An Interactive and Real Time 3d Auralization System for Room Acoustics (the Auralias Project)

The AURALIAS project (www.auralias.be) aims at developing an interactive and real-time auralization system for room acoustics. The user is immersed into a virtual sound field, looking at an image of the virtual room and interacting with it through an appropriate interface. Precomputed 3D Directional Room Impulse Responses (DRIRs) are first generated by a ray tracing software. They are then convolved with the anechoic signals using frequency block segmented convolution. The filtered signals are finally distributed either to a VBAP (6 loudspeakers at the moment) or an HRTF sound field reproduction module. The first prototype allows the auralization of multiple isotropic sound sources, the displacement of the virtual listener and the modification of his head’s orientation. Further developments will offer the support for moving sources, mobile sweet spot and real-time acoustical or geometrical modifications of the virtual room.