The spatial properties of a sound scene are determinant for the perception of sounds in a room. These spatial properties are usually studied through separate investigations of either the array of microphones, or the array of loudspeakers. Measures that take into account both the microphone and the loudspeaker arrays, called MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output), make it possible to augment the description of the sound scene. By using MIMO systems, the impulse responses of the room can be represented using a matrix and the analysis of the sound scene’s spatial properties can call upon linear algebra tools. For example, the rank of the matrix and its kernel reveal interesting information such as the number of significant reflections, the direction of their incidences on the microphone, and the direction of their emission from the loudspeakers. This project is the object of theoretical work of the formalization of the problem and the optimization of arrays of spherical transducers and also includes an experimental aspect dedicated to the acoustic analysis of rooms.
IRCAM's Team: Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces team.
