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Sounding
with AUDIENCE
To recreate or display
a sound field in space,
we use a set of loudspeakers
disposed around the
place where listeners
will be (the listening
area). The speakers
can be positioned using
some possible geometric
configurations, preferable
in regular geometries,
such as as cubics or
rings.
The system requires
the AUDIENCE software
running in a computer
with one or more mutichannel
soundboards (with at
least 4 output channels)
and cabling for distribution
of the audio signals
till each loudspeaker.
Each loudspeaker corresponds
to a processed audio
channel in the system.
Also it is possible
to use more than one
computer, so as to balance
the processing load
and to distribute the
soundcards.
The AUDIENCE software
is a complete auralization
engine. It allows the
integration with the
audiovisual application
through messages exchange
via TCP/IP, also having
the possibility of passing/updating
parameters through functions
called from within the
application code. The
software allows to edit
the sound space, the
ambience, the desired
immersion degree/level,
the spatial encoding
format, and the output
configuration of the
loudspeakers.
The pictures below
show an auditory scene
containing a listener
and 3 acoustic instruments
surrounding, and the
patch built over the
AUDIENCE PD to produce
and to sound this scene.
Acoustic scene
with 3 instruments:
drums, guitar and electric
bass
The system can be adapted
or be scaled to sound
several environments,
as theaters, auditoriums,
audiovisual spaces for
exhibitions, museums,
musical shows, producing
coherent sound fields
for an audience of several
people, as well as also
can be adapted to take
care of the individual
earphones. The system
also can be scaled to
allow the manipulation
of many sound sources
and can manage their
position in the space
and the hearing experience
of each one of them
independently.
Additional experiments
over the PD platform
have been done to create
interactive environments
for the auralization
of several sources simultaneously,
using an intuitive graphical
user interface, integrated
to the patch of functional
blocks, and with real
time access, as shown
in the picture below:
Patch done on
Pure Data for the auralization
of 3 sound sources
Spatial sound services
based on the AUDIENCE
system are already available.
The auralization platform
is being incorporated
as souding solution
for immersive VR in
many associated projects.
In general lines, a
sound project with AUDIENCE
is initiated with the
specification of the
requirements of the
space and of the applications.
This will allow the
specification of the
necessary equipment
(the hardware). After
the acquisition and
installation of them,
the main software and
accessory programs are
installed, and then
it is designed and created
an application-oriented
patch in the AUDIENCE
specific for the purpose
(e.g.: one patch specific
for the auditory scenes
that will be auralized).
A final phase of calibration
and integration with
other components of
the final application
concludes the process.
To have the AUDIENCE
system sounding your
application or space
get
in touch with us
for a viability study,
and for conceiving a
sound design specific
to your needs.
Projects
sounding with AUDIENCE
The AUDIENCE is the
sounding and auralization
machine used at the
Digital
Cave of the Polytechnic
School of the University
of São Paulo
(USP).
A fixed octophonic
setup installed around
the CAVE structure permits
the generation of 3D
sound fields and the
experience of complete
immersion (8 loudspeakers,
in cubic configuration,
positioned at the corners).
Besides this fixed
configuration, other
are also possible to
mount on demand, by
using reconfigurable
(repositionable) stands
for the loudspeakers.
The picture below shows
such one reconfigurable
positioning, using wooden
stands.
Flexible loudspeaker
positioning at the corners
of the CAVE, and respective
audio distribution gear
Reconfigurable
positioning for loudspeakers
in front of the CAVE
Repositionable wooden
pedestals (also with
changeable height) allow
to modify geometry,
the position, number
and the arrangement
of loudspeakers, to
explore with greater
flexibility other loudspeakers
configurations. The
whole distribution system
is shielded, cables,
panels and connections
were especially adapted
by Cabos
Golden. Sounds are
played with high-fidelity
shielded Lando
loudspeakers, which
exhibit a great quality/size
figure. The amplification
system uses Sankya
multichannel amplifiers,
with very low-noise.
A new 8 channels amplifier
is being developed in
partnership with Sankya,
to be used in the Digital
Cave.
The auralization engine,
core of the AUDIENCE
system, is being integrated
to a new virtual reality
navigator under development
at the Digital Cave.
Both systems (visualization
and auralization) use
open/free graphical
engines and audio DSP
platforms. The picture
below shows an audiovisual
scene that is being
modeled in the current
project. This virtual
world will have several
sound sources auralized
with the AUDIENCE.
Scene of "Largo
da Sé",
audiovisual reconstruction
of hystoric sites of
São Paulo downtown
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