BINCI partner Eurecat has presented the paper “Ambisonics Directional Room Impulse Response as a new Convention of the Spatially Oriented Format for Acoustics” in the Engineering Briefs session on Transducers & Psychoacoustics Society at the 144th Audio Engineering Society (AES) that took place in Milan on May 23-36, 2018.
The paper, by Andrés Pérez-López and Julien de Muynke, both researchers at Eurecat’s Multimedia Technologies Unit, reviews the novel technologies hitting the market on ambisonics and audio for Virtual Reality and proposes a consensus format for ambisonics impulse responses datasets.
The work done addresses the lack of compatibility among different ambisonics impulse response datasets, coming up with a proposal of a new file format designed for a consistent, standardized storage of audio measurements. The proposed consensus format, Ambisonics DRIR, which is a SOFA – Spatially Oriented Format for Acoustics – convention, is specifically adapted to databases of recordings of the acoustic characteristics of a given space with spherical microphone arrays, technology allowing to capture 3D audio for a more realistic VR experience.
Click on the image to access to the paper presentation at ASE Milan
The research leading to the proposed consensus format, currently under evaluation, has been done in the framework of BINCI project. This format has been applied to the acoustic measurements carried out in cultural sites for the production of BINCI experimental audio-guides.
During the paper conference delivered at AES Milan, it was pointed out the inexistence of a consensus format and explained how the adoption of their proposed format can facilitate data manipulation and increase interoperability.
BINCI project has also been presented to the audience, highlighting the three experimental productions being currently showcased and tested simultaneously in three emblematic cultural sites. The productions are meant to explore the impact and possibilities of 3D audio on storytelling in cultural spaces.
AES Engineering Briefs are sessions showcasing the work of over 100 researchers on topics ranging from audio for virtual and augmented reality, digital audio conversion and forensic audio to loudspeakers. The workshops bring panels of experts together to discuss a range of provocative and practical topics, including live sound, product design, signal processing and audio encoding, immersive audio, sound synthesis and audio education, among others.
The paper is available as an Open Access publication.