Modeling distance-dependent individual head-related transfer functions in the horizontal plane using frontal projection headphones.

The veracity of virtual audio is degraded by the use of non-individualized head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) due to the introduction of front-back, elevation confusions, and timbral coloration. Hence, an accurate reproduction of spatial sound demands the use of individualized HRTFs. Measuring distance-dependent individualized HRTFs can be extremely tedious, since it requires precise measurements at several distances in the proximal region (<1 m) for each individual. This paper proposes a technique to model distance-dependent individualized HRTFs in the horizontal plane using "frontal projection headphones playback" that does not require individualized measurements. The frontal projection headphones [Sunder, Tan, and Gan (2013). J. Audio Eng. Soc. 61, 989-1000] project the sound directly onto the pinnae from the front, and thus inherently create listener's idiosyncratic pinna cues at the eardrum. Perceptual experiments were conducted to investigate cues (auditory parallax and interaural level differences) that aid distance perception in anechoic conditions. Interaural level differences were identified as the prominent cue for distance perception and a spherical head model was used to model these distance-dependent features. Detailed psychophysical experiments revealed that the modeled distance-dependent individualized HRTFs exhibited localization performance close to the measured distance-dependent individualized HRTFs for all subjects.

Improved Biocompatible, Flexible Mesh Composites for Implant Applications via Hydroxyapatite Coating with Potential for 3-Dimensional Extracellular Matrix Network and Bone Regeneration.

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated metals are biocompatible composites, which have potential for various applications for bone replacement and regeneration in the human body. In this study, we proposed the design of biocompatible, flexible composite implants by using a metal mesh as substrate and HA coating as bone regenerative stimulant derived from a simple sol-gel method. Experiments were performed to understand the effect of coating method (dip-coating and drop casting), substrate material (titanium and stainless steel) and substrate mesh characteristics (mesh size, weave pattern) on implant's performance. HA-coated samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscope, field-emission scanning electron microscope, nanoindenter, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and biocompatibility test. Pure or biphasic nanorod HA coating was obtained on mesh substrates with thicknesses varying from 4.0 to 7.9 µm. Different coating procedures and number of layers did not affect crystal structure, shape, or most intense plane reflections of the HA coating. Moduli of elasticity below 18.5 GPa were reported for HA-coated samples, falling within the range of natural skull bone. Coated samples led to at least 90% cell viability and up to 99.5% extracellular matrix coverage into a 3-dimensional network (16.4% to 76.5% higher than bare substrates). Fluorescent imaging showed no antagonistic effect of the coatings on osteogenic differentiation. Finer mesh size enhanced coating coverage and adhesion, but a low number of HA layers was preferable to maintain open mesh areas promoting extracellular matrix formation. Finally, electrochemical behavior studies revealed that, although corrosion protection for HA-coated samples was generally higher than bare samples, galvanic corrosion occurred on some samples. Overall, the results indicated that while HA-coated titanium grade 1 showed the best performance as a potential implant, HA-coated stainless steel 316 with the finest mesh size constitutes an adequate, lower cost alternative.