Leveraging Web Audio in the Design of an Experiment to Measure the Effect of Authentic Spatial Sound on Verbal Working Memory in Online Virtual Reality Learning Environments

This paper presents the planned experimental design of an online virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) to investigate the effect of authentic spatial sound on verbal work- ing memory. Despite the increasing integration of virtual reality into education, the cognitive impact of spatial audio remains under-explored, particularly in relation to working memory processes. This study addresses that gap by embed- ding an adapted version of the Automated Operation Span (AOSPAN) task into a dimensionally accurate VR simulation of a real-world laboratory, constructed using Three.js on a browser-based WebXR platform and exploiting the advanced spatial sound processing capabilities of Web Audio. Authentic spatial audio is captured using a Sennheiser AMBEO VR microphone and rendered in first-order Ambisonics via Resonance Audio powered by Omnitone and delivered through the Web Audio API. The AOSPAN task is administered twice per participant, once with authentic ambient spatial sound and once without it, in a counter- balanced design. Performance is measured through standard AOSPAN scoring metrics, allowing for within-subject comparison to determine the influence of authentic spatial sound on verbal working memory, with particular focus on the articulatory rehearsal process of the phonological loop. By employing a fully web-based delivery model, this frame- work supports wide accessibility and future scalability while maintaining experimental control. The paper contributes a novel methodology for cognitive testing in immersive environments and offers insights into the role of spatial sound in enhancing or modulating memory performance in VR edu- cation. The findings of the proposed experiment have implications for both audio interface design and the development of effective and cognitively supportive virtual learning environments.