An investigation into the application of Distributed Endpoint Processing to 3D Immersive Audio Rendering
- Authors: Devonport, Robin Sean
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Electronic data processing Distributed processing , Audio over IP , Sound Recording and reproducing Digital techniques , Surround-sound systems
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/163258 , vital:41022
- Description: 3D immersive audio rendering systems use algorithms that accurately render the perceived location of an audio source within a space using multiple sets of loudspeakers. The algorithms used by these renderers can become very processor intensive as the number of tracks and loudspeakers being used increases. The ImmerGo spatial audio system provides a solution to this by using distributed endpoint processing. ImmerGo uses a client-server architecture that controls multiple smaller endpoints distributed on an Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (AVB) network. Each endpoint contains an audio mixer which is dedicated to mixing audio to a smaller subset of speakers according to commands from ImmerGo. The ImmerGo system performs its rendering calculations within the host computer and then mixes the audio at each endpoint. The work in this thesis identified that the processing load put on the host computer due to these calculations may be mitigated by offloading the rendering algorithm calculations to the endpoints as well. In order to prove this for a number of different algorithms, the ImmerGo system was modified to include three new algorithms as well as the one it currently uses. Each algorithm then had its processing offloaded to the endpoints at three successive steps of distribution. Tests were performed to determine the limitations of each step, and how the host processor and endpoint processors were affected by distributing the calculations. Listening tests were also performed to ensure that each newly introduced algorithm was implemented correctly. , Thesis (MSc)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2020.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Determination of speaker configuration for an immersive audio content creation system
- Authors: Lebusa, Motebang
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Loudspeakers , Surround-sound systems , Algorithms , Coordinates
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/163375 , vital:41034
- Description: Various spatialisation algorithms require the knowledge of speaker locations to accurately localise sound in 3D environments. The rendering process uses speaker coordinates to feed into their algorithms so that they can render the immersive audio content as intended by an artist. The need to measure the loudspeaker coordinates becomes necessary, especially in environments where the speaker layouts change frequently. Manually measuring the coordinates, however, tends to be a laborious task that is prone to errors. This research provides an automated solution to the problem of speaker coordinates measurement. The solution system, SDIAS, is a client-server system that uses the capabilities provided by the Ethernet Audio Video Bridging standard to measure the 3D loudspeaker coordinates for immersive sound systems. SDIAS deploys commodity hardware and readily available software to implement the solution. A server sends a short tone to each speaker in the speaker configuration, at equal intervals. A microphone attached to a mobile device picks up these transmitted tones on the client side, from different locations. The transmission and reception times from both components of the system are used to measure the time of flight for each tone sent to a loudspeaker. These are then used to determine the 3D coordinates of each loudspeaker in the available layout. Tests were performed to determine the accuracy of the determination algorithm for SDIAS, and were compared to the manually measured coordinates. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020
An investigation into the use of intuitive control interfaces and distributed processing for enhanced three dimensional sound localization
- Authors: Hedges, Mitchell Lawrence
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Human-computer interaction , Acoustic localization , Sound -- Equipment and supplies , Acoustical engineering , Surround-sound systems , Wireless sensor nodes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4724 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020615
- Description: This thesis investigates the feasibility of using gestures as a means of control for localizing three dimensional (3D) sound sources in a distributed immersive audio system. A prototype system was implemented and tested which uses state of the art technology to achieve the stated goals. A Windows Kinect is used for gesture recognition which translates human gestures into control messages by the prototype system, which in turn performs actions based on the recognized gestures. The term distributed in the context of this system refers to the audio processing capacity. The prototype system partitions and allocates the processing load between a number of endpoints. The reallocated processing load consists of the mixing of audio samples according to a specification. The endpoints used in this research are XMOS AVB endpoints. The firmware on these endpoints were modified to include the audio mixing capability which was controlled by a state of the art audio distribution networking standard, Ethernet AVB. The hardware used for the implementation of the prototype system is relatively cost efficient in comparison to professional audio hardware, and is also commercially available for end users. the successful implementation and results from user testing of the prototype system demonstrates how it is a feasible option for recording the localization of a sound source. The ability to partition the processing provides a modular approach to building immersive sound systems. This removes the constraint of a centralized mixing console with a predetermined speaker configuration.
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- Date Issued: 2016
A distributed approach to surround sound production
- Authors: Smith, Adrian Wilfrid
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Surround-sound systems , Computer sound processing , Music -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4602 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004855 , Surround-sound systems , Computer sound processing , Music -- Data processing
- Description: The requirement for multi-channel surround sound in audio production applications is growing rapidly. Audio processing in these applications can be costly, particularly in multi-channel systems. A distributed approach is proposed for the development of a realtime spatialization system for surround sound music production, using Ambisonic surround sound methods. The latency in the system is analyzed, with a focus on the audio processing and network delays, in order to ascertain the feasibility of an enhanced, distributed real-time spatialization system.
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- Date Issued: 1999