Work

Urban background sounds under various weather conditions categorized for virtual acoustics

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: One of the major problems in the auralization of complex urban scenarios is the creation of ambience, i.e. the diffuse background which represents the sound floor on which the acoustic scene of interest is created. Omitting a realistic ambience results in a sterile and implausible impression. To overcome this drawback, a hybrid approach with admixture of spatially recorded background sounds seems to be a promising approach. This paper provides a protocol to record and categorize background soundscapes for such applications. The freely accessible database contains 102 calibrated recordings at the IHTApark in Aachen (Germany) across various weather conditions, segmented into calibrated 30-second snippets. The categorization is performed based on the meteorological and acoustic parameters. • Database of calibrated spatial background sound recordings in an outdoor environment. • Systematic (psycho)acoustic analysis of background sounds and weather indicators. • Interactive demonstration website of the weather-dependent variability. • Promising approach for plausibility enhancement of hybrid outdoor auralization.

Source: Journal of Environmental Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123081

Authors: Josep Llorca-Bofí, Jonas Heck, Christian Dreier, Michael Vorländer

Institutions: RWTH Aachen University, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Language: English

Topic: Noise Effects and Management

Subfield: Speech and Hearing

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,850