A loudspeaker design for sound image localization on large flat screens

Abstract

Most multimedia applications involving auditory displays for digital video contents rely on audio signal processing and conventional stereo loudspeakers to create sound images on the screens. Although a number of examples of these techniques have been reported in the literature showing successful results for narrow listening areas, it seems that the configuration of the loudspeakers plays a significant role when correct sound image localization is desired at wider sound fields. This paper presents a new loudspeaker design that enhance the localization of sound images on the surface of a flat screen for users distributed in a wide area. A preliminary validation of the design was performed numerically using boundary element methods, and experimentally using a prototype model. The results show that, in spite of its simplicity, the design effectively alters the radiated sound field so as to expand the listening area.