Spatialized Looming Sounds in Virtual Reality: Reaction Times and Localization Accuracy

The recent availability of consumer head-mounted displays (HMDs) for virtual reality (VR) offers an immersive and affordable platform to study sound perception and action in plausible settings. Traditional perception-action studies often rely on complex systems such as motion capture, while HMDs integrate dynamic sound delivery and real-time movement tracking, making them more accessible for research outside controlled laboratory environments. In this study, we build upon the experimental protocol from Geronazzo et al. (2023) to evaluate the feasibility of measuring user behavior with a consumer-grade HMD, rather than relying on surface electromyography (EMG) to capture muscular activity and precise motion caption equipment. We focused on reaction times, direction and distance localization performances, utilizing the body tracking capabilities from the HMD's onboard sensors and controllers to showcase the potential for consumer-grade VR to enable accessible experimental research.