Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The current study examines how multisensory cues-specifically, passive proprioception combined with white noise-affect navigation ability in the absence of visual input. The main goal was to investigate whether adding white noise, as a non-structured auditory stimulus, could enhance spatial learning and navigation in blindfolded sighted participants. Using a novel motion-tracking technology, SensFloor[Formula: see text], participants completed navigation tasks under two conditions: a unisensory condition (passive proprioceptive cues only) and a multisensory condition (proprioception + white noise). We found that participants' navigational accuracy significantly improved under the multisensory condition. While the white noise source (a speaker) was not intended as a spatial landmark, it may have supported spatial orientation by offering a stable auditory reference, possibly through mechanisms like enhanced balance or rudimentary echolocation. These findings underscore the importance of multisensory integration in spatial cognition and have significant implications for assistive technologies aimed at supporting mobility in individuals without vision.
Source: Scientific Reports
Institution: Italian Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
Funders: European Commission, NextGenerationEU
Award: G1373274450
OpenAlex ID: W4410592541