Computational methods in architectural acoustics.

Abstract

Sound field modeling and auralization have been used in architectural acoustics for many years. Today, the technique of auralization can also be implemented with real‐time performance. Then it is part of the technology of virtual reality. Apparent simple scenarios of interaction, however, for instance, when a person is leaving a room and closes a door, require complex models of room acoustics and sound transmission. Otherwise the coloration, the loudness, and timbre of sound within and between rooms are not represented adequately. Still numerous approximations must be made to reach this goal. In the end, the resulting sound is not intended to be physically correct, but perceptively plausible. Knowledge about human sound perception is, therefore, a very important prerequisite to evaluate auralized sounds. In this paper the algorithms for sound field rendering and spatial reproduction are reviewed and discussed with regard to future research.