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Perceptual Fidelity Versus Engineering Compromises in Virtual Acoustic DisplaysImmersive, three-dimensional displays are increasingly becoming a goal of advanced human-machine interfaces. While the technology for achieving truly useful multisensory environments is still being developed, techniques for generating three-dimensional sound are now both sophisticated and practical enough to be applied to acoustic displays. The ultimate goal of virtual acoustics is to simulate the complex acoustic field experienced by a listener freely moving around within an environment. Of course, such complexity, freedom of movement and interactivity is not always possible in a 'true' virtual environment, much less in lower-fidelity multimedia systems. However, many of the perceptual and engineering constraints (and frustrations) that researchers, engineers and listeners have experienced in virtual audio are relevant to multimedia. In fact, some of the problems that have been studied will be even more of an issue for lower fidelity systems that are attempting to address the requirements of a huge, diverse and ultimately unknown audience. Examples include individual differences in head-related transfer functions, A lack of real interactively (head-tracking) in many multimedia displays, and perceptual degradation due to low sampling rates and/or low-bit compression. This paper discusses some of the engineering constraints faced during implementation of virtual acoustic environments and the perceptual consequences of these constraints. Specific examples are given for NASA applications such as telerobotic control, aeronautical displays, and shuttle launch communications. An attempt will also be made to relate these issues to low-fidelity implementations such as the internet.
Document ID
20020051030
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Wenzel, Elizabeth M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Ellis, Stephen R.
Frey, Mary Anne
Schneider, Victor S.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Subject Category
Acoustics
Meeting Information
Meeting: Acoustical Society of America Conference
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: December 1, 1997
End Date: December 5, 1997
Sponsors: Acoustical Society of America
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 199-06-12-32
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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