1
|
Zhang R, Meng R, Sang J, Hu Y, Li X, Zheng C. Modelling individual head‐related transfer function (HRTF) based on anthropometric parameters and generic HRTF amplitudes. CAAI TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1049/cit2.12196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research Institute of Acoustics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Ruijie Meng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research Institute of Acoustics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jinqiu Sang
- Shanghai Institute of AI for Education East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin USA
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research Institute of Acoustics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Chengshi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research Institute of Acoustics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cuevas-Rodriguez M, Gonzalez-Toledo D, Reyes-Lecuona A, Picinali L. Impact of non-individualised head related transfer functions on speech-in-noise performances within a synthesised virtual environment. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:2573. [PMID: 33940900 DOI: 10.1121/10.0004220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
When performing binaural spatialisation, it is widely accepted that the choice of the head related transfer functions (HRTFs), and in particular the use of individually measured ones, can have an impact on localisation accuracy, externalization, and overall realism. Yet the impact of HRTF choices on speech-in-noise performances in cocktail party-like scenarios has not been investigated in depth. This paper introduces a study where 22 participants were presented with a frontal speech target and two lateral maskers, spatialised using a set of non-individual HRTFs. Speech reception threshold (SRT) was measured for each HRTF. Furthermore, using the SRT predicted by an existing speech perception model, the measured values were compensated in the attempt to remove overall HRTF-specific benefits. Results show significant overall differences among the SRTs measured using different HRTFs, consistently with the results predicted by the model. Individual differences between participants related to their SRT performances using different HRTFs could also be found, but their significance was reduced after the compensation. The implications of these findings are relevant to several research areas related to spatial hearing and speech perception, suggesting that when testing speech-in-noise performances within binaurally rendered virtual environments, the choice of the HRTF for each individual should be carefully considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cuevas-Rodriguez
- Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica, Universidad de Málaga, ETSI Telecomunicación, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Daniel Gonzalez-Toledo
- Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica, Universidad de Málaga, ETSI Telecomunicación, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Arcadio Reyes-Lecuona
- Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica, Universidad de Málaga, ETSI Telecomunicación, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Picinali
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2DB, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Stitt P, Katz BFG. Sensitivity analysis of pinna morphology on head-related transfer functions simulated via a parametric pinna model. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:2559. [PMID: 33940891 DOI: 10.1121/10.0004128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The head-related transfer function (HRTF) defines the acoustic path from a source to the two ears of a listener in a manner that is highly dependent on direction. This directional dependence arises from the highly individual morphology of the pinna, which results in complex reflections and resonances. While this notion is generally accepted, there has been little research on the importance of different structural elements of the pinna on the HRTF. A parametric three-dimensional ear model was used to investigate the changes in shape of the pinna in a systematic manner with a view to determining important contributing morphological parameters that can be used for HRTF individualization. HRTFs were simulated using the boundary element method. The analysis comprised objective comparisons between the directional transfer function and diffuse field component. The mean spectral distortion was used for global evaluation of HRTF similarity across all simulated positions. A perceptual localization model was used to determine correspondences between perceptual cues and objective parameters. A reasonable match was found between the modelled perceptual results and the mean spectral distortion. Modifications to the shape of the concha were found to have an important impact on the HRTF, as did those in proximity to the triangular fossa. Furthermore, parameters that control the relief of the pinna were found to be at least as important as more frequently cited side-facing parameters, highlighting limitations in previous morphological/HRTF studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Stitt
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7190, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, Lutheries-Acoustique-Musique, Paris, France
| | - Brian F G Katz
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7190, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, Lutheries-Acoustique-Musique, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ecological Validity of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) Techniques for the Perception of Urban Sound Environments. ACOUSTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/acoustics3010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) is a simulated technology used to deliver multisensory information to people under different environmental conditions. When IVR is generally applied in urban planning and soundscape research, it reveals attractive possibilities for the assessment of urban sound environments with higher immersion for human participation. In virtual sound environments, various topics and measures are designed to collect subjective responses from participants under simulated laboratory conditions. Soundscape or noise assessment studies during virtual experiences adopt an evaluation approach similar to in situ methods. This paper aims to review the approaches that are utilized to assess the ecological validity of IVR for the perception of urban sound environments and the necessary technologies during audio–visual reproduction to establish a dynamic IVR experience that ensures ecological validity. The review shows that, through the use of laboratory tests including subjective response surveys, cognitive performance tests and physiological responses, the ecological validity of IVR can be assessed for the perception of urban sound environments. The reproduction system with head-tracking functions synchronizing spatial audio and visual stimuli (e.g., head-mounted displays (HMDs) with first-order Ambisonics (FOA)-tracked binaural playback) represents the prevailing trend to achieve high ecological validity. These studies potentially contribute to the outcomes of a normalized evaluation framework for subjective soundscape and noise assessments in virtual environments.
Collapse
|
5
|
Pausch F, Fels J. Localization Performance in a Binaural Real-Time Auralization System Extended to Research Hearing Aids. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520908704. [PMID: 32324491 PMCID: PMC7198834 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520908704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Auralization systems for auditory research should ideally be validated by perceptual experiments, as well as objective measures. This study employed perceptual tests to evaluate a recently proposed binaural real-time auralization system for hearing aid (HA) users. The dynamic localization of real sound sources was compared with that of virtualized ones, reproduced binaurally over headphones, loudspeakers with crosstalk cancellation (CTC) filters, research HAs, or combined via loudspeakers with CTC filters and research HAs under free-field conditions. System-inherent properties affecting localization cues were identified and their effects on overall horizontal localization, reversal rates, and angular error metrics were assessed. The general localization performance in combined reproduction was found to fall between what was measured for loudspeakers with CTC filters and research HAs alone. Reproduction via research HAs alone resulted in the highest reversal rates and angular errors. While combined reproduction helped decrease the reversal rates, no significant effect was observed on the angular error metrics. However, combined reproduction resulted in the same overall horizontal source localization performance as measured for real sound sources, while improving localization compared with reproduction over research HAs alone. Collectively, the results with respect to combined reproduction can be considered a performance indicator for future experiments involving HA users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Pausch
- Teaching and Research Area of Medical Acoustics, Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University
| | - Janina Fels
- Teaching and Research Area of Medical Acoustics, Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Best V, Baumgartner R, Lavandier M, Majdak P, Kopčo N. Sound Externalization: A Review of Recent Research. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520948390. [PMID: 32914708 PMCID: PMC7488874 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520948390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound externalization, or the perception that a sound source is outside of the head, is an intriguing phenomenon that has long interested psychoacousticians. While previous reviews are available, the past few decades have produced a substantial amount of new data.In this review, we aim to synthesize those data and to summarize advances in our understanding of the phenomenon. We also discuss issues related to the definition and measurement of sound externalization and describe quantitative approaches that have been taken to predict the outcomes of externalization experiments. Last, sound externalization is of practical importance for many kinds of hearing technologies. Here, we touch on two examples, discussing the role of sound externalization in augmented/virtual reality systems and bringing attention to the somewhat overlooked issue of sound externalization in wearers of hearing aids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Best
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert Baumgartner
- Acoustics Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Piotr Majdak
- Acoustics Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Norbert Kopčo
- Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Košice, Slovakia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jenny C, Reuter C. Usability of Individualized Head-Related Transfer Functions in Virtual Reality: Empirical Study With Perceptual Attributes in Sagittal Plane Sound Localization. JMIR Serious Games 2020; 8:e17576. [PMID: 32897232 PMCID: PMC7509635 DOI: 10.2196/17576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to present virtual sound sources via headphones spatially, head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) can be applied to audio signals. In this so-called binaural virtual acoustics, the spatial perception may be degraded if the HRTFs deviate from the true HRTFs of the listener. OBJECTIVE In this study, participants wearing virtual reality (VR) headsets performed a listening test on the 3D audio perception of virtual audiovisual scenes, thus enabling us to investigate the necessity and influence of the individualization of HRTFs. Two hypotheses were investigated: first, general HRTFs lead to limitations of 3D audio perception in VR and second, the localization model for stationary localization errors is transferable to nonindividualized HRTFs in more complex environments such as VR. METHODS For the evaluation, 39 subjects rated individualized and nonindividualized HRTFs in an audiovisual virtual scene on the basis of 5 perceptual qualities: localizability, front-back position, externalization, tone color, and realism. The VR listening experiment consisted of 2 tests: in the first test, subjects evaluated their own and the general HRTF from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Knowles Electronics Manikin for Acoustic Research database and in the second test, their own and 2 other nonindividualized HRTFs from the Acoustics Research Institute HRTF database. For the experiment, 2 subject-specific, nonindividualized HRTFs with a minimal and maximal localization error deviation were selected according to the localization model in sagittal planes. RESULTS With the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for the first test, analysis of variance for the second test, and a sample size of 78, the results were significant in all perceptual qualities, except for the front-back position between own and minimal deviant nonindividualized HRTF (P=.06). CONCLUSIONS Both hypotheses have been accepted. Sounds filtered by individualized HRTFs are considered easier to localize, easier to externalize, more natural in timbre, and thus more realistic compared to sounds filtered by nonindividualized HRTFs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Jenny
- Musicological Department, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zagala F, Noisternig M, Katz BFG. Comparison of direct and indirect perceptual head-related transfer function selection methods. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:3376. [PMID: 32486821 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
When a personalized set of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) is not available, a common solution is identifying a perceptually appropriate substitute from a database. There are various approaches to this selection process whether based on localization cues, subjective evaluations, or anthropomorphic similarities. This study investigates whether HRTF rankings that stem from different selection methods yield comparable results. A perceptual study was carried out using a basic source localization method and a subjective quality judgment method for a common set of eight HRTFs. HRTF rankings were determined according to different metrics from each method for each subject and the respective results were compared. Results indicate a significant and positive mean correlation between certain metrics. The best HRTFs selected according to one method had significant above-average rating scores according to metrics in the second method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franck Zagala
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, UMR 7190, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Markus Noisternig
- Sciences et Technologies de la Musique et du Son (STMS) - IRCAM, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Brian F G Katz
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, UMR 7190, Paris, F-75005, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hanneton S, Hoellinger T, Forma V, Roby-Brami A, Auvray M. Ears on the Hand: Reaching Three-Dimensional Targets With an Audio-Motor Device. Multisens Res 2019; 33:1-23. [PMID: 32092705 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-20191436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the processes underlying sensorimotor coupling with the environment is crucial for sensorimotor rehabilitation and sensory substitution. In doing so, devices which provide novel sensory feedback consequent to body movement may be optimized in order to enhance motor performance for particular tasks. The aim of the study reported here was to investigate audio-motor coupling when the auditory experience is linked to movements of the head or the hands. The participants had to localize and reach a virtual source with the dominant hand in response to sounds. An electromagnetic system recorded the position and orientation of the participants' head and hands. This system was connected to a 3D audio system that provided binaural auditory feedback on the position of the virtual listener located on the participants' body. The listener's position was computed either from the hands or from the head. For the hand condition, the virtual listener was placed on the dominant hand (the one used to reach the target) in Experiment 1 and on the non-dominant hand, which was constrained in order to have similar amplitude and degrees of freedom as that of the head, in Experiment 2. The results revealed that, in the two experiments, the participants were able to localize a source within the 3D auditory environment. Performance varied as a function of the effector's degrees of freedom and the spatial coincidence between sensor and effector. The results also allowed characterizing the kinematics of the hand and head and how they change with audio-motor coupling condition and practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Hanneton
- 1Institut des Sciences du Sport-Santé EA3625, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Hoellinger
- 2Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie et Biomécanique du mouvement, Faculté des Sciences de la motricité, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Vincent Forma
- 3Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, CNRS UMR 8242, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Agnes Roby-Brami
- 4Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, ISIR, CNRS UMR 7222, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- 5Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Equipe Agathe, INSERM U 1150, Paris, France
| | - Malika Auvray
- 4Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, ISIR, CNRS UMR 7222, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Postma BNJ, Katz BFG. The influence of visual distance on the room-acoustic experience of auralizations. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 142:3035. [PMID: 29195448 DOI: 10.1121/1.5009554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Auralizations have become more prevalent in architectural acoustics and virtual reality. Studies have shown that by employing a methodical calibration procedure, ecologically/perceptually valid auralizations can be obtained. Another study demonstrated a manner to include dynamic voice directivity with results indicating these auralizations were judged significantly more plausible than auralizations with static source orientations. With the increased plausibility of auralizations, it is possible to study room-acoustic experience employing virtual reality, having confidence that the results also apply to real-life situations. Limited studies have examined the influence of visuals on room-acoustic experience. Using a virtual reality framework, this study investigated the influence of visuals on the room-acoustic experience of auralizations. Evaluations compared dynamic voice auralizations coherently matched with visualization positions to incoherently matched audio-visual pairs. Based on the results, the test population could be divided into three subgroups: (1) those who judged auralizations more acoustically distant with increased visual distance, (2) those who judged auralizations louder with increased visual distance, and (3) those whose audio judgment was uninfluenced by the visual stimulus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barteld N J Postma
- Audio Acoustics group, LIMSI, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Brian F G Katz
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Institut d'Alembert, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Andreopoulou A, Katz BFG. Identification of perceptually relevant methods of inter-aural time difference estimation. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 142:588. [PMID: 28863557 DOI: 10.1121/1.4996457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The inter-aural time difference (ITD) is a fundamental cue for human sound localization. Over the past decades several methods have been proposed for its estimation from measured head-related impulse response (HRIR) data. Nevertheless, inter-method variations in ITD calculation have been found to exceed the known just noticeable differences (JNDs), leading to possible perceptible artifacts in virtual binaural auditory scenes, when personalized HRIRs are being used. In the absence of an objective means for validating ITD estimations, this paper examines which methods lead to the most perceptually relevant results. A subjective lateralization study compared objective ITDs to perceptually evaluated inter-aural pure delay offsets. Results clearly indicate the first-onset threshold detection method, using a low relative threshold of -30 dB, applied on 3 kHz low-pass filtered HRIRs as consistently the most perceptually relevant procedure across various metrics. Several alternative threshold values and methods based on the maximum or centroid of the inter-aural cross correlation of similarly filtered HRIR or HRIR envelopes also provided reasonable results. On the contrary, phase-based methods employing the integrated relative group delay or auditory model were not found to perform as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Areti Andreopoulou
- Audio and Acoustic Group, LIMSI, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Brian F G Katz
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, CNRS, Institut d'Alembert, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hendrickx E, Stitt P, Messonnier JC, Lyzwa JM, Katz BF, de Boishéraud C. Influence of head tracking on the externalization of speech stimuli for non-individualized binaural synthesis. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 141:2011. [PMID: 28372109 DOI: 10.1121/1.4978612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Binaural reproduction aims at recreating a realistic audio scene at the ears of the listener using headphones. In the real acoustic world, sound sources tend to be externalized (that is, perceived to be emanating from a source out in the world) rather than internalized (that is, perceived to be emanating from inside the head). Unfortunately, several studies report a collapse of externalization, especially with frontal and rear virtual sources, when listening to binaural content using non-individualized Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs). The present study examines whether or not head movements coupled with a head tracking device can compensate for this collapse. For each presentation, a speech stimulus was presented over headphones at different azimuths, using several intermixed sets of non-individualized HRTFs for the binaural rendering. The head tracker could either be active or inactive, and the subjects could either be asked to rotate their heads or to keep them as stationary as possible. After each presentation, subjects reported to what extent the stimulus had been externalized. In contrast to several previous studies, results showed that head movements can substantially enhance externalization, especially for frontal and rear sources, and that externalization can persist once the subject has stopped moving his/her head.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Hendrickx
- Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, 209, Avenue Jean-Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Peter Stitt
- Audio Acoustics Group, Laboratoire d'Informatique pour la Mécanique et les Sciences de l'Ingénieur, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Messonnier
- Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, 209, Avenue Jean-Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Marc Lyzwa
- Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, 209, Avenue Jean-Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Brian Fg Katz
- Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institut d'Alembert, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Catherine de Boishéraud
- Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, 209, Avenue Jean-Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|