Individual Binaural Synthesis of Virtual Acoustic Scenes

近年来，虚拟现实(VR)已经在许多领域产生了重大影响。就VR的技术发展而言，传统上的重点一直是视觉部分。然而，听觉部分对于令人信服的应用是必不可少的。有多种方法可用于基于耳机的声学虚拟现实渲染。基于模型的双耳合成使用与头部相关的传递函数(HRTF)来实现单个虚拟声源的可听化。在基于数据的双耳合成中，麦克风阵列与音频信号处理和HRTF结合使用。人工头部的普通HRTF在头部内定位、前后混淆和音色方面都会导致这两种方法的问题。有许多快速测量单个HRTF的方法和个性化通用HRTF的算法。然而，对于前者，由于仪器和受试者运动的影响，缺乏对测量不确定度的系统验证。这同样适用于通用HRTF个体化算法的验证。基于模型和基于数据的双耳合成算法中的测量不确定性和近似对声学场景的真实性和可信性的影响是本项目的中心目标。这里的基本问题是，与一般的HRTF相比，借助个性化或单独测量的HRTF可以在多大程度上实现虚拟声学场景的改进。除了工具性测量外，本研究还采用了运用听力实验进行的实证研究。

In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has become a major impact in many areas. With respect to the technical development of VR, the focus has traditionally been on the visual component. However, the auditory component is essential for a convincing application. There are various methods available for headphone-based rendering of acoustic virtual reality. Model-based binaural synthesis uses Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) for the auralization of individual virtual sound sources. In data-based binaural synthesis, microphone arrays are used in combination with audio signal processing and HRTFs. Generic HRTFs of artificial heads can cause problems with both approaches in terms of in-the head localization, front-back confusions and timbre. There are numerous methods for the fast measurement of individual HRTFs and algorithms for the individualization of generic HRTFs. For the former, however, there is a lack of systematic validation of measurement uncertainties due to the apparatus and to the influence of the subject's movement. The same applies to the validation of algorithms for the individualization of generic HRTFs. The effects of measurement uncertainties and approximations in the algorithms of model- and data-based binaural synthesis on the authenticity and plausibility of acoustic scenes are the central goal of this project. Here the essential question is to what extent an improvement of a virtual acoustic scene can be achieved with the help of individualized or individually measured HRTFs in comparison to generic HRTFs. In addition to instrumental measurements, empirical studies applying listening experiments are used for the evaluation.