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Astro Spatial Tracking is the result of a collaboration between Norway’s TTA, the world’s foremost authority in on-stage RF tracking technology, and Astro Spatial Audio (ASA), supplier of fully object-based immersive audio solutions. TTA Sound is the creator of Stagetracker II, exclusively licensed to Astro Spatial Audio, and designed to integrate seamlessly with ASA’s SARA II Premium Rendering Engine, which harnesses the power of SpatialSound Wave, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT. Together, the system intends to offer the industry’s most powerful combination of immersive entertainment technologies for audio, lighting and video.
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In addition, Astro Spatial Tracking uses discreet tags that can be easily concealed within a performer’s outfit, and which broadcast to state-of-the-art RadioEye RF receivers. The resulting system is capable of following performers to an incredible accuracy of just 2cm – so precise that the technology is ready not just for audio but also lighting and video camera systems. Up to 100 tagged performers can be tracked, and each individual tag can transmit up to 100 positions per second.
Yet the extraordinary potential of Stagetracker II truly comes to life when combined with the new SARA II Premium Rendering Engine, harnessing the power of SpatialSound Wave (developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT). SARA II liberates the sound engineer, rendering a three-dimensional audio environment, with variable room acoustics, within which users are free to place, move and manipulate audio objects as they wish, either in real time or pre-recorded arrangements, all via an intuitive, browser-based GUI.
With the addition of Astro Spatial Tracking, that same freedom is now extended to performers, whose every action on stage can be captured and conveyed to the audience. The result is an experience unlike any other, both fully immersive for the audience while easy to operate, implement and scale.
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“The original Stagetracker solution was the trusted choice of theatre productions all over the world, and we are very proud to introduce and represent the next generation of this principal technology with Astro Spatial Tracking,” commented ASA Director Bjorn Van Munster. “Together, our Astro Spatial technologies represent a bold new set of possibilities in live entertainment. We are very excited to demonstrate the potential of this remarkable combination at Prolight+Sound 2017.”
“The Stagetracker technology has evolved exponentially since we introduced the world’s first tracking system for stages. A Stagetracker II RadioEye sensor now contains 60 antennas in a rugged design, supporting rough handling on the road and extremely precise positioning”, added TTA CEO John Skjelstad. “Stages are crowded and full of scenery – a difficult environment. But our RF-based technology overcomes these challenges as our sensors operate without any need for line-of-sight coverage. Just as Astro Spatial Audio is defining object-based 3D audio, so Astro Spatial Tracking will change how immersive theatre is produced. We are very excited about our partnership.”
Full demonstrations of Astro Spatial Tracking will occur throughout Prolight+Sound 2017, at the Frankfurt Messe between April 3rd and April 7th, in Hall 3.1, booth H14. In addition, visitors will be invited to experience true object-based immersive audio in special demonstrations held in conjunction with Adamson Systems.
www.astroaudio.eu