Volumetric Audio Rendering Using RIR and Scene Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual reality systems struggle to provide realistic audio experiences as users move freely in a 6-DoF environment, as current methods fail to accurately account for changes in sound direction and distance due to user movement, leading to mismatches in room impulse responses.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes near-field and far-field microphones to capture audio, processes the signals using RIR estimation and STFT, and incorporates scene geometry to determine geometric RIRs, allowing for accurate audio rendering based on user position and movement, using either actual or simulated RIRs to create a more realistic experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If exhaustive measurements are performed to accurately capture room impulse responses for all user positions, then audio realism is improved, but measurement time and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurements at a limited set of reference positions to capture room impulse responses before actual use. These pre-captured RIRs are stored for later retrieval and interpolation, eliminating the need for exhaustive real-time measurements while maintaining audio realism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing exhaustive measurements at every possible user position, the system creates virtual copies of room acoustic characteristics through interpolation algorithms. The RIRs at unmeasured positions are synthesized by interpolating between measured reference positions, reducing measurement time while preserving audio fidelity.
2Measurement precision
If the system uses actual measured RIRs for all user positions, then audio accuracy is improved, but the need for exhaustive measurements increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the continuous space of possible user positions into discrete reference positions where measurements are performed. By dividing the problem into manageable segments (reference positions), the system reduces complexity while maintaining accuracy through interpolation between segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary computational layer (interpolation algorithm) that bridges the gap between measured reference positions and actual user positions. This intermediary process synthesizes RIRs for unmeasured positions without requiring direct measurements, reducing system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the system performs real-time RIR calculations for every user movement, then audio realism is improved, but processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs RIR calculations in advance at reference positions and stores the results. During actual use, the system retrieves pre-calculated RIRs and interpolates them in real-time, avoiding computationally intensive real-time calculations while maintaining audio realism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete RIR calculations for every possible user position, the system performs partial calculations only at reference positions. The remaining positions are handled through interpolation, reducing computational load while achieving sufficient audio realism.
4Measurement precision
If the system captures audio at every possible user position, then spatial accuracy is improved, but data storage requirements and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the continuous spatial domain into discrete reference positions for data collection. By sampling only at these segmented positions rather than continuously across all possible locations, the system reduces data storage requirements while maintaining spatial accuracy through interpolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of acoustic data for unmeasured positions through interpolation algorithms. Instead of storing actual measurements at every possible position, the system synthesizes data copies from reference measurements, reducing storage requirements while preserving spatial accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method including receiving an audio scene including at least one source captured using at least one near field microphone and at least one far field microphone (1410). The method includes determining at least one room-impulse-response (RIR) associated with the audio scene based on the at least one near field microphone and the at least one far field microphone (1420), accessing a predetermined scene geometry corresponding to the audio scene (1430), and identifying best match to the predetermined scene geometry in a scene geometry database (1430). The method also includes performing RIR comparison based on the at least one RIR and at least one geometric RIR associated with the best matching geometry (1450), and rendering a volumetric audio scene based on a result of the RIR comparison (1460).