Studies the use of computer algorithms to simulate and analyze sound in virtual environments.
Wave propagation: The study of how sound waves travel through various mediums, such as air or water.
Sound absorption: The measure of how much sound is absorbed by different materials or surfaces.
Reverberation: The persistence of sound in a space after the initial sound has stopped, caused by reflections off surfaces.
Room modes: The resonant frequencies that occur within a room, which can affect the overall sound quality.
Echo and delay: The effect of sound being reflected back to the listener with a delay, which can create a sense of depth and space within a virtual environment.
Acoustic modeling: The use of mathematical models to simulate acoustic properties in a virtual environment, including the shaping of sound waves and the reflection and absorption of sound.
Binaural recording and playback: A technique that captures sound recordings using two microphones placed in the ears of a dummy head to create a stereo image that replicates the way we hear sound naturally.
Head-related transfer function (HRTF): The way in which sound waves interact with the shape of the human ear and head to create a perception of sound location within a 3D space.
Audio signal processing: The use of digital signal processing techniques to manipulate audio signals in real-time, including the application of filters, equalizers, and reverb effects.
Spatial audio: The creation of the perception of a virtual 3D space using sound, including the placement and movement of sound sources within the virtual environment.
Geometrical Acoustics: Geometrical acoustics is a mathematical model for the propagation of sound waves in a room. This model is based on the assumption that sound waves travel in straight lines and can be reflected off surfaces.
Wave-Based Acoustics: Wave-based acoustics is a mathematical model for the propagation of sound waves in a room. This model is based on the assumption that sound waves travel as waves and can diffract around corners, bend around edges and be refracted through mediums with different densities.
Ray Tracing Acoustics: Ray tracing acoustics uses a combination of geometrical and wave-based acoustics to simulate the propagation of sound waves in a room. This model traces the path of sound waves as they bounce off surfaces and refract through different mediums to predict the propagation of sound in a room.
Modal-Based Acoustics: Modal-based acoustics is a mathematical model for the acoustic response of a room based on its mode shapes. Mode shapes are the natural resonant frequencies of a room which determine how it responds to an acoustic stimulus.
Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA): SEA is a numerical model for predicting the transmission of energy through a complex structure. The model is based on statistical assumptions about the way energy is transmitted in a structure, and provides an accurate prediction of the transmission loss of a structure.
Finite Element Analysis (FEA): Finite element analysis is a computer simulation technique for predicting the behavior of a structure under different load conditions. FEA can be used to simulate the acoustic behavior of a room by modeling the walls, floors, and ceilings as a series of interconnected nodes.
Boundary Element Method (BEM): BEM is a numerical model for predicting the response of a structure to an acoustic stimulus. BEM is based on a series of equations that describe the way sound waves interact with surfaces in a room.
Hybrid Methods: Hybrid methods use a combination of different virtual acoustic techniques to provide a more accurate prediction of the acoustic behavior of a room. For example, a hybrid method may use a combination of wave-based and ray tracing acoustics to simulate the propagation of sound in a room.