spatial complexity presentation

8/6/2019 Spatial Complexity Presentation

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The spatial complexity of

auditory scenes

Luis Miranda


2/20

Research motivation

Recent interest in soundscape research

Recent interest in spherical microphone arrays

Original idea:

Analyse the soundfield of everyday spaces, with

special emphasis on its spatial characteristics.

Endeavour to pair spatial characteristics of

soundscapes with perceived characteristics.


3/20

Research motivation

Gaps identified in soundscape research:

Extensive generalisations.

Models applicable only to case under study. Most signal based studies do not take into

account auditory stream formation.

Most higher level cognition studies do nottake into account signal characteristics.


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Research motivation

Soundscape vs. every day spaces

Holistically vs. one dimensional

Ecological validity vs. experimental certainty

Research focus:

Focus on every day scenes.

Focus on specific characteristics.

Preserve ecological validity.


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Aspects under study - Space


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Aspects under study

Receivers/Sources


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Aspects under study

Receivers/Sources


8/20


9/20

Research question

How does the spatial distribution of sources and

reverberation affect the perception of an

auditory scene?


10/20

Existing knowledge relevant to

research project

Acoustic measurements

Well established measurements of acoustic

signals. Spatial measurements of acoustic signals

Binaural/Spherical microphone arrays.


11/20


research project

Psychoacoustics

Numerical description of signals based on

perceptual characteristics.


12/20


research project

Auditory scene analysis (ASA) and

computational auditory scene analysis (CASA)

ASA aims to explain the processes that aids usto integrate and differentiate auditory streams

in complex situations.

CASA aims to perform similar tasks using

signal processing.


13/20


research project

Soundscape research

Ecological validity of studies

Ecological validity of reproduction methods


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An important missing piece of

information

Visual complexity

Well studied, in several contexts and

situations.Auditory complexity

Not well established, most studies deal with

musical complexity.


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Informal listening examples

One source low reverb time

Three sources low reverb time

Six sources low reverb time

One source mid reverb time Three sources mid reverb time

Six sources mid reverb time

One source high reverb time

Three sources high reverb time

Six sources high reverb time


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Reformulating research question

How does the spatial distribution of sources andreverberation affect the perception of an

auditory scene?


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Reformulating research question

Does the spatial distribution of sources andreverberation affect the perception of

complexity in an auditory scene?


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Research path

Use of spatialmeasurementsto measure every dayscenes/Subjectinterviews

Use of spatialmeasurementsto measure every dayscenes/Subjectinterviews

Understand existingspaces

Evaluate validity ofreproduction methodsEvaluate validity ofreproduction methods

Understandadvantages andpossibilities of headtracked/ambisonicssystems forexperimental tests

Understand theperceptual attributesof complex scenes

Evaluate the influenceof spatial complexityon task basedexperiments

Evaluate the influenceof spatial complexityon task basedexperiments

Understand theinfluence ofcomplexity in everyday tasks


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Desired outcomes/Research

innovations

Advance the knowledge in spatial

measurements and measurement applications

for spherical microphone arrays

Establishing the concept of spatial complexity

in auditory scenes

Understand how does spatial complexity

affect everyday activities


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Back to the soundscape focus (ifI have

time)

If the ecological validity of the study is

confirmed, can we apply the research

outcomes to soundscape preference?

spatial complexity presentation

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