How We Hear: Dr. Laurie Heller Explains the Future of Intelligent Audio

Dr. Laurie Heller, Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, explores her groundbreaking research, “From Echoes to AI: Translating Human Sound Perception into Technology,” and discusses how insights from human listening are reshaping intelligent audio systems. The episode explores how humans perceive, interpret, and harness sound, from echolocation to intelligent audio systems. Dr. Laurie Heller explains how people can be trained to use echoes for navigation, highlighting the acoustic cues and brain networks involved in localizing sound in space. She discusses how vision and hearing interact, how sounds link to gestures and actions, and why understanding these connections matters for interface and assistive technology design. The conversation moves into applications, including hearing aids that better represent environmental sounds, machine learning models for sound classification, and echolocation-based tools for visually impaired users. Dr. Heller also reflects on immersive audio in VR/AR, the cognitive and emotional impacts of noise pollution, and emerging insights into misophonia, where everyday sounds trigger intense reactions. Throughout, she emphasizes aligning technology with human perception to create safer, more intuitive and humane sound environments. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com. Disclaimer: A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music. B. Dr. Laurie Heller shared deep insights from her research, “From Echoes to AI: Translating Human Sound Perception into Technology,” during an engaging conversation on the Business Talk podcast channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.