The project

BINCI project

BINCI main objective is to develop an integrated software and hardware solution to ease the production, postproduction and distribution of binaural audio content meant to be experienced by consumers through headphones.

BINCI solution comprises a set of tools including an innovative binaural measurement system for professionals, a set of binaural production and post-production plugins, a binaural engine and player for interactive rendering and a head-tracking device for binaural rendering. The integrated software and hardware solution will be fully suitable to develop professional applications in the creative industries in the fields of music, movies and cinematic VR.

BINCI integrated solution is being showcased and tested by a group of audio professionals, involved in giving feedback on the solution, and more than 500 final consumers, who have access to binaural audio storytelling productions in three emblematic cultural and touristic sites.

BINCI is a EU-funded project aiming at providing audio technology solutions to the Creative Industries in order to push and pull the European market offer of innovative audio contents.

The project is funded by the European Union under the programme Horizon 2020 and will last 18 months (January 2017 – June 2018).

Project objectives

  • Defining the requirements specifications of the tools, according to industry needs.
  • Developing a cost-effective binaural measurement system for professionals.
  • Developing production tools to encourage the creation of binaural contents.
  • Integrating software and hardware solutions for a complete immersive audio experience.
  • To evaluate and demonstrate the developed solutions and the experimental productions created with them in real validation environments.
  • To pave the way for exploitation through coordinated business, dissemination and communication strategies and plans.

Demonstrations

BINCI is showcasing and testing its solution from both the professional end users and final consumers’ point of view:

Professional End Users

Group of professional audio producers and artists involved in the testing of the tools of the project while they produce creative projects with BINCI's binaural audio technology. User group members help partners improve the solution to ensure the binaural tools developed meet industry needs.

Final Consumers

Experimental productions will be showcased and tested in three emblematic cultural and historical sites. These productions will be showcased to more than 500 real site visitors to validate the entire workflow for binaural audio content.

Fundació Joan Miró

Barcelona, Spain
Specifically composed binaural audio tour, evoking an atmospheric approach to Joan Miró’s work. The production invites the visitor to get a glimpse of Miró‘s artistic inspiration by putting the visitor into the artist’s mind.

Alte Pinakothek

Munich, Germany
Binaural audioguide production for families visiting the museum. The production uses binaural audio to turn 2D baroque paintings into a 3D experience, allowing the visitors to enter the sceneries depicted and become part of the paintings.

Saint Andrews Castle

Saint Andrews, Scotland
Multi-sensorial audio-VR experiences for all publics recreating the history of the place using audio and virtual reality technologies.

Methodology and work packages

BINCI project has a total duration of 18 months and is divided in 8 work packages (WPs): 5 technical WPs for the development and testing of the software and hardware solution and 3 horizontal WPs for the project coordination, dissemination of the project activities and proof of ethic requirements compliance.

The research and innovation activities in BINCI are grouped in the following work packages:
  • WP1: BINCI Project Coordination
  • WP2: Audio Production Experiences and Requirements
  • WP3: Acoustic Measurements
  • WP4: 3D Audio Production Tools
  • WP5: Binaural Engine and System Integration
  • WP6: BINCI Demonstrations
  • WP7: Dissemination and Exploitation
  • WP8: Work Ethics
Binci