Japan’s Nagaoka University of Technology, fondly known as ‘Nagaoka Tech,’ is at the forefront of auditory research.
At the heart of Nagaoka Tech lies the Acoustic and Vibration Engineering Centre; a research hub dedicated to advancing the understanding of sound and its myriad applications – and where Genelec Smart Active Monitors play a key role.
Established in 1984, the Centre houses a comprehensive suite of resources, including two reverberation chambers, an electromechanical acoustics laboratory and a psychological auditory laboratory. Among its features, the large anechoic chamber stands as the flagship of the Centre, designed to minimise sound reflections and provide an ideal environment for conducting precise acoustic experiments.
Read all the latest product & music industry news here.
“We’re dedicated to creating immersive sound experiences using a minimal number of loudspeakers,” explains Professor Yasunori Sugita, Deputy Director of the Centre. “Understanding human auditory perception is paramount, driving us to explore technologies such as stereophonic sound through bone conduction – to aid visually impaired navigation and wheelchair control – through to sound localisation and recognition. Our students engage in diverse projects, from out-of-head sound image localisation to stereo acoustics, aiming to unravel the mysteries of sound perception and tackle real-world challenges.”
Marking a significant upgrade for the university, a 41.2 channel 3D loudspeaker system was recently installed at the Acoustic and Vibration Engineering Centre. The system serves as the cornerstone for various research endeavours, spanning sound field reproduction to the remote control of robots using virtual and augmented reality.
Professor Sugita intends to use this technology to create immersive audio environments mirroring real-world scenarios: “Although it’s now possible to reproduce visual information three-dimensionally using head-mounted displays, it’s not yet been possible to reproduce sound, which is also crucial for remote control. We wanted to analyse the sound of the space in which a person is present, and then reproduce it in a different space.
For more info, keep reading at Genelec. For local Genelec enquiries, visit Studio Connections.
