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Immersive and interactive audio - ELE00136M

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  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This module looks at the creation of interactive music systems that make use of spatial audio techniques. Students will engage in the state of the art in interactive audio methods and spatial audio technologies used in a wide range of applications including interactive music production, gaming and virtual reality systems. Students will utilise interactive audio synthesis techniques in virtual acoustic environments formed from acoustic measurement or room modelling techniques.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

  • To give students an understanding of the interactive component of audio processing

  • To give the students an understanding of the design and implementation of interactive synthesis systems

  • To give students an understanding of Human Computer Interaction theories and design techniques

  • To give an understanding of the building blocks of an auralisation system, from sound source, convolution engine, model, measurement and/or simulation through to multi-channel or binaural audio rendering.

  • To give students an understanding in the state of the art in spatial audio and surround sound

  • To give students an understanding of the fundamental signal processing involved in the implementation of an auralisation system, including impulse response measurement, audio convolution, digital filtering.

  • To give students an understanding of objective analysis techniques to verify the results obtained from measurement and simulation.

Graduate skills aims:

  • To develop skills in critically evaluating and synthesising new information based on researched information and writing concise technical reports appropriate for the target audience

  • Work individually to design and implement a technical system.

  • To respond creatively to a technical brief..

Module learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • Be able to construct an interactive synthesis system

  • Have an understanding of and discuss the state of the art in human computer interaction for audio

  • Be able to measure and analyse room acoustics according to ISO-3382

  • Be able to auralise a sound source using multi-channel convolution

  • Be able to synthesise a virtual acoustic environment from a room model

  • Have an understanding of and explain the state of the art in spatial audio and surround sound systems

  • Be able to record audio using multichannel audio recording techniques

  • Be able to render an immersive audio environment over both headphones and loudspeakers

  • Have a good understanding of and explain interactive audio systems that utilise motion-tracking technologies

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • Be able to construct concise technical reports that critically evaluate and synthesise new information based on research, appropriate for the target audience

  • Be able to present technical work in a clear and concise fashion

  • Effectively communicate design choices through written and multimedia content

Module content

  • Principles of synthesis (additive, subtractive, FM, karplus-strong, wavetable etc.)

  • Synthesiser modules (VCO, VCF, VCA, filtering, sequencing, etc)

  • Interface design

  • MIDI control

  • Human computer interaction for music

  • Parameter mapping

  • Sonification

  • Impulse response measurement

  • Impulse response analysis

  • Wave-based acoustic modelling

  • Geometric acoustic modelling

  • Ambisonics and soundfield reproduction

  • Binaural methods

  • Interactive auralisation

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Design and implementation of a interactive musical system

  • Develop a musical instrument/system in MAX

  • Demonstrate good HCI principles

  • Make use of MIDI CC to control parameters

  • Write a technical report covering the design and implementation, and offering a critical evaluation (demonstrating some market research).

  • Make a video demonstrating the features of the finished product

  • Submit: report, software, and video link

Design and implementation of interactive virtual acoustic environment

  • Create a 3D model of a space in SketchUp

  • Use Odeon to generate IRs

  • Create an interactive virtual acoustic environment in Max using these IRs (e.g. binaural rendering)

  • Integrate with the musical system to allow for interaction with the virtual acoustic environments (e.g. spatialised drum machine, quadraphonic auralised synthesiser, virtual orchestra).

  • Write a technical report. This should include ISO-3382 analysis of one of the modelled IRs, cover the design and implementation of the virtual acoustic elements of the Max system, and offer a critical evaluation of the finished product.

  • Write a user guide for the system.

  • Submit: Technical report, user guide, audio files, and software

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback.

The School of PET aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. The School will endeavour to return all exam feedback within the timescale set out in the University's Policy on Assessment Feedback Turnaround Time. The School would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The School will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Formative Feedback

Regular labs will allow students to engage with the module material and receive help with, and feedback on, their practical work.

Emails to the Module Staff with Questions / Comments will be answered as soon as possible.

Summative Feedback

For each summative assessment students will receive a customised feedback sheet, showing the mark breakdown in each of the key areas being assessed along with personalised feedback and suggestions for improvement. The comments explain how well you have met the learning objectives, and also give you feedback about the things you could improve in future assignments).

Indicative reading

  • Rumsey, F., Spatial Audio, ISBN-13: 978-0240516233

  • Vorländer, M. Auralization: Fundamentals of Acoustics, Modelling, Simulation, Algorithms and Acoustic Virtual Reality, Springer, 2008, ISBN-13: 978-3540488293

  • Kuttruff, H., Room Acoustics, Fifth Edition, Spon Press, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-0415480215

  • Everest, F. A., Master Handbook of Acoustics, McGraw Hill, 2009, ISBN-13:978-0071603324

  • Keith Johnson, (1997), Acoustic and Auditory Phonetics, Blackwell, ISBN 0-631-20095-9

  • Howard and Angus (2006). Acoustics and Psychoacoustics. Focal Press Oxford ISBN-10:0-240-51995-7

  • Puckette, Miller Smith (2007). The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music . World Scientific , Singapore. ISBN 978-981-270-541-9 available online: http://crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/techniques/latest/book-html/


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.