Cross-format Audio for Virtual Environments (CAVE)
Project partners: University of Edinburgh, Civic Digits, Traverse Theatre
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are leading a collaboration to develop technical toolchains and best practice workflows for spatial audio particular to performances which are immersive in physical and digital spaces simultaneously.
While experimentation with virtual live performance and digitally-distributed theatre have become more common, there are few academic or industry studies that attempt to scope specific requirements in producing a dual virtuality – creating live work that is immersive in digital (e.g. online) and physical spaces (e.g. a theatre) in tandem.
A key part of the construction of virtual worlds is the soundscape, which can be distributed using several different spatial audio formats, such as Ambisonics, Dolby Atmos and Binaural Audio. The project will examine available technologies vital for cross-format immersive audio, where the research will look at technical challenges, such as latency mitigation, resource optimisation and tool-chain limitations.
The research team will also work with partners in the theatre industry – Civic Digits and the Traverse Theatre – to evaluate whether these pipelines can improve the experiences for audiences and performers.
Through these collaborations, the project will trial full technical toolchains – from audio capture to distribution – and build working prototypes that will ultimately be tested with remote and in-person audience members in live performance settings.
The research will build on existing academic studies in spatial audio and virtual production, while drawing on expertise from the CoSTAR Realtime Lab at the University of Edinburgh and immersive facilities available more broadly at the Edinburgh College of Art.
CAVE is one of eight university-led collaborations awarded up to £25,000 of R&D funding from the XR Network+ XR Labs Fund to develop extended reality prototypes using facilities at UK universities.
Image by Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh
Categories: Performance, Research, Technology