8 November 2021 @ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (UTC+1)
Modeling Examples Extending X3D Realism with Audio Graphs and 3D Spatial Sound
- Eftychia Lakka – University of South Wales
- Athanasios G. Malamos – Hellenic Mediterranean University
- Maria Papadaki – Hellenic Mediterranean University
- Don Brutzman – Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)
KEYWORDS. Spatial Sound, X3D, 3D Sound, 3D Scene, 3D Modeling, Auralization, Acoustic Properties, Virtual Environments, W3C Web Audio API, Audio Graph
ABSTRACT. X3D4 Graphics offers new extensions for the high-fidelity capabilities of Web Audio API, providing advanced 3D spatial sound propagation. This tutorial explores multiple examples in X3D and JavaScript for implementing the twenty new nodes in X3D4. The concept of Audio Graph is central to the composition of X3D and the W3C Web Audio API Recommendation. Tool support includes strong validation of audio-graph relationships and structure. X3D-Edit additions provide further support for testing models. X3DOM additions for the X3D4 Sound Component are evaluated in detail, providing recommendations for other player implementations. We will briefly note new capabilities provided by MIDI 2.0 standard as well. Future work includes implementing acoustic properties for realistic high-fidelity aural rendering.
Many years of steadily growing interest to implement virtual environment technologies have been seen in a wide variety of different applications, including distance learning (e.g. serious gaming), the entertainment industry (e.g. online games, live events), architectural design, the production of art, various training scenarios, along with scientific and engineering research. As a result, work documented in relevant recent literature has focused on improving the realism and the sense of immersion within a Three Dimensional (3D) Virtual Environment (VE), taking into account not only the realistic visual rendering but also the spatial sound propagation. The fact that sound rendering constitutes an integral part of the production of realistic VE is not a coincidence, because it can offer additional details and visceral sense to a 3D immersive world.
Motivated by the above, the purpose of this tutorial is to present the introduction of new nodes in X3D Graphics specification in order to be extended both with spatial sound attributes and with physical effects. The proposed structure is harmonized for use with the Web Audio API and HTML5. The tutorial provides an overview of fundamentals of sound and acoustics, the improved X3D4 Sound Component, and an overview of the W3C Web Audio API. Multiple example scenarios are shared for evaluation of the proposed approach, using the new X3D nodes in an interactive Web 3D scene.