A GRAPH-BASED SYSTEM FOR THE DYNAMIC GENERATION OF SOUNDSCAPES (original) (raw)
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Simulating the Soundscape through an Analysis/Resynthesis Methodology
Auditory Display, 2010
This paper presents a graph-based system for the dynamic generation of soundscapes and its implementation in an application that allows for an interactive, real-time exploration of the resulting soundscapes. The application can be used alone, as a pure sonic exploration device, but can also be integrated into a virtual reality engine. In this way, the soundcape can be acoustically integrated in the exploration of an architectonic/urbanistic landscape. The paper is organized as follows: after taking into account the literature on soundscape, we provide a formal definition of the concept; then, a model is introduced, and finally, we describe a software application together with a case-study
A FRAMEWORK FOR SOUNDSCAPE ANALYSIS AND RESYNTHESIS
2009
This paper presents a methodology for the synthesis and interactive exploration of real soundscapes. We propose a soundscape analysis method that relies upon a sound object behavior typology and a notion of "sound zone" that collocates objects typologies in spatial locations. Then, a graphbased model for organising sound objects in space and time is described. Finally, the resulting methodology is discussed in relation to a case study.
SoundScapeGenerator: soundscape modelling and simulation
Atti del XX CIM ‐ Colloquio di Informatica Musicale ‐ MUSICHE LIQUIDE, 2014
This paper describes SoundScapeGenerator, a generic system for modelling and simulating soundscapes both in real and non-real time. SoundsScapeGenerator features algorithms for three-dimensional sound-localisation and is able to model complex spaces. The system relies on abstract rule descriptions (generators) to simulate deterministic, “cartoonified” (loosely modelled) sequencing of sound events. It further supports virtual P.O.H. (point of hearing) and is able to render the final output in various channel configurations. Based on generative algorithms, the SoundScapeGenerator implementation allows real-time user interaction with ever-changing soundscapes, and it can easily communicate with other applications and devices. Finally, we introduce SoundScapeComposer, a higher level module developed for the SoDA project (dedicated to soundscape automatic generation), that has been built on top of SoundScapeGenerator, hiding most of the latter's details to the user.
Next generation soundscape design using virtual reality technologies
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2016
The quality of life including good sound quality has been sought by community members as part of the smart city initiative. While many governments have placed special attention to waste management, air and water pollution, acoustic environment in cities has been directed toward the control of noise, in particular, transportation noise. Governments that care about the tranquility in cities rely primarily on setting the socalled acceptable noise levels i.e. just quantities for compliance and improvement. Sound quality is always ignored. Recently, the ISO released a series of standards on soundscape. However, sound quality is a subjective matter and depends heavily on the perception of humans in different contexts. The study of soundscape and sound quality is not easy. According to the ISO soundscape guideline, people can use sound walks, questionnaire surveys, and even lab tests to determine sound quality during a soundscape design process. With the advance of virtual reality technologies, we believe that the current technology enables us to create an application that immerses designers and stakeholders in the community to perceive and compare changes in sound quality and to provide feedback on different soundscape designs. An app has been developed specifically for this purpose.
Development of a soundscape simulator tool
2009
This paper discusses the development of an interactive soundscape simulator, enabling users to manipulate a series of parameters to investigate if there is group correlation between factors such as source selection, positioning and level. The basis of the simulator stems from fieldwork and recordings carried out in London and Manchester. Through the use of an enhanced version of soundwalking, respondents are led on a walk around an urban space focusing on the soundscape, whilst answering questions in a semi-structured interview. The data collected is then used to inform the ecological validity of the simulator. The laboratory based tests use simulations based on spaces recorded in a series of urban locations, as well as an 'idealised' soundscape simulation, featuring data from all recorded locations. The sound sources used are based on user highlighted selections from all locations, based on preferences extracted from soundwalk field data. Preliminary results show the simulator is effective in obtaining numerical data based on subjective choices as well as, effective qualitative data which provides an insight into the reasoning behind the respondents choices. This work forms part of the Positive Soundscape Project.
Proceedings of the SMC Conferences, 2017
This project presents the development of an interactive environment inspired by soundscape composition, in which a user can explore a sound augmented reality related to a real soundscape. The user walks on the application's responsive floor controlling through her/his position the soundscape rendering. In the same time s/he can explore the sound structure entering central zone of the responsive floor, where some granular synthesis processes are activated. One main goal of the project is to sensitize the participants regarding the surrounding sonic environment looking also for pedagogical studies. A first evaluation of an audio excerpt produced by a user's soundwalk shows that the application can produce good quality and interesting soundscapes, which are fully consistent with the real environments from which they were inspired. Copyright: c 2017 Matteo Lionello et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Synthesis of a Virtual Urban Soundscape
Buildings, 2014
The main research question addressed in this article is to find out to what extent it is possible to predict statistical noise levels such as L 5 and L 95 on an urban public square, based on the information about the square's functionality, the activities going on, and the architecture of the surrounding buildings. The same information is also exploited to auralize the soundscape on the virtual square, in order to assess the disturbance perceived by people of the traffic noise by means of laboratory listening tests, which are based on binaural sound recordings acquired in situ and incorporated in simulations to evoke typical acoustical situations. Auralizations were carried out by two calculation algorithms (ray-tracing and image source method) and two acoustic scenarios (an anechoic situation and a virtually reconstructed square in Odeon ® ). The statistical noise levels, calculated from the auralized soundscapes, compare well with measurements in situ. The listening test results also show that there are significant differences in people's perception of traffic noise, depending on their origin.
Proceedings: VSMM 2008 International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia, 2008
This paper presents and discusses the technical, theoretical, creative challenges of virtually recreating and presenting the soundscape of a cultural heritage environment that no longer exists. The case study that is described is the virtual reconstruction of West Oakland California's 7th Street during the 1950's, at the time when it was a vivid cultural node famous with the music scene of its bars and clubs as well as its busy shops, hotels, restaurants and streetcars. We designed a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) with the aim of recreating the entire street, complete with its buildings, sounds and music, in a computer game format that unfolds as a hypertextual story. It is assumed that a multi-modal representation of the environment as exemplified by our model will exponentially enhance the feeling of immersion, contribute to the sense of historic authenticity and ultimately increase the cultural and educational value of the project. The paper introduces the theoretical background of soundscape research, which is based on an extensive scholarship exemplified by the works of Schafer, Truax, Blesser and others. It explicates the methodology that has been followed, comprising specific algorithms and techniques built on top of an OpenAL-based 3D game audio framework. The process of generating the lifelike three-dimensional, interactive soundscape of the street is presented in detail, followed by a discussion of the applicability of the approach for other projects in the area of virtual cultural heritage representation.
City Ditty: An Immersive Soundscape Sketchpad for Professionals of the Built Environment
Applied Sciences
Soundscape planning remains a challenge to many urban practitioners due in part to a scarcity of soundscape design tools. While many sound planning tools exist, they are generally geared towards acousticians rather than professionals of the built environment (e.g., urban designers, planners, or landscape architects). This paper walks through the user-centered design process for the development and evaluation of a new soundscape design tool, City Ditty. A User-Centered Design approach was utilized to identify and develop functionalities that would benefit urban practitioners that do not currently specialize in sound. This began with a literature review of existing soundscape tools, followed by a user needs assessment with professionals of the built environment, consisting of a workshop including focus groups, tech demos, and a collaborative soundscape design exercise. These results funneled into the development of City Ditty: an immersive soundscape sketchpad that facilitates rapid a...
On efforts to standardize a graphical description of the soundscape concept
2010
As new fields of research grow, they develop their own purposes, lexicon, methods, metrics, criteria, etc. Early in the research it is common to standardize lexicon, methods, and concepts for the purpose of shared comprehension of these. Lexicon and concepts are usually the first items to be standardized. International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 43/Sub-Committee 1/Working Group 54 has begun an effort to develop soundscape standards. This paper reports on efforts to standardize a graphical description of the soundscape concept. This graphical description is still evolving and currently includes the key elements to the soundscape concept