Artificial heads are an indispensable tool for binaural sound recordings and measurements, as well as for simulating speakers in tests of communication devices. However, artificial heads are directionally rigid systems, which poses particular challenges for engineers, and head turns make measurements difficult.
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People turn their heads when they listen and when they speak. This head rotation changes the sound reception at the ear, and listeners continuously perceive sound differently. However, the perceived position of sound events does not change during head rotation. This should also be reflected in virtual and augmented reality scenarios. And when a person speaking turns their head, the oral sound field changes significantly, especially in high-frequency sound components.
Measurement results will not reflect reality if these effects are not factored in – and today's measurement technology does not consider head rotations.
To solve the problem, HEAD acoustics designed move°S, an optional, software-controlled upgrade for all HEAD measurement systems HMS II.x and Head Shoulder Units (HSU) III from the 2021 generation onwards.
The upgrade enables motorized head rotation with a fixed shoulder with high precision and perfect repeatability. Thus, for the first time, the head movements of a real person can be simulated in a truly realistic way. move°S works virtually noiselessly and can, therefore, also be used during a measurement.
move°S is available for suitable HMS/HSU as an option before initial delivery and as an upgrade for suitable HMS/HSU units already in use.
move°S enable better reproducibility and comparability due to the motorized and remote-controlled operation. Speed and rotation angles are comparable to the human head rotation, therefore enabling natural head rotation moves, realistically fast but silent. The solution also enables the simulation of a speaker and a listener, including natural change of mouth sound field and ear sound reception.
"The realistic simulation of natural head rotation is a further step towards the lifelike simulation of human behavior, making applications more comprehensive and realistic for Virtual/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) headsets with head tracking, in-vehicle communication systems and devices, or any type of systems with directional behavior, such as multi-user conferencing systems. In all these applications, effects of acoustic reflections from shoulders and/or nearby surfaces, for example, in vehicles, can be accounted for," the company says.
www.head-acoustics.com
