Some people who are blind learn the extraordinary skill of echolocation, using mouth clicks to explore their environment in a way comparable to how bats navigate. Echolocation is typically used alongside a cane or guide dog and gives an impression of the person’s broader surroundings.
Now scientists have uncovered new insights into how this feat is performed, which could help others to learn the skill.
The study confirms that people can identify objects with a high rate of accuracy by listening for echoes of mouth clicks and that they make subtle alterations to their clicking patterns depending on the object’s location.