1,841 research outputs found
The quality of experience of next generation audio :exploring system, context and human influence factors
PhD ThesisThe next generation of audio reproduction technology has the potential to deliver
immersive and personalised experiences to the user; multichannel with-height loudspeaker
arrays and binaural techniques offer 3D audio experiences, whereas objectbased
techniques offer possibilities of adapting content to suit the system, context
and user. A fundamental process in the advancement of such technology is perceptual
evaluation. It is crucial to understand how listeners perceive new technology in
order to drive future developments. This thesis explores the experience provided by
next generation audio technology by taking a quality of experience (QoE) approach
to evaluation. System, context and human factors all influence QoE and in this thesis
three case studies are presented to explore the role of these categories of influence factors
(IFs) in the context of next generation audio evaluation. Furthermore, these case
studies explore suitable methods and approaches for the evaluation of the QoE of
next generation audio with respect to its various IFs. Specific contributions delivered
from these individual studies include a subjective comparison between soundbar and
discrete surround sound technology, the application of the Open Profiling of Quality
method to the field of audio evaluation, an understanding of both how and why environmental
noise influences preferred audio object balance, an understanding of how
the influence of technical audio quality on overall listening experience is related to
a range of psychographic variables and an assessment of the impact of binaural processing
on overall listening experience. When considering these studies as a whole,
the research presented here contributes the thesis that to effectively evaluate the perceived
quality of next generation audio, a QoE mindset should be taken that considers
system, context and human IFs.Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the British Broadcasting Corporation
Research & Development department (BBC R&D
Assessment of speech and auditory performances in patients with hearing aids and cochlear implants: the role of ecological environments and challenging communication scenarios
L'abstract eÌ presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen
ENGINEER, PERFORMER, PRODUCER: NEGOTIATIONS OF CONSTRUCTED ELEMENTS OF SOUND AND PERFORMANCE OF A JAZZ RECORDING.
This dissertation investigates the relationship between the engineer, the
performer, and the producer in the creation of a jazz CD, first by laying a foundation
for the need to study how a commercial recording is made, then by defining, in
historical context, the development of the work of the engineer and the producer.
Concepts for defining the performer are also discussed. The roles of engineer,
performer, and producer are compared according to the author`s modus operandi,
which is based on a thirty-year involvement in the recording industry in all of these
positions.
The literature review examines how physics, psychology, aesthetics, and
music relate to recording processes and personnel and shows how art and science
intersect and become inexorably linked during the creation of a jazz CD.
An ethnographic analysis, from the time of the inception of the CD through
the first two days of recording, follows the processes, procedures, and interactions between the engineer, the performers, and the producer.
Problems and resolutions of session planning, studio logistics, musical goals, and personnel are discussed. Problems and resolutions during the edit sessions are also covered. With experimental data, the limits of performance acceptability of time differentials between entrances are tested. Altering improvisations through pitch and
time manipulation and complete phrase alteration are considered. Because this CD was constructed, issues of perspective are at the forefront of the discussion in the mix
portion of the recording process. Perspective, both left to right and front to back,
sonic quality, and perceived acoustic--the room--are discussed. Finally, events
create unexpected twists, and necessary changes are made to resolve these
circumstances
In Car Audio
This chapter presents implementations of advanced in Car Audio Applications. The system is composed by three main different applications regarding the In Car listening and communication experience. Starting from a high level description of the algorithms, several implementations on different levels of hardware abstraction are presented, along with empirical results on both the design process undergone and the performance results achieved
Improving television sound for people with hearing impairments
This thesis investigates how developments in audio for digital television can be utilised to improve the experience of hearing impaired people when watching television. The work has had significant impact on international digital TV broadcast standards; it led to the formation of the UK Clean Audio Forum whose recommendations based on the research have been included in ETSI international standards for digital television, adopted into ITU standards for IPTV and also into EBU and NorDig digital television receiver specifications. In this thesis listening tests are implemented to assess the impact of various processes with a phantom centre channel and with a centre loudspeaker. The impact of non-speech channel attenuation and dynamic range control on speech clarity, sound quality and enjoyment of audio-visual media are investigated for both hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired people. For the first time the impact of acoustical crosstalk in two channel stereo reproduction on intelligibility of speech is quantified using both subjective intelligibility assessments and acoustic measurement techniques with intelligibility benefits of 5.9% found by utilising a centre loudspeaker instead of a phantom centre. A novel implementation of principal component analysis as a pre- broadcast production tool for labelling AV media compatible with a clean audio mix is identified, and two research implementations of accessible audio are documented including an object based implementation of clean audio for live broadcast that has been developed and publicly demonstrated
Creating Soundscapes: A Creative, Technological and Theoretical Investigation of Binaural Technology Usage
Through its portfolio of practical case studies and its engagement with critical thinking from a range of disciplines, the PhD investigates the following key question: what are the technical, aesthetic and conceptual impacts of using binaural technology to create a soundscape?
âUsing binaural technologyâ implies users and users are essentially at the heart of this impact because users mediate the technical and aesthetic aspects of binaural technology and also inherently shape the theoretical ideology of this technology. By analysing usersâ interactions with binaural technology from a social constructivist perspective, this thesis gains rich insights into the impact of using binaural technology when creating soundscapes.
Chapter One explores sound artistsâ and field recordistsâ work that use binaural technology for the shared purpose of documenting urban soundwalks. The first case study âAudio Postcardsâ is also informed by questions drawn from acoustic ecology, socio-political theories on the practices of everyday life and the challenges that arise in finding, recording and preserving âsoundmarksâ.
Chapter Two outlines practitionersâ applications of binaural technology to create an intimate connection to an art piece such as theatre director David Rosenbergâs productions. Peter Salvatore Petraliaâs concept of headspace is applied to the chapterâs case study: âFrom Austria To Americaâ to further understand binaural technologyâs psychoacoustic effects.
Chapter Three studies the impact of social groups who use binaural technology to record classical music performances. Traditional stereo and binaural classical music recording conventions are shaped in a new direction in two case studies: âPoint of Auditionâ and âFrom Page to Stageâ. Questions of âfidelityâ also arise from this creative practice.
The outcomes of this reflective binaural practice unearth deep layers of understanding. This thesis discovers the impact of binaural technology moves beyond the effect it has on a listener to realise this recording practice also impacts a recordistâs decisions in the field and a sound artistâs creative choices when crafting soundscapes. The beneficial impact of binaural technology including its inconspicuous nature, the ability to imprint an artistâs subjective signature on recordings and its lifelike immersive qualities in playback are revealed through practice and reflection. Representing the real, the role of artist and point of audition are also themes explored throughout each chapter. Ultimately, insights gained are woven together as a means of constructing an original theoretical framework for an under-theorised subject: understanding how social user groups shape the impact of using binaural technology when creating soundscapes.Arts and Humanities Research Counci
The Impact of Multichannel Game Audio on the Quality of Player Experience and In-game Performance
Multichannel audio is a term used in reference to a collection of techniques designed to present sound to a listener from all directions. This can be done either over a collection of loudspeakers surrounding the listener, or over a pair of headphones by virtualising sound sources at specific positions. The most popular commercial example is surround-sound, a technique whereby sounds that make up an auditory scene are divided among a defined group of audio channels and played back over an array of loudspeakers. Interactive video games are well suited to this kind of audio presentation, due to the way in which in-game sounds react dynamically to player actions. Employing multichannel game audio gives the potential of immersive and enveloping soundscapes whilst also adding possible tactical advantages. However, it is unclear as to whether these factors actually impact a playerâs overall experience. There is a general consensus in the wider gaming community that surround-sound audio is beneficial for gameplay but there is very little academic work to back this up. It is therefore important to investigate empirically how players react to multichannel game audio, and hence the main motivation for this thesis. The aim was to find if a surround-sound system can outperform other systems with fewer audio channels (like mono and stereo). This was done by performing listening tests that assessed the perceived spatial sound quality and preferences towards some commonly used multichannel systems for game audio playback over both loudspeakers and headphones. There was also a focus on how multichannel audio might influence the success of a player in a game, based on their in-game score and their navigation within a virtual world. Results suggest that surround-sound game audio is preferable over more regularly used two-channel stereo systems, because it is perceived to have higher spatial sound quality and there is an improvement in player performance. This illustrates the potential for multichannel game audio as a tool to positively influence player experiences, a core goal many game designers strive to achieve
Experiential Perspectives on Sound and Music for Virtual Reality Technologies
This thesis examines the intersection of sound, music, and virtuality within current and next-generation virtual reality technologies, with a specific focus on exploring the experiential perspectives of users and participants within virtual experiences. The first half of the thesis constructs a new theoretical model for examining intersections of sound and virtual experience. In Chapter 1, a new framework for virtual experience is constructed consisting of three key elements: virtual hardware (e.g., displays, speakers); virtual software (e.g., rules and systems of interaction); and virtual externalities (i.e., physical spaces used for engaging in virtual experiences). Through using and applying this new model, methodical examinations of complex virtual experiences are possible. Chapter 2 examines the second axis of the thesis through constructing an understanding of how sound is designed, implemented, and received within virtual reality. The concept of soundscapes is explored in the context of experiential perspectives, serving as a useful approach for describing received auditory phenomena. Auditory environments are proposed as a new model for exploring how auditory phenomena can be broadcast to audiences. Chapter 3 explores how inauthenticity within sound can impact users in virtual experience and uses authenticity to critically examine challenges surrounding sound in virtual reality. Constructions of authenticity in music performance are used to illustrate how authenticity is constructed within virtual experience. Chapter 4 integrates music into the understanding of auditory phenomena constructed throughout the thesis: music is rarely part of the created world in a virtual experience. Rather, it is typically something which only the audience â as external observers of the created world â can hear. Therefore, music within immersive virtual reality may be challenging as the audience is placed within the created world.The second half of this thesis uses this theoretical model to consider contemporary and future approaches to virtual experiences. Chapter 5 constructs a series of case studies to demonstrate the use of the framework as a trans-medial and intra/inter-contextual tool of analysis. Through use of the framework, varying approaches to implementation of sound and music in virtual reality technologies are considered, which reveals trans-medial commonalities of immersion and engagement with virtual experiences through sound. Chapter 6 examines near-future technologies, including brain-computer interfaces and other full-immersion technologies, to identify key issues in the design and implementation of future virtual experiences and suggest how interdisciplinary collaboration may help to develop solutions to these issues. Chapter 7 considers how the proposed model for virtuality might allow for methodical examination of similar issues within other fields, such as acoustics and architecture, and examines the ethical considerations that may become relevant as virtual technology develops within the 21st Century.This research explores and rationalises theoretical models of virtuality and sound. This permits designers and developers to improve the implementation of sound and music in virtual experiences for the purpose of improving user outcomes.<br/
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