HEAD acoustics Launches Acoustic Environment for Realistic Noise and Reverberation Measurements

February 25 2019, 00:55
Users of mobile phones, voice-operated smart home devices or hands-free terminals have to deal with different background noises and room reverberation that impair their user experience. Therefore, realistic performance tests of communication devices do not only need to consider background noise but also reverberation. HEAD acoustics launches 3PASS reverb for this purpose, a software option for its background noise simulation systems 3PASS lab and 3PASS flex. 3PASS reverb is capable of simulating realistic room reverberation.
 
The audio file of the impulse response is displayed in the upper window and the spectrum of the same impulse response in the lower window. Image ©HEAD acoustics GmbH

With 3PASS reverb, the audio experts of HEAD acoustics have developed a methodology that enables developers and manufacturers to reproduce different room characteristics like realistic reverberation in the laboratory. The software simulates the reverberation of the room by applying the previously recorded impulse responses to any audio signal in real time.

While an artificial head measurement system plays back the direct sound signal, the background noise system covers playback of the reverberation components based on the impulse response from the original room. Exemplary impulse responses from various rooms are included as standard in 3PASS reverb.
 
Exemplary test setup for 3PASS reverb: a head and torso simulator in front of the test object plays back the direct sound signal (green waves), the 3PASS lab system plays back the room reverberation (purple waves). Image ©HEAD acoustics GmbH.
The methodology invented by HEAD acoustics has been successfully approved as ETSI standard TS 103 557 in December 2018.
www.head-acoustics.com
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