Fast 3D audio image rendering using equalized and relative HRTFs

Binaural 3D audio technology has attracted many researches recently. This paper addresses the real-time 3D audio rendering problem with high sound quality and low computation load. First, a Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) database measured using a standard Chinese dummy head is introduced, and an HRTF equalization method is adopted to compensate the distortion of the electroacoustic system. Second, we propose using the relative HRTFs in 3D audio rendering applications to preserve the original sound quality and save the computation time, where the two-ear convolution is simplified to one-ear convolution so that more than 50% computation load is reduced. Finally, we report a 3D audio image rendering system combining the binaural effect with the Doppler effect, as well as the environmental effects. The subject listening experiments have shown that the rendering 3D sounds are more realistic than the original signals, and the sound quality is preserved very well.