"Auralization" is the technique of creation and reproduction of sound on the basis of computer data. With this tool is it possible to predict the character of sound signals which are generated at the source and modified by reinforcement, propagation and transmission in systems such as rooms, buildings, vehicles or other technical devices. This book is organized as a comprehensive collection of the basics of sound and vibration, acoustic modelling, simulation, signal processing and audio reproduction. Implementations of the auralization technique are described using examples drawn from various fields in acoustic's research and engineering, architecture, sound design and virtual reality.

Autorentext

Michael Vorländer became director of the institute and professor of technical acoustics at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in 1996. After education in physics and a doctorate degree in 1989 he worked in various fields of acoustics, mainly architectural acoustics and binaural technology.

His main areas of research are room acoustics, building acoustics, psychoacoustics, acoustic measurements, virtual acoustics.

Professor Vorländer is active  in international societies, like

2004 - 2007 President of the European Acoustics Association (EAA)

2007 - 2010 Vice President of the European Acoustics Association (EAA)

2004 - Board of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA)

Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

German Acoustical Society (DEGA)

German Physical Society (DPG)

Zusammenfassung

Auralization is the creation of audible acoustic sceneries from computer-generated data. The term "auralization" is to be understood as being analogue to the well-known technique of "visualization". In visual illustration of scenes, data or any other meaningful information, in movie animation and in computer graphics, we describe the process of "making visible" as visualization. In acoustics, auralization is taking place when acoustic effects, primary sound signals or means of sound reinforcement or sound transmission, are processed to be presented by using electro-acoustic equipment. This book is organized as comprehensive collection of basics, methodology and strategies of acoustic simulation and auralization. With mathematical background of advanced students the reader will be able to follow the main strategy of auralization easily and work own implementations of auralization in various fields of applications in acoustic engineering, sound design and virtual reality. For readersinterested in basic research the technique of auralization may be useful to create sound stimuli for specific investigations in linguistic, medical, neurological and psychological research and in the field of human-machine interaction.

Inhalt
Fundamentals of acoustics.- Sound sources.- Sound propagation.- Sound fields in cavities and in rooms.- Structure-borne sound.- Psychoacoustics.- Signal processing for auralization.- Characterization of sources.- Convolution and sound synthesis.- Simulation models.- Simulation of sound in rooms.- Simulation and auralization of airborne sound insulation.- Simulation and auralization of structure-borne sound.- Binaural transfer path synthesis.- Aspects of real-time processing.- 3-D sound reproduction and virtual reality systems.