Imagine you're part of your favourite film - the sounds envelop you from all sides. You can clearly feel the rain falling around you or a plane flying over your head. Have you ever wondered how this happens? You've probably heard of Dolby Atmos and the amazing feeling of surround sound that surrounds you on all sides, as if you were part of the action in a movie or concert hall. But have you thought about how exactly our brains understand where each sound is coming from? The answer lies in what's called "Binaural Signal Processing".
What does "binary processing" mean?
The term "binural" comes from the Latin words "bi" (two) and "auris" (ear). Simply put, it is the ability of our hearing to perceive and process sound information from two different points - our ears. Thanks to this, one can easily determine the direction and distance to the sound source, distinguish between sounds coming from different directions, and even ignore unwanted background noise - a phenomenon known as the "cocktail party effect".
How does binary processing work?
The key to binaural processing is like GPS for our hearing - it helps our brain locate exactly where each sound is coming from and how far away it is:
- Immediate Time Difference (ITD): Sound waves reach one ear earlier than the other if the sound comes from the side. These small time differences are used by the brain to locate the source of the sound.
- Loudness Level Difference (ILD): The head creates an "acoustic shadow" that reduces the loudness in the ear that is farther away from the sound source. This difference is also used by the brain to determine the direction of the source.
In addition to these factors, the shape of the auricle and anatomical features of the head and body create additional spectral variations that the brain uses to distinguish whether the sound is coming from the front, back, top or bottom.
What applications does binary processing have?
This technology is not only useful in cinema or music, but is also essential in the field of acoustics and building acoustics. Imagine being able to clearly hear the difference between a busy office before and after an acoustic treatment, or making a recording of the noise that is bothering you in your office or apartment, and using this recording for Acoustic Force acousticians to perform an accurate analysis of the sound environment. Or make a recording before and after a soundproofing treatment to feel and document the effectiveness of the measures applied. SQope from HEAD acoustics can also be used to assess the acoustic environment in conference rooms, theatres or restaurants, helping to optimise spaces for better speech understanding and a more pleasant sound atmosphere.
What is SQope?
SQope is an innovative binaural recording and sound signal analysis system developed by the German company HEAD acoustics. The device records sound through two microphones placed in a replica of a human head (artificial head), allowing an accurate reproduction of the natural sound sensations one would experience.
SQope and building acoustics
At Acoustic Force, we believe that the best way to understand and improve the acoustics of a building is through accurate measurements that reflect the actual sound experience of the people inside. That's why we invested in SQope.
С помощта на SQope можем: – Да направим прецизни измервания на акустичната среда в помещения като офиси, конферентни зали, театри или концертни зали. – Да идентифицираме конкретни проблеми като нежелано ехо или шум и да предложим адекватни решения. – Да симулираме реалистични звукови сценарии, които ни позволяват да представим на клиентите си точни звукови усещания, още преди да сме завършили проекта.
Did you know that...
- Thanks to binaural signal processing, one can improve speech understanding in noisy environments by up to 15 dB.
- The brain automatically ignores the reflected sound (the echo) in order to correctly locate the original source of the sound (the so-called first wavefront effect).
At Acoustic Force we use advanced technologies such as SQope to offer our customers not just solutions, but true acoustic comfort that changes the way they perceive sound.For more information and professional advice visit our website Acoustic Force.
