Real-time generation of interactive virtual auditory environments

Virtual auditory environments refer to a procedure in which auditory environments are created by means of a computer model (Lehnert & Blauert 1991). These artificial environments are perceived as being natural and they create the impression of being present in another physical space. The sense of tele-presence can greatly be improved by making these environments interactive, that is, the subject is allowed to move and act naturally in such an environment. To this end the behaviour of the subject, namely the rotations and translations of the head, has to be monitored and reacted on by the computer model. In the course of the European ESPRIT research project SCATIS (Spatially Coordinated Auditory/Tactile Interactive Scenario) a system, the SCAT-LAB, is under development which generates interactive virtual environments for the tactile and the auditory modality. In this paper some of the design aspects for the development of the auditory part of the SCAT-LAB are presented. Although being taken from a specific project, most of the results are regarded as being quite general for the task of creating interactive virtual environments with today´s technology