Application of 3D audio as a navigational tool in an augmented reality environment on a mobile device

Abstract

Augmented Reality offers great opportunities for for researchers. A Mobile Virtual Community Noise Simulator is a concept at the NLR for a mobile simulator on which airplane yovers can be simulated under varying environmental conditions. Using a tablet computer as a window into the augmented world and a headphone, the user can see and hear the airplane pass by. Such a scenario could be used in aircraft noise annoyance research provided that the sound experience is realistic. In this research we set out to investigate the use of 3D sound as a navigational tool in an Augmented Reality environment in the context of the Mobile Virtual Community Noise Simulator. We show that it is possible implement real-time 3D audio synthesis using Head-Related Transfer Functions on a tablet pc, a novelty, as far as the author is aware, and we test the performance and useability of 3D audio as a navigational tool on a tablet pc in a series of user tests.