Dissertation

Interaction with Sound - Explorations beyond the Frontiers of 3D Virtual Auditory Environments

Abstract

Sound and acoustics both play an important role and are an integral part of our daily life. Most people, however, fail to appreciate how good they really are in interpreting sounds and noises, and are unaware of how much information is really perceived though the auditory channel alone.
This research therefore concentrates on the study of 3D auditory display systems and develops spatial sonification and interaction techniques to support an intuitive exploration of 3D virtual auditory environments. With this goal, techniques from the visual domain are adopted and existing concepts of information visualization are transferred to improve the design and sonification of 3D auditory environments. The focus lies here especially on an audio-centered design that concentrates on the benefits of an auditory display of information. Thereby aspects for an intuitive and natural exploration and interaction are discussed, leading to improvements that also include efficient graphics-based 3D sound rendering and simulation techniques. The thesis explores in this respect several areas of application. These range from interactive 3D audio-only computer games, over the design of augmented audio reality scenarios to the introduction of interactive audiobooks, which integrate interactive elements into audiobooks and radio plays. These applications are prototypically implemented, as well as examined and evaluated in detail through various user evaluations.
Additionally, promising areas of further research are discussed throughout to develop a firm basis for future development.

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