Research Unit 1557

 

The research unit focuses on fundamental aspects of recording and reproduction of sound fields in spaces. The design and the generation of virtual acoustic realities has become a central field of research, both as a basis for proprietary applications in media technology and virtual reality and as a research tool for other disciplines related to the generation, transmission, reproduction, and perception of sound in space.

The research unit starts a coordinated effort to improve the complete signal chain from the numerical modelling, the data acquisition within numerical or real sound fields, the coding and transmission to the electro- acoustic reproduction by binaural technology or by sound field synthesis.

 

Background

Audio technology is becoming more relevant for several disciplines in communication, psychology, and neuroscience. Apart from aspects of research, audio systems for consumer electronics and for communication systems require better technology for a more robust 3D sound reproduction. For the core application, music performance spaces, classical as well as contemporary music styles and performance spaces will be investigated, and more reliable predictors of the acoustic quality of room must be developed.

The Structure of the Research Unit

For this purpose, the research unit as a whole involves already several disciplines from acoustics, signal processing, media psychology and musicology in a joint consortium. The collaboration is organized with permanent contact through internet platforms and in particular in several bilateral and three annual project meetings in Berlin and Aachen.

The partners are:

• TU Berlin, Department Audio Communication
• RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Technical Acoustics
• TU Ilmenau, Institute of Media Technology
• TU Berlin, Department Quality and Usability
• Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Laboratory of Acoustics
• Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ultimate Goal

A novel approach for the comparative evaluation of simulated and real environments will not only perceptively validate all improvements along the signal chain; it will also allow to evaluate the plausibility and/or the authenticity of virtual acoustic environments as a whole. Moreover, it will be used to bring forth better physical measures to predict the qualities of natural acoustic environments as well.

Spokesperson

Spokesperson for the Research Unit 1557 is Professor Dr. Stefan Weinzierl, Department of Audio Communication, Technical University Berlin