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Acoustical Analyser

Psychology

A tall brass instrument consisting of 2 clusters of brass rods or cylinders mounted on a rectangular wooden stand. Two rotating handles, one on top of each rod cluster, move the corresponding tubing towers up and down. A graduated vertical brass strip connects the two towers and two brass needles mark the length the tower has moved. The two outlets at the base of each tower connect with rubber tubing (not present) that runs to the ears of the subject.

Accession Number: 2012.psy.75

Alternative Name: Precision localization instrument

Primary Materials: brass; wood; copper

Markings:

Dimensions (cm):

Instrument: Height = 73, Width = 11, Length = 2; Base: Height = 4, Width = 26, Length = 28

Function:

This is an auditory ‘delay line’ that varies the time of arrival of a sound to the ear in order to study sound localization in humans. Sound vibrations are introduced in both sides at the same time, and come out at different delays depending on the distance the sound travels in the adjustable brass tubing. (Citation: UTMuSI inventory record; http://projects.chass.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/utmusi/displayrec?num=psy51)

Condition:

excellent; small abrasions and scratches all over the instrument; the wooden stand is chipping at the corners.

Associated Instruments:

2012.psy.76, 2012.psy.77, 2012.psy.78, 2012.psy.79

Manufacturer:

Date of Manufacture: c. 1920

Provenance:

Department of Psychology, University of Toronto

Additional Information and References:

Historical Notes:

It is probable the intended use is as follows: Connect a tube to the single port. Let its other end be exited by an auditory signal, for example a bell. Connect the other two open ends by tubes to the right and left ears, respectively. Ask the subject, who is blindfolded, to localize the sound for various positions of the sliding part. Based on the subject’s responses, the researcher could reconstruct the classical chart of timing localization. (Personal communication, Anders J. Johansson, Dept. of Applied Electronics, Lund University, Sweden). This is a precision version of the teaching auditory localization devices, 2012.psy.76, 2012.psy.77, 2012.psy.78, 2012.psy.79.

http://projects.chass.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/utmusi/displayrec?num=psy51

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