Impact of Realistic Noise Scenarios on Auditory Selective Attention Switch in a Virtual Classroom Environment

General The audio-visual Auditory Selective Attention VR - Noise (avASANoise) project serves to investigate the impact of realistic noise on auditory selective attention switch in a close-to-real-life classroom setting. This dataset consists of a Unity project and Matlab code used to collect data on the voluntary switching of auditory selective attention in a virtual reality classroom scenario. Detailed information on the experiment and data evaluation is given in the journal article "The influence of complex classroom noise on auditory selective attention" by Breuer et al. 2025 available under https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18232-2 The dataset contains: Unity project for audiovisual display and the experiment structure Matlab code for experiment preparation and HpFT measurement Data collected in the experiment (experiment performance, head tracking, questionnaires) Experiment preparation using Matlab The code and software used to prepare the experiment is provided in the folder "matlab_avASANoise". The Matlab code used to prepare the trials for each participant as well as to measure the HpTFs. For the HpTF measurements, the ITA Toolbox for Matlab was used and is provided (https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/toolbox). A developmental version of Virtual acoustics (VA) 2021a (https://www.virtualacoustics.org/VA/overview/) is provided. Software requirements: Matlab 2020a or higher ITA Toolbox for Matlab installed Experiment conduction in Unity The Unity project is provided in the folder "unity_avASANoise". Therefore, a virtual classroom with some basic furniture is provided. The used models, prefabs and plugins can be found in the Assets folder. The acoustic stimuli for the task are taken from Loh and Fels 2023 "ChildASA dataset: Speech and Noise Material fpr Child-appropriate Paradigms on Auditory Selective Attention" https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-2023-00740. Noise stimuli are provided within the Unity Assets folder. This Unity project was intended for the use in virtual reality using an HMD and respective controllers for input. However, it can also be used on a desktop pc. The mode can be changed using the "VRMode" toggle as described below.The audio reproduction is realized using the Unity plugin for Virtual Acoustics (VA, http://www.virtualacoustics.org/ and https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/vaunity_package). Software requirements: Unity 2019.4.21.f1. SteamVR 1.19.7 Virtual Acoustics v2021a, VAUnity: https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/VAUnity Data evaluation The collected data is provided in the folder "dataEvaluation_avASANoise". This folder contains three types of data: the raw data collected in the experiment (reaction times and error rates), the head tracking data and responses from the simulator sickness questionnaire (before and after the experiment) and the igroup presence questionnaire (after the experiment). Matlab code for the evaluation of the head tracking data and the questionnaires is provided.概述 视听听觉选择性注意力虚拟现实-噪声（avASANoise）项目旨在探究贴近真实课堂场景中，现实噪声对听觉选择性注意力切换的影响。本数据集包含用于在虚拟现实课堂场景中采集听觉选择性注意力自主切换相关数据的Unity工程与MATLAB代码。 本实验与数据评估的详细信息可参阅Breuer等人2025年发表于期刊的论文《复杂课堂噪声对听觉选择性注意力的影响》，链接为：https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18232-2 本数据集包含以下内容： 1. 用于视听呈现与实验架构的Unity工程 2. 用于实验准备与头相关传输函数（Head-related Transfer Function, HpTF）测量的MATLAB代码 3. 实验采集的数据（实验表现、头部追踪数据与问卷结果） 基于MATLAB的实验准备 用于实验准备的代码与软件均存放于"matlab_avASANoise"文件夹中。 该代码可用于为每位被试准备实验试次，同时可测量头相关传输函数（HpTF）。本次实验的HpTF测量使用了MATLAB的ITA工具箱（ITA Toolbox for Matlab），该工具箱已随数据集提供，链接为：https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/toolbox。同时还提供了Virtual Acoustics (VA) 2021a的开发版本，链接为：https://www.virtualacoustics.org/VA/overview/。 软件依赖要求： 1. MATLAB 2020a及以上版本 2. 已安装MATLAB的ITA工具箱 Unity实验执行流程 本数据集的Unity工程存放于"unity_avASANoise"文件夹中。 该工程内置了带有基础家具的虚拟教室，所用模型、预设体与插件均可在Assets文件夹中找到。 本实验使用的声学刺激材料取自Loh与Fels 2023年发表的《ChildASA数据集：适用于儿童听觉选择性注意力范式的语音与噪声素材》，链接为：https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-2023-00740。噪声刺激素材已随数据集提供，存放于Unity工程的Assets文件夹内。 本Unity工程最初设计为搭配头显（Head-Mounted Display, HMD）与对应控制器进行输入的虚拟现实场景，但也可在台式电脑上运行。运行模式可通过"VRMode"开关进行调整，具体说明如下。本次实验的音频重放使用了Virtual Acoustics (VA)的Unity插件（VA，链接为：http://www.virtualacoustics.org/ 与 https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/vaunity_package）。 软件依赖要求： 1. Unity 2019.4.21.f1 2. SteamVR 1.19.7 3. Virtual Acoustics v2021a与VAUnity，链接为：https://git.rwth-aachen.de/ita/VAUnity 数据评估 采集到的实验数据存放于"dataEvaluation_avASANoise"文件夹中，该文件夹包含三类数据：实验原始数据（反应时与错误率）、头部追踪数据，以及被试在实验前后填写的模拟器不适问卷（simulator sickness questionnaire），以及实验后填写的团体存在感问卷（igroup presence questionnaire）。本数据集还提供了用于评估头部追踪数据与问卷结果的MATLAB代码。