Human echolocation and Intuitive Vision

Watch the video: Ben Underwood

Excerpt from the book Seeing Without Eyes Is Possible

Do we have more senses than we think?

Since we are kids we are taught that there are five human senses — sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch — and that thanks to them we perceive the world around us.
However, this classification has been challenged on several occasions.
In this book we have explored different human perceptions that go beyond the conventional:

• Intuitive Vision, which allows us to pick up information without relying solely on physical sight.
• Synesthesia, an ability in which the senses intertwine (such as hearing a sound and seeing it in a color).
• Human echolocation, also known as the “bat sense”, which allows some people to perceive their surroundings through sound. In the previous section we noted that there are eight (verified) people on Earth able to use this sense.

In this section we explore human echolocation, a fascinating ability that pushes the limits of sensory perception.
It is sure to have caught the attention of many of you!

What is human echolocation?

Human echolocation is the ability to perceive objects in the environment from the echoes of sounds that a person actively produces, such as tongue clicks or taps.
Like bats or dolphins, people with this ability can interpret the sound waves reflected by nearby objects and detect their location, shape and size without relying on ocular vision.

Some people have developed this ability spontaneously, while others have explored the possibility of training the brain to interpret these echoes more accurately.

The case of Ben Underwood: seeing without eyes

One of the most astonishing cases of human echolocation is that of Ben Underwood, who lost his sight at the age of three because of cancer. A few months later, he began to develop a remarkable spatial perception.

Ben learned to find his way using a system of “clicks” made with his mouth, which allowed him to detect objects with remarkable precision. Thanks to this ability, he was able to ride a bike and play sports without a cane or any visual aid.

His case showed that the brain can adapt and find new ways of processing sensory information.

Scientific research on human echolocation

The scientist Kevin Warwick carried out studies on artificial echolocation using a neural implant that sent ultrasonic impulses to the brain. In his experiments he was able to identify the distance of objects without using his eyes, which confirmed that the human brain has the potential to develop this ability with the right training.

However, echolocation does not provide a constant image, because it depends on producing sounds. Each click or tap generates a “flash” of perception based on the echo of the reflected sound. In other words, with every “click” or tap, human echolocators see the image of the surface the sound bounces off for as long as the vibration lasts.
For example:

• 👉 When walking, people with this ability have to make sounds constantly to perceive, flash after flash, the outlines of the objects around them.
• 👉 In a car, on the other hand, the noise of the engine bouncing off nearby buildings gives them a more constant perception and image.

The link between human echolocation and Intuitive Vision

Although echolocation is based on interpreting sounds, it shows, just like Intuitive Vision, that the brain can reprogram itself and develop new forms of perception.

While echolocation depends on echoes, Intuitive Vision is a more stable and broader perception, based on our connection with intuition and the subconscious.

Both abilities show that, with training and re-education of the brain, it is possible to expand our senses beyond the conventional, even to the point of seeing without eyes.

👉 Discover our Intuitive Vision courses to go further.