Institute for Data Analysis and Visualization

We present an audio-visual Virtual Reality display system for simulated sound fields. This system combines the simulation of acoustics inside closed rooms, different approaches for visualizing the sound propagation as well as the auralization of the resulting signals. The room acoustic simulation is performed by use of a particle tracing algorithm, the Phonon Tracing, applied at middle and high frequency range, combined with a wave-based approach (FEM solver) utilized for low frequencies. For a realistic representation of the simulation results we use a stereoscopic back projection system for rendering as well as a professional sound system for audio reproduction. For auralization purposes we developed a soundfield synthesis approach for accurate control of the loudspeaker system.