Abstract

The aim of this project was to investigate the correlation between virtual reality (VR) imagery and ambisonic sound. With the increasing popularity of VR applications, understanding how sound is perceived in virtual environments is crucial for enhancing the immersiveness of the experience. By examining the relationship between visual scenes and sound scenes, this research attempts to explore how the interaction between vision and hearing influences the perception of the virtual environment. In the experiment, participants were immersed in a virtual environment that replicated a concert hall and were exposed to different types of sound scenes. Each sound scene differed in the employed impulse response recorded in real venues such as concert halls, auditoriums, churches, etc. To provide a realistic auditory experience, the sound scenes were processed using third-order ambisonics and decoded using binaural techniques with HRTF. The research was conducted using paired tests, where participants compared different sound scenes with each other, while viewing the same visual scene. One of the major conclusions drawn from the conducted research was the confirmation of the role of spatial sound in creating immersive VR experiences. The study demonstrated that the appropriate matching of spatial sound to the VR visual scene is an important factor for achieving full immersion. Additionally, the existence of expectations and preferences regarding the characteristics of reverberation in different types of spaces was discovered. These findings have significant implications for the design of virtual environments, and understanding these aspects can contribute to the improvement of VR technology and the creation of more immersive and realistic virtual experiences for users.

Authors (3)