Hybrid Audio Rendering for Shared VR and AR Listening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual and augmented reality applications face challenges in providing an optimal user experience with high computational resource requirements and suboptimal audio rendering, especially in social or shared experiences where users in the same location are acoustically isolated, diminishing the social aspect.
Innovation Solution
An audio apparatus that uses a hybrid rendering approach, combining loudspeaker and headphone reproduction, where audio signals are processed differently based on listener pose and intended output device, allowing for personalized and consistent audio-visual scene perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If headphone reproduction is used for spatial audio rendering in VR/AR applications, then individual user immersion and personalized audio experience are improved, but users in the same location become acoustically isolated, diminishing the social aspect
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into multiple independent channels, each corresponding to a specific spatial position in the virtual environment. Each channel can be independently rendered and directed to appropriate output devices (headphones or loudspeakers), allowing selective spatial rendering that maintains both immersion and social interaction capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to audio rendering by implementing listener pose-dependent audio channel generation. The audio rendering adapts to the listener's head position and orientation, creating a three-dimensional audio experience that works across different reproduction configurations (headphones, loudspeakers, or hybrid), thereby maintaining immersion while enabling social interaction through spatial awareness
2Reliability
If dynamic audio rendering adapted to listener pose is implemented, then user immersion and personalized experience are improved, but computational resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates audio channels for different listener poses and positions before actual playback. By preparing audio content in advance for various possible listener configurations, the system reduces real-time computational requirements while maintaining the ability to provide pose-adapted spatial audio rendering
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes audio rendering parameters based on listener pose and position, but does so efficiently by using parameter-based control rather than complete re-rendering. The audio channels are generated with parameters that adapt to listener movement, providing dynamic spatial audio with reduced computational overhead compared to full dynamic re-rendering
Data Source
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AI summary
An audio apparatus and method employ a first renderer circuit, wherein the first renderer circuit is arranged to render audio elements by generating a first plurality of audio signals for a plurality of loudspeakers; and a second renderer circuit, wherein the second renderer circuit is arranged to render audio elements by generating a second plurality of audio signals for headphones. The audio apparatus and method perform an analysis of the first audio element to determine an audio property of the first audio element, and select between rendering of at least a first part of the first audio element via the plurality of loudspeakers and rendering of at least the first part of the first audio element via the headphones, based on a result of the analysis.