One of the new technologies being showcased by Barco at I/ITSEC 2017 was what they called “AudioCue.” This was demonstrated with 20 audiokinetic speakers surrounding the sweet spot on a large 3D Perception screen illuminated by Barco F70 4K projectors running a database from Bohemia Interactive. The scene featured helicopters, planes, tanks and soldiers with individual sounds for each object that fill a 3D sound field in front of the screen. It was very effective.
First shown at ITEC last May, the technology is now ready for commercial deployment and is said to be compatible with any IG. Demos of the technology were also on display in set-ups at Quanta Dynamics, Air National Guard and MES.
The technology is based on the object audio technology developed by Iosono, which Barco acquired several years ago. It has been deployed in theme parks and museum and has now been adapted for the simulation market.
AudioCue is a hardware box that will sell for around 15K Euro, which include the hardware processor, software, a library of sounds and a license. The library includes basic simulator asset audio files like helicopter rotors, jet engine, tank firing, gun firing, etc. Right now, these are mostly generic sounds, but customers can create their own “audio modules” so the sounds of an F-15 can be distinguished from an F-35, for example.
The way it works is that the processor reads that the database stream and identifies objects that can have sounds and assigns an audio module. Since the information of where this object is in the 3D database is available, the sound can follow the object to create an immersive sound field. End users can then route the audio signals through various distribution, amplification and speaker solutions, allowing a lot of flexibility in the set up.
AudioCue is unique in its ability to render the spatial audio in realtime and in reaction to user interaction with the simulation. It should ship in the March 2018 time frame. – CC
