The potential for Ultra Wideband in wireless audio applications is clearly motivating multiple companies in the consumer and professional audio segments. As a wireless audio option, UWB offers significant benefits given that, unlike Bluetooth, the data payload and low latency credentials can service real time applications without any compromise on audio quality.
During the workshop "UWB – A New Wireless Tech in the Future of Pro Audio," a panel of UWB experts will explain UWB technology and provide examples of its application in the next wave of cutting-edge wireless audio products.
The workshop is part of the AES Fall Convention 2023 schedule and will take place at 10:15am ET on Friday, October 27, in room 1E11 of the Jacob Javits center. Extending the general presentations that took place during the UWB session at the AES Europe 2023 conference in Helsinki, Finland, the panel of UWB experts will include an overview of the technology already available, and ongoing projects using the technology. The panel will also discuss the need for a UWB Audio Interface Standard in order to ensure the interoperability and high quality of professional audio implementations.
From a performance perspective, UWB offers sufficient throughput to deliver Linear PCM 24/96 stereo with a latency of under 3 milliseconds while operating bi-directionally. These performance figures make UWB very attractive for microphones, in ear monitors (IEM’s), home theater, hifi, true wireless earbuds, headphones/headsets, and gaming accessories. Recent product announcements from Sonus Faber and Lenbrook have under-written the potential with premium consumer devices.
Previously only available as a discreet solution for professional audio, from a radio chip solution vendor perspective there are options appearing from several companies, with Qorvo and SPARK Microsystems leading for supply to the market, whereas Apple and Samsung are offering mass scale UWB-enabled consumer products.
Typically for large scale deployment, UWB has been used until now mainly for location applications. Real-time audio has a very different level of complexity and two issues that need to be addressed are Body Blocking and System Synchronization/timing. Both issues have been addressed and will be discussed during the AES Workshop. Jonny McClintock (AntennaWare) will present information on solving Body Blocking via Antennaware's patented Bodywave which provides up to 20dB of extra gain in the link budget. Jackie Green (Nexonic/UWB Alliance) will address system synchronization and timing considerations from a pro audio perspective.
The workshop will also offer the first opportunity to discuss the goals for the recently announced new AES Standards task group within SC-02-02: AES standard for Digital Input/Output Interfacing — UWB Hi Res, Low Latency Audio Interface. The development of this interface standard will facilitate ease of integration and reduce R&D time for product development.
UWB is a purely digital bi-directional signal with plenty of bandwidth and the ability to provide very precise location and orientation information. It coexists and supports other technologies seamlessly. Accordingly, it is a natural proposition that combining UWB and intelligent body worn audio devices will herald configurable content delivery products such as headphones. This improved connectivity, combined with latest generation signal processors provide the foundation for Headphone 3.0 devices where the user can personalize the specifications by enabling combinations of software plugins running a dedicated real time OS. This perspective will be presented by Gary Spittle (Sonical), introducing CosmOS, an Operating System for the Ear.
The workshop will also include information regarding some examples of an integrated headphone audio/operating system. Uses range from listening to Hi Res music, live performance, to running Apps, that enable 'Detect and Protect' which can test individual auditory performance and adjust a hearable accordingly.
As the options for Audio over UWB at the AES Workshop are for Linear Stereo audio, additional functionality can be offered when using a low latency bit rate efficient algorithm. Jonny McClintock, representing also Audio Codecs, will talk for the first time in public about the company's newest Skylark codec, which enables multichannel applications, using the same data rates but leveraging on 6 streams to deliver a truly immersive experience.
In addition, the panel will promote various demonstrations and examples of devices including headphones and evaluation platforms.
The UWB workshop is at 10:15am ET on Friday, October 27, room 1E11.
See the session in the AES conference sechedule.
www.aes.org
