Acoustics studies the propagation and interaction of sound waves with the surrounding environment. Explores the physics of sound and the psychology of how it is interpreted by the human mind, thus being fundamental in understanding the most diverse human behaviors, from alertness to speech; from space awareness to memory.
The CCG/ZGDV Institute has a team dedicated to the field of acoustics which, through scientific research, enables a functional and pleasant sound experience in interaction with technology and the surrounding environment. The fundamental knowledge of the physics of sound and auditory perception (psychoacoustics), combined with expertise in new digital technologies, enables this team to carry out studies covering the analysis, conception, design and testing of acoustic solutions for various areas of application, such as industry automotive, engineering, information systems, health and wellness, multimedia and entertainment.
Activities
CCG/ZGDV supports organizations through the following activities:
- Design and evaluation of human-machine auditory interfaces
- Development and validation of 3D audio technologies for virtual/augmented reality environments
- Development of solutions for capturing, filtering and segmenting digital audio signals (such as voice speech)
- Solutions for mitigating noise pollution through the design of auditory signals based on psychoacoustic models (emphasis in the area of alarmistics)
- Auralization and evaluation of sound environments, acoustic and perceptual characterization
Benefits
01
Optimize communication through auditory signals
Allow optimization of the desired functionality, through sound design, based on psychoacoustic indicators. This way it is possible to communicate a more precise message adapted to the surrounding sound environment. Take the design of audible alarms as an example.
02
Create cutting-edge solutions for high-efficiency hearing interfaces
Apply sound design techniques, combined with 3D audio technologies, enabling the arrangement of auditory signals in a larger sound space. These solutions for auditory interfaces allow a significant increase in the efficiency and quantity of intelligible messages in machine-human interaction.
03
Identify and classify sound signals
Introduce signal processing techniques and perceptual models, in order to allow the characterization of auditory signals, the identification/classification of “sound signatures” and their association with certain events. For example, the use of amplitude modulation to cause the sensation of “roughness” associated with the sounds of internal combustion engines.
04
Improve decision processes
Implement auralization and modeling techniques in virtual reality environments, in order to enable the parameterized synthesis of sound environments, allowing the evaluation of the effects of changes in their characterization, with repercussions for human perception.
