Audio augmented objects and the audio augmented reality experience

This thesis explores the characteristics, experiential qualities and functional attributes of audio augmented objects within the context of museums and the home. Within these contexts, audio augmented objects are realised by attaching binaurally rendered and spatially positioned virtual audio content to real-world objects, museum artefacts, physical locations, architectural features, fixtures and fittings. The potential of these audio augmented objects is explored through a combination of practice-based research and ethnographically framed studies. The practical research takes the form of four sound installation environments delivered through the use of an augmented reality mobile phone application that are deployed within a museum environment and in participants’ homes. Within these experiences, audio augmented objects are capable of being perceived as the actual source of virtual audio content. The findings also demonstrate how the perceived characteristics of real-world objects and physical space can be altered and manipulated through their audio augmentation. In addition, audio augmented museum objects present themselves as providing effective interfaces to digital audio archival content, and digital audio archival content presents itself as an effective re-animator of silenced museum objects. How audio augmented objects can function as catalysts for the exploration of physical space and virtual audio space within both the home and museum is presented. This is achieved by the uncovering of a sequence of interactional phases along with the uncovering of the functional properties of different types of audio content and physical objects within audio augmented object realities. By way of conclusion, it is proposed that the audio augmented object reality alters the current, popular experience of acoustic virtual reality from an experience of you being there, to one of it being here. This change in the perception of the acoustic virtual reality has applications across an array of audio experiences, not just within cultural institutions, but also within various domestic listening experiences including the consumption and delivery of recorded music and audio-based drama

MediaSync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization

This book provides an approachable overview of the most recent advances in the fascinating field of media synchronization (mediasync), gathering contributions from the most representative and influential experts. Understanding the challenges of this field in the current multi-sensory, multi-device, and multi-protocol world is not an easy task. The book revisits the foundations of mediasync, including theoretical frameworks and models, highlights ongoing research efforts, like hybrid broadband broadcast (HBB) delivery and users' perception modeling (i.e., Quality of Experience or QoE), and paves the way for the future (e.g., towards the deployment of multi-sensory and ultra-realistic experiences). Although many advances around mediasync have been devised and deployed, this area of research is getting renewed attention to overcome remaining challenges in the next-generation (heterogeneous and ubiquitous) media ecosystem. Given the significant advances in this research area, its current relevance and the multiple disciplines it involves, the availability of a reference book on mediasync becomes necessary. This book fills the gap in this context. In particular, it addresses key aspects and reviews the most relevant contributions within the mediasync research space, from different perspectives. Mediasync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization is the perfect companion for scholars and practitioners that want to acquire strong knowledge about this research area, and also approach the challenges behind ensuring the best mediated experiences, by providing the adequate synchronization between the media elements that constitute these experiences

Stimulating Personal Development and Knowledge Sharing

Koper, R., Stefanov, K., & Dicheva, D. (Eds.) (2009). Proceedings of the 5th International TENCompetence Open Workshop "Stimulating Personal Development and Knowledge Sharing". October, 30-31, 2008, Sofia, Bulgaria: TENCompetence Workshop.The fifth open workshop of the TENCompetence project took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 30th to 31st October 2008. These proceedings contain the papers that were accepted for publication by the Program Committee.The work on this publication has been sponsored by the TENCompetence Integrated Project that is funded by the European Commission's 6th Framework Programme, priority IST/Technology Enhanced Learning. Contract 027087 [http://www.tencompetence.org

Sonic Interactions in Virtual Environments

This open access book tackles the design of 3D spatial interactions in an audio-centered and audio-first perspective, providing the fundamental notions related to the creation and evaluation of immersive sonic experiences. The key elements that enhance the sensation of place in a virtual environment (VE) are: Immersive audio: the computational aspects of the acoustical-space properties of Virutal Reality (VR) technologies Sonic interaction: the human-computer interplay through auditory feedback in VE VR systems: naturally support multimodal integration, impacting different application domains Sonic Interactions in Virtual Environments will feature state-of-the-art research on real-time auralization, sonic interaction design in VR, quality of the experience in multimodal scenarios, and applications. Contributors and editors include interdisciplinary experts from the fields of computer science, engineering, acoustics, psychology, design, humanities, and beyond. Their mission is to shape an emerging new field of study at the intersection of sonic interaction design and immersive media, embracing an archipelago of existing research spread in different audio communities and to increase among the VR communities, researchers, and practitioners, the awareness of the importance of sonic elements when designing immersive environments