that the object you are using does not make any noise of its own, such as the pages of a magazine. Its also important that the person holding the object does not scratch or manipulate it in such a way that makes any sound. This will defeat the purpose of the exercise.

6. Once you can clearly tell when the object is present and when its not, try it on the other side. 7. Get used to both sides and then have your partner surprise you. After a short period of training,

you should be able to easily determine where the object is.

Beginner Echolocation Lesson #9: Seeing Objects From Above and Below

This is slightly more difficult. The ears are positioned on the side of the head, so right to left differentiation is easier than up and down. Right to left relies on the difference in amplitude or volume between the signals coming in each ear. The ability to differentiate between sounds from above and sounds from below relies primarily on the shape of the ear and the ear canal making it a bit more ambiguous. However, your brain already knows how to do this, so trust it.

If being able to distinguish right vs. left increases your echolocation "resolution" in the "X-axis" (or along the horizon) being able to distinguish up vs. down, will help you improve your resolution in the "Y-axis" (or vertically). Each one of these resolutions will become very important when we start getting better and are able to start being aware of the non-visual images that our brain is creating.

1. To begin, in a quiet environment have a partner make a sound in front of your face, but slightly above it at about a 45-degree angle upward. Have them rub their fingers together gently to create a very quiet sound.

2. Have them move their hand below your face, to about a 45-degree angle and make the same subtle sound. This will give you a frame of reference for echolocating to these two positions.

3. Now have them hold up your hard flat object in these two locations. Use your click signal and learn to sense its direction the same way you sensed the direction of the sound they made with their hand. At this point, have them tell you which position its in. IE: "the object is in the upperposition" (and click to calibrate to it) and then "the object is in the lower position" (again click to calibrate)

4. The next obvious step is for them to randomly change the location of the object and have you

distinguish the location by pointing up or down. Its important that they confirm your answer so that you can learn when you make a mistake.

5. If this exercise proves to be difficult, simply move the object closer to your face until it becomes apparent. From there you can gradually have your partner move it away as you become more comfortable.

The reason we start in such a controlled environment is to isolate variables and make the signal and response from the object as apparent as possible. If there are lots of other objects around or lots of noises in the background this will certainly make it a lot harder especially when you're just starting out.

How to Echolocate: For the Blind, VI and SightedBeginner LessonsBeginner Echolocation Lesson #1 - Echolocating While Riding in a CarTelephone PolesMailboxesParked CarsFencing

Beginner Lesson #2 - The Basics of Echolocation - How to Know What to Listen ForBeginner Lesson #3 - How to Tune your Senses for Echolocation - Exercise #1Beginner Lesson #4 - How to Tune your Senses for Echolocation - Exercise #2Beginner Echolocation Lesson #5 - Realizing the Effects of EcholocationIt's all about subtletiesWhy does it sound different?What's reverb? Sounds complicated...Beginner Echolocation Lesson #6 - Stationary Echolocating vs. Mobile EcholocatingBeginner Echolocation Lesson #7 - Surface TrainingBeginner Echolocation Lesson #8 - Seeing Right and LeftBeginner Echolocation Lesson #9: Seeing Objects From Above and Below